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Table scraps always go to the family dog. Heck, it’s almost a tradition!
Indeed, sometimes it is super difficult to turn down your best buddy when you have a bunch of extra food.
But, quite honestly, feeding certain leftovers could complicate your canine’s life.
That’s why it is important to know which table scraps are shareable and which ones are best avoided.
Be Selective And Go Easy When Feeding Your Dog Table Scraps
Otherwise, sharing can lead to begging or worse.
For example, any veterinarian will tell you that cases of pancreatitis increase in pets following Thanksgiving and X-mas feasts.
There is no way around it:
Some humans foods are simply not appropriate for dogs from a health standpoint.
Terrible Table Scraps
This subject is obviously a broad topic. The following are just some foods you should not feed your dog:
- Avocados
- Onions
- Garlic (sparingly only)
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Most dairy products
- Corn-on-the-cob
- Pure fat
- Most types of cooked real bones
- Anything with lots of salt or sugar
There is a misconception that cooked chicken bones are okay.
In fact, they are unsafe! Avoid a potential choking hazard.
Concerning fat, too much can lead to pet pancreatic problems.
Appropriate Leftovers
So what is okay to give the family dog from the table?
Lean meats!
Canines require, even thrive from, protein from fresh meat.
Limit other types of table scraps to fresh fruits with no seeds, certain vegetables with no seasonings and perhaps a bit of rice.
As much as your dog begs for that steak bone or bacon fat, you should deprive them of it!
Just a Very Small Taste
If the food in question is safe, giving your dog a taste can’t hurt.
That said, you still don’t want to allow your dog to expect such special meals.
You’ll have a bad feeding habit to break once Fido feels entitled to the table scraps treatment. A policy of moderation is essential when it comes to sharing with your dog.
How to Avoid Bad Habits
We cannot stress enough how important it is to avoid reinforcing negative behavior.
Unless you want your dog constantly begging while you are eating, considering teaching them to leave you alone at dinner time.
The more you give, the more finicky they may get with their regular food. This is why lots of owners are against sharing table scraps.
It is possible your dog will start turning their nose up at their usual chow which would be problematic.
The Bottom Line
Table scraps do not have to be a dilemma for dog lovers.
Have a policy of selectivity while also strictly limiting the frequency of this feeding practice. And be sure to enforce it because, at the very least, you’ll avoid future begging!
Basically, you can share certain table scraps with your dog when you do it in moderation.
In particular, lean meats as well as certain fruits and veggies can be of benefit to your little guy.
Fed our Border Collie a table foods diet. He really shouldn’t have lived long. Her mother’s milk went bad at 3 days old, poor stomach enzymes and digestion, all sorts of potential issues according to our vet (allergies from birth, etc.) We put him on vegan since he couldn’t digest most meats early on.
We gradually introduced a few “wild” proteins, but he always preferred tempeh, spinach, black beans, etc. We let him tell us what he needed. Lived 14 years! Raw, natural and even vegan is the best way to go if at all possible.
By the way, his buddy thrived on high protein. Her system was well-developed and she loved her meats. Wouldn’t share his sweet potatoes for anything!
Dogs have eaten scraps from our tables for thousands of years. Commercial dog foods, like the crap we buy in a packet, are generally absolute rubbish. When convinced by marketing (until I knew better) my dogs suffered health problems not least poor teeth at earlier ages. Buy a little extra food, make a little extra. Feed your dog after you have finished your food.
A good balanced meal once a day is more than sufficient. Your dog will live longer. I found that too much ‘brown anything’ makes my pooch bloated, uncomfortable and smelly. Avoid giving dogs too much meat! No chocolate, anything that contains sweeteners, onions, garlic, bread, sugar and salt.
Dogs have evolved alongside humans since the dawn of our race. Practically anything you can eat your dog will tolerate. If it causes you issues, it will probably cause your dog similar issues. Of course there are exceptions such as modern foods. Refined sugar is worse for dogs than people while rancid food is worse for people than dogs.
Is it okay to let a small puppy, a Maltipoo, eat spaghetti with meat sauce? It is a real treat to them.
The pasta is fine, but not all the salt and sugar in the sauce. When I make pasta, I set aside a small amount before I sauce it for my dogs. Also, dogs love the crunchy hard pasta before it is cooked.