Jalapeno is a popular ingredient in spicy recipes. Are you wondering if your dog can handle this fiery pepper?
It’s a great question! Here’s the deal:
Though jalapenos are not actually toxic for canines, it’s best to avoid feeding this food.
Jalapenos aren’t good for your dog’s digestive health — this is true even with no apparent stomachache afterwards.
Do Not Let Your Dog Eat Jalapeno
Doing so is generally bad idea. It is not recommended.
You certainly wouldn’t be doing your dog any favors by giving them this famously spicy pepper.
In fact, hot jalapenos could do damage to your dog’s internals (especially if given regularity).
It’s smart to keep jalapenos well out of reach!
Dogs And Spicy Foods
Dogs are not used to eating spicy things, especially if you’re feeding them a straight diet of dog food each day.
Giving a jalapeno is like throwing a wrench into the gears. Bell peppers, by comparison, make much more sense.
Your dog will do their best to get rid of foods that don’t agree with them, either through the back or the front.
Why not just have a strict off-limits policy regarding jalapenos to avoid an unnecessary stomachache or worse.
Accidental Ingestion
If your dog ate a jalapeno, or food containing jalapenos, without your consent you probably don’t have to worry about any long term problems. You should, however, prepare for some diarrhea and keep an eye on them over the next few hours to see how they’re doing.
Sometimes, even if you don’t notice any negative symptoms, it’s a good idea to help soothe their digestive system with a time-tested remedy such as adding canned pumpkin to their dog food.
Many owners also like to confine their pets to an area that is easy to clean when they get into something they shouldn’t. But in all likelihood they’ll stop eating the peppers on their own, before eating so many that they have a bigger problem than they can handle.
Luckily, jalapenos are not a food item that will likely result in a trip to the animal hospital.
Better Food Options
If you want to feed your dog something special, most times it’s not a good idea to give them table scraps or pieces of food that you’re eating.
If your pup is begging for some of your food, including your jalapenos, have some dog treats on hand so that they can have a snack while you’re eating your meal.
In order to improve their behavior, you can wait until they stop begging and leave you alone. Then reward them with their own treat. This reinforces desirable canine behavior and they’ll eventually learn that if they let you eat in peace, good things will come to them.
The Bottom Line
Jalapeno peppers, as a rule, should not be fed to dogs. Canines just aren’t well-equipped for intensely spicy foods.
While it is likely nothing bad will happen in the short-term, enough jalapenos may eventually cause your dog to have gastrointestinal problems later in life.
I was inquiring about hot Giardiniera. I put it in my cornbread, and my dog usually eats cornbread before I began this habit. The intent was to add it to one side of it and give him the part that has none. However, since there are mixed liquids so does this warning include hot Giardiniera as well?
My Chihuahua is a picky eater. He knows what he likes and does not. He loves cheddar cheese and I just found out he loves Tostitos (medium cheese dip). He licked my plate clean after I used it for chip dipping. He used to love apple slices but does not any more. He loves cooked carrots at times, but not so much in his scrambled egg.
My dog ate hot pepper yesterday and appears to very sick and weak.