Grits are very popular in parts of the United States. It’s not an exaggeration to say that millions of dog owners love this breakfast side dish.
Are you wondering if this morning meal can be fed to your curious canine?
Here’s the deal:
While grits has no toxicity, that is pretty much where the good news ends.
Don’t Feed Your Dog Grits Often
This classic comfort food comes from corn (specifically kernels) and that makes it a poor choice for a pet pooch.
While a little bit of grits won’t do your dog any harm, feeding it often can be habit forming.
There could also be health consequences down the road, though grits certainly isn’t the worst choice. We just don’t allow our dogs to chow down for reasons we’ll continue to explain…
‘Grits Are Good’ Argument
Sure, you can find positives things to say about grits.
For one, there is plenty of vitamin B-6.
Grits also have folate and amino acids. The pros, however, do not outweigh downsides for dogs.
Buttered, Salt and Others
When people eat grits, they add a little something extra.
This food is almost always doctored up to enhance taste. Butter, and sometimes lots of it, is the number one indulgence as soon as the bowl hits the table.
Are you heavy on the butter?
That makes the side dish in question less healthy for dogs and their owners!
Some other condiments common to grits are salt, pepper, cheese and even crispy bacon bits.
These additives combined with what grits themselves are made from are enough to make any reasonable person realize something…
That dogs should not be eating this!
Closer Look At Ingredients
Again, do not focus on grits alone.
You have to consider the ingredients that go into making this tasty morning meal.
Look at it this way:
Would you feed your dog buttered up corn kernels? Probably not, so why start now?
Low quality dog foods contain worthless corn-based filler. They lack nutritional value.
Grits are not a good choice for dogs — there’s no way around it!
Grits Compared To Oatmeal
Compare grits to oatmeal if you are looking to feed your dog a morning meal.
They have similar consistencies and are porridge-like grains. Both have healthy aspect but, hands down, oatmeal is a much better alternative.
In fact, we see no good reason to ever feed the family dog grits.
The Bottom Line
Grits are corn-based which is why we do not favor them for dogs.
Do not concern yourself with satisfying a buddy’s taste buds. This food is inappropriate even without butter, salt and/or pepper.
That said, nothing terrible will happen to your dog if some grits were eaten. Just avoid sharing on a regular basis.