Although I previously wrote about dangerous food for Dogs many people have asked for a much more in depth article. It seems, like me, you wish to know exactly why certain foods are dangerous for Dogs and the consequences that may result if your Dog eats them.
In this article I will cover the topic as comprehensively as possible. We will find exactly what to not feed your Dog.
Firstly we will go through the main foodstuffs that are, or may be, dangerous for Dogs to eat.
We will then go through each one in turn and find out exactly why they are dangerous or toxic food for our Dogs.
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Dangerous Foods For Dogs To Eat
- Raw Pork Bones that have not been frozen
- Nuts, especially Almonds and Macadamias
- Avocados
- Tomato Plants
- Raisins and Grapes
- Chocolate
- Caffeine
- Onions
- Garlic
- Cooked Bones
- Alcohol
- Large amounts of Liver
This is quite a large list of what you do not feed Dogs, as you can see. But many of us want to know exactly why our Dogs will come to harm if they eat any of the above. For some there is a wealth of information, but for other foods, you will find it very difficult to discover exactly why they are dangerous.
Lets look at each one in turn and find out what the reasons are and the possible consequences if our Dogs eat them.
Can Dogs Eat Pork?
Raw Pork may contain a swine disease known as Aujeszky’s Disease or pseudorabies.
It is incurable and fatal to Dogs. However the bacteria are highly susceptible to freezing. Any Raw Pork or Pork bones that have been frozen for three weeks at a suitably low temperature will be safe for your Dogs to eat. As raw Pork bones are so good for the Dogs to chew on don’t let the dangers of raw Pork for Dogs put you off. Either freeze them yourself or when you buy them check with the Butcher how long they have been frozen for.
Dogs can eat cooked pork but always without the bone. Cooked bones, as I will explain later, are very dangerous for Dogs and should never be given. Do not feed Dogs Pork Bones unless you know they have been suitably frozen.
Can Dogs Eat Almonds, Macadamias And Other Nuts?
The dangers of Dogs eating Almonds or other Nuts can be very real. This is a real problem for me as we have over seventy Almond Trees and Faye, our biggest Dog, has an obsession with them. She will jump up at trees in order to gather the Nuts and break the shells with her teeth to get at the Nut!
Firstly, all Nuts are difficult for Dogs to digest so do not feed them to your Dog. Also, unfortunately, as with Grapes and Raisins, the exact reasons why many Nuts are dangerous, or toxic, for Dogs is not fully understood.
It seems that Macadamia Nuts are the most toxic for Dogs and should be completely avoided. After eating Macadamias a Dog may begin vomiting and show severe signs of weakness. Normally they can be treated and return to normal health but this does not mean they should ever be fed them.
All Nuts have very high fat contents so should not really be fed on a regular basis.
It is the bitter Almond that can be the most problematic for Dogs. Containing Cyanide it should be avoided.
There is also a doubt about whether normal Almonds can lead to stomach upsets and slight problems for your Dog. Again, unfortunately the cause is not known. Be especially aware of the dangers of Macadamia Nuts for Dogs but you may be well advised to steer clear of all Nuts when it comes to the health of your Dog.
Can Dogs Eat Avocados?
Avocados can be poisonous to Dogs. The fruit contains Persin which can damage the heart and lungs and can lead to very serious problems. If your Dog does become poisoned it may experience real difficulty breathing, or have large build ups of fluid in its chest or abdomen.
Unfortunately the levels that need to be ingested are not known and may differ largely from Dog to Dog.
The best thing is to avoid Avocados completely.
The Dangers of Tomato Plants For Dogs?
It is not very likely that your Dog would choose to eat the foliage of tomato plants but they contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems. Just make sure they are kept away from your Dog. Dogs may easily begin eating the leaves and stems if they are near to fallen Tomatoes.
Can Dogs Eat Grapes And Raisins?
A single Grape or Raisin is not going to kill your Dog but feeding Dogs larger amounts is definitely asking for trouble. There have been a few cases where Dogs have eaten half kilo bags of Raisins and died.
Large quantities are definitely to be avoided and it is best to never feed your Dog any Grapes or Raisins.
Unfortunately the exact reason why they pose such a threat is not known. It seems this is still quite a mystery but the effects are very serious. In some Dogs even small quantities can cause severe problems. There is serious risk of Kidney failure and death. If your Dog has eaten any significant quantity of Grapes or Raisins you must get to the Vets immediately. The quicker your Dog is treated the better its chances of recovery. Do not feed Dogs large amounts of these.
Can Dogs Eat Chocolate?
Absolutely not! Chocolate is very dangerous for Dogs and should never be given to them.
Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, both stimulants, that can affect your Dog very seriously. It can cause problems with the nervous system and the heart. White chocolate contains the least toxic elements and Cocoa beans the most toxic.
The Theobromine can build up until it reaches toxic levels in your Dog and can result in death. Bear in mind that the smaller the Dog, the less it will need to eat before symptoms occur. Chocolate can be very toxic to Dogs so avoid it as much as possible.
Is Caffeine Dangerous For Dogs?
Caffeine should be avoided. It can cause problems to a Dogs heart and nervous system.
Can Dogs Eat Onions?
Like Garlic, Onions should never be fed to Dogs. Even small amounts can be a problem. The reason is because the effects can build up over time so there is an accumulative effect.
Onions can cause anemia by destroying red blood cells.
Can Dogs Eat Garlic?
Garlic is not as dangerous as Onions are but nevertheless if fed repeatedly or over a period of time the same risks are present as they are with Onions.
Can Dogs Eat Cooked Bones?
Cooked bones are very dangerous for Dogs.
Unlike raw bones, cooked bones become very brittle. They can easily shatter and can cause untold damage to your Dogs insides. Pieces can get lodged in the intestines creating blockages that will need to be operated on to be removed. The dangers of cooked bones for Dogs cannot be overemphasised. Never feed them any cooked bones. Raw bones are a much better option and will help to clean your Dogs teeth.
The Dangers Of Alcohol To Dogs
Alcohol is very dangerous for Dogs. Never let your Dog get access to anything alcoholic, or anything containing alcohol. There are many cases of alcohol poisoning Dogs and owners of small Dogs need to be especially wary. Don’t let your Dog lap at your Beer or glass of Wine. You may find it cute or funny but you are doing a disservice to your Dog.
Lapping at alcohol can obviously cause intoxication but also liver failure, coma, seizures and death. As we have already discovered, Grapes are toxic to Dogs so Wine is especially dangerous. Hops are toxic to Dogs also so Beer should be kept well away from Dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Liver?
There is nothing wrong with feeding organs to Dogs on an infrequent basis. In fact they will do them nothing but good. Liver however should not be fed in large amounts. Liver can be dangerous for Dogs if fed in large quantities.
Feeding large amounts of Liver to your Dog can result in Vitamin A toxicity which can affect muscles and bones. Too much Liver can be dangerous for Dogs, it can result in deformed bones, unusual bone growth and weight loss. Always feed Liver in moderation and your Dog will benefit, just do not feed more than a few times a week.
All of the above foods are easily avoided. It is simply a matter of being aware of what foods are dangerous for Dogs and acting accordingly. Ensure certain foods, particularly raisins and chocolate are kept well away from where your Dog may be able to access them.
Also when discarding cooked bones make sure your Dog cannot raid the rubbish to get to them.
Be sure to let everyone know about any other toxic or dangerous food for Dogs.
Also let me know if you found this article helpful, I have tried to be as thorough as possible after your requests for more information. Don’t forget to submit this article to your favourite sites using the buttons below. and don’t forget to get 245 Homemade Dog Treats and cook up something great!
May the Doggie Force be with you all,
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Tags: can dogs eat almonds, can dogs eat avocados, can dogs eat chocolate, can dogs eat garlic, can dogs eat grapes, can dogs eat liver, can dogs eat onions, can dogs eat prok, Dangerous Food For Dogs, dangerous foods for dogs, dangerous foods for your dog, food that is toxic for dogs, what to not feed your dog
I did not know onions were dangerous. Otto enjoys soupy meals with a little onion in them almost every weekend. That will stop now. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Kaytee, glad you learnt something. This is why I made this a much more comprehensive post than previously. There are a surprising number of dangerous foods.
Good post. It is nice to see the reasoning behind forbidden pet foods instead of just “NO CHOCOLATE, NO ONIONS, JUST BECAUSE!”. Also I didn’t know about the nuts and avocado issues. Another good piece of advice is if you’re not sure if your dog can eat something or not, just don’t feed it to them.
Mike H’s last blog post..mike27cubes: @smokenspirits love the CAO Gol, nice choice
I hadn’t heard about the avocados. We will keep that one in mind, as California is like the land of the avocado — they are everywhere!
Dennis the Vizsla’s last blog post..just call me mister reeeeemisssss
Mike H, good advice. I tried to make the post as comprehensive as possible. Like you I found it annoying when no reasons were given about WHY.
Hi Dennis,i’m jealous. We love them. I tried to grow some from seed but they are not doing too well. May be a grafted one this year and give it a go.
Xylitol, a natural sweetener made from corn or birch bark, is also deadly for dogs. It is actually beneficially to humans- studies show it prevents tooth decay. Because it is being used in more and more products (chewing gum, Rescue Remedy pastilles, etc) it is important that pet parents be aware that it is poisonous to their dogs. I hope you will add it to your already great list.
Nadine M. Rosin’s last blog post..Pennsylvania Readers- Please Come Join us on FEB. 13
Thanks for the informative post… I’m going to print this out.
Very informative article! I didn’t know about cooked bones. I’ve been thinking of giving my dog bones to keep her teeth clean. I would have never thought of freezing them instead of cooking them.
Ross’s last blog post..Wanna go for a ride?!!!
Nadine, many thanks for the information. I will update the post tomorrow.
Penny, that’s great! Glad it was helpfull.
Ross, you only need to freeze Pork bones first. All other raw bones are fine. You really will be amazed how clean your Dogs teeth become with a bone or two a week.
Thanks for writing about this. I wasn’t aware that cooked bones were dangerous for dogs. Now I know exactly which foods to avoid feeding my dog and why. Great post!
Julia’s last blog post..Training a Fearful Dog to Stop Biting
Excellent list TDB! Glad you made it clear that both onions and garlic are big no-nos for dogs since they can cause anemia. And cats (I know this is kind of a dog site, sorry) are more prone to become ill if they ingest any of these two vegetables. They’re very healthy additions to a human’s diet, killers when it come to animals. And while we’re at it, mushrooms also fall under this category. Until next time!
Karina A.’s last blog post..10 things for February to enhance the connection with your pet
Julia, you are welcome.
Karina A, I didn’t think to put mushrooms in but you are right. Thanks for the tip.
All good to know. I didn’t know avocados were bad for dogs or that alcohol was any worse for them than it is for us. One thing about the chocolate is that it does take more than a bite-sized candy bar to get them sick. Not that a dog should have any chocolate at all, it shouldn’t, but unless your dog is tiny, you don’t have to worry if he sneaks some M&Ms.
When in doubt, call the vet!
hey i want to cook for dogs and these tips are great !!!!!
hey me again were did you get your info !!!!!
thanks!!
Hi Piper, glad you found the list helpfull.
I was aware of most of that list, what surprised me was the garlic. When #1 was sick about a year ago the vet had us feeding broiled chicken and cooked rice mixed with some garlic powder to make it more appetizing. #1 loved it.
It likely has to do with amounts given, but I’ll have to look further into this. Thanks.
Great explanations on, ‘Bad Foods For Dogs’.
We will be having a litter of Labradoodles soon and I will include this info and the sight address in the packets.
Thanks for providing the info
Angie, I would just be careful with the quantities. Don’t let the amounts build up too much over time.
Tricia, very kind of you. I am glad it was helpful.
The dog that i have been watching, a 13 year old Bichon Frise, got into my garbage today and ate coffee grounds, chicken, corn, and who knows what else. What should I do/ This is my neighbors dog.
Hi Amy, The best you can do is keep an eye on the Dog. If there is difficulty eating or the Dog becomes sick then get straight to the Vet.
If you are really concerned then I would go to the Vets anyway. The main danger is from eating cooked Chicken Bones. Mosat of the time Dogs will be OK but it can be a concern.
Hope this helps and I hope the Dog is OK.
Just wanted you to know that the dog is fine. He had diarrhea for a full 2 days after, but he’s fine now. I am now putting the garbage up so he can never get into it again. Thank you for the help.
Amy that’s great. Thanks for letting me know. Glad the Dog didn’t come to any harm.
Nice job! Like many others, I am just getting started on my new blog. The tips you provided are most useful.Thanks.
Peanut butter is in a lot of dog treats, so that’s safe, right? (Except peanuts aren’t exactly a nut, so a moot point.)
I just fed my dog half of a sunflower butter and grape jelly sandwich. I remembered – after she’d finished it – that I’d read somewhere dogs shouldn’t have grapes. There wasn’t much on it – I’ll watch her closely.
And sunflower seeds, I will assume, are okay? It’s not a nut?
Ack! Having to watch out for foods I’m allergic to, my daughter is allergic to, my sons might choke on, and the dog can’t have is keeping me on my toes!
But thanks so much for the info!
Hi, my Jack Russell has a rash on her hind legs and has been panting like she is out of breath. I recently bought her a new food because she continuously scratches. The new food is made with avocados and says it is healthy for dogs and will build up her immune system which fights allergies But she developed the rash. Is there a food or pill which will help her? I read the article about k-9 clear up do you think this will help and can I buy it at the pet store?
Thank you,
Brenda
So, every once in a while, my kids leave some chocolate laying around where our dog can get it. Of course, before you know it, our dog is feasting on it. Is that a big problem?
Brenda, she may be having an allergic reaction to the new food. I think talking to a Vet is probably the best thing to do. I would not want to give you incorrect advice. I would not imagine that the amounts of Avocado in the food are harmful but it may well cause her to have a bit of a bad reaction. Try a different food and see if it helps her.
Got Dog Kennels, it could be a problem. I would just make sure the kids eat all their chocolate, if not why not help them out!
Oh my goodness!!! I’ve been feeding my dogs Avoderm, and that is an avacado based kibble!! I’m so sad that they have been eating this, thank goodness they’re okay now… hopefully there are no effects. Thank you SO much for writing this!
has anyone heard of dogs eating grass to help there digestive system………..?? i have been told by several people that it is in there nature and it helps them vomit if there tummys are feeling sick……………?? please answer me I am worried that the grass might make her sick…………??
Hi Cindy,
This is a real tough one. It is still not clear if Dogs are sick because they eat grass or they eat grass because they are feeling sick. Either way if a Dog eats grass then they are usually sick. This makes it very important to not use any chemicals etc on grass if it is possible that a Dog will eat it.
In my experiencce over the years the result of a Dog eating grass is that more often than not it will be sick. I hope this helps.
Is it okay to give a dog fish oil pills? I have been told to give my labs 1 fish oil pill a day. Also I have pecan trees in my yard and the dogs are always cracking them and eating them is this okay for them?
Thanks, Dennis
Hi Dennis,
I think fish oil is very good for them. As for the pecans, there is a real debate over many nuts. High numbers can be dangerous. I would just avoid allowing the Dogs to have more than an occasional nut and you should be fine.
I am not questioning your expertise, but do have a comment. I had two dogs when I lived in S. California many years ago. They loved to eat grapes off the vine, and since we lived in the middle of a large avocodo farm, their favorite treat was avocados they found on the ground. They were always chewing on avocados. The coyotes also seemed to love avocados. My dogs were always healthy and lived long and happy lives. The avocados and grapes didn’t seem to hurt them at all. Is it only some dogs that are affected?
I was surprised about garlic. The Animal Planet training show, It’s Me or the Dog, suggested adding a little garlic powder to chicken because dogs love it.
I read another dangerous foods for dogs list on another site before reading yours. You didn’t mention potatoes that are green or the sprouts that can occur on potatoes. Said they can cause bloody diarrhea, nervous system trembling, paralysis and cardiac arrest. I assume they are referring to raw potatoes—it really didn’t say. Thanks for your info.
i found out the hard way. you cannot feed your dogs pizza crust. one of my dogs got very sick from eating it. it was a very costly lesson and almost killed my dog. i didnt know that pizza crust has tooo much fat for them. also am glad to have found your web site. as for my dog he is just fine now,and noo more pizza crust.
Respectfully, I do not see much more information here, just a longer list of what my dogs should’t eat. This is not an attempt to be contrary only to find out if these have a basis in fact.
This information seems all to be anecdotal. I often wonder how much of this information is “Old wives tails” handed down through time. Is there any factual data from test results or necropsies that prove any or all these lists? Is information shared between Vets and compiled in some data base that can be refered to? Thanks JK
I have heard that cruciferous (cabbage, broccoli,cauliflower,turnips,mustard,etc.) vegetables were dangerous for dogs to eat. What’s the scoop?
hi, my mom mixes cat food with my meals because the Kmart store manager said cat food has more fish oils that will be good for me. should she stop doing that?
I also love people food mixed in with my doggie food or i won’t eat….well, guess what? I ended up in the hospital two weeks ago for three days due to pancreatitis!! That sucks because now
she’s so careful with what i eat and i won’t eat unless I’m absolutely starving!
What are your thoughts on these?
I appreciate all your advice and information…
maggie (I’m a bichon frise)
Hi Laine,
The problem with many of these foods is that not all Dogs can be effected, and in differing proportions. Some will be fine and some won’t. That is why caution is urged if at all possible.
Kelly,
It is better to be safe than sorry though, isn’t it?
Alyce,
Good point. Green potatoes are unsafe just as they are for humans. Boiled skins though are a treat now and then.
Tomera,
Glad all is OK now. Sounds scary.
Hi John,
There is scientific proof for a number of items on the list. But the problem lies in the fact that the reasons why some of the foods react badly in Dogs is simply not known. This does not alter the fact that many Dogs can have severe consequences from eating them. Science is far from being able to give answers to everything.
Maybe some are old wives tales, and maybe not. I would simply rather be cautious.
Kate,
I have not heard that but please don’t take me for the expert in this field. As far as I am aware, cooked in small quantities these are fine.
Maggie,
I see no problem with a small amount of Cat food. However, why not just give a fish oil supplement, or even a small amount of cheap tinned tuna? Yum.
As to the whole human food thing and Dogs not eating. When Daisy was a bit under the weather a few weeks ago we began giving her more treats in her food to build her up. Yep, you guessed it, now normal Dog food is not good enough for her. She wants extras.
You have to be strict. Just go back to regular Dog food with no treats in it. This is a harsh lesson but true.
“A Dog has never killed itself by not eating when food is available.”
It is harsh but true. In a few weeks all will be back to normal and your Dog will eat what is put in front of it. Trust me, I have been through this a few times over almost 20 years of having Dogs. They will try their luck but won’t starve themselves to death. They may lose a little weight but won’t starve.
This is why scraps should only be given in small amounts and only at their meal times. Giving scraps at any other times lead to them begging and being fussy. I hope this helps, it has always worked for me. They will get used to what you feed them.
Someone sent me this link in an email sent out to all her friends. I’m guessing people are sending the link on to their friends in mass emails.
E.Rayes,
Ah, that expains it. Thanks for letting me know.
if nuts are bad than i can only guess and say peanutbutter is bad also??? my puppy of 12 weeks loves the stuff,,,
also i came across this article on msn.
I used MSN article to access your website.
Re: Chocolate
My understanding is the quality of the chocolate is significant. The “good” stuff has much more “bad” stuff in it.
Eating a bar of cheap chocolate will be less harmful than a piece or 2 of expensive chocolate. No chocolate is still best.
MSN does send you to Bing for article choices. Try it. You probably only see the Bing source.
Thanks a bunch for posting this and the helpful replies.
My dog will be sad – 2 of her top 5 produce varieties are on the list. She enjoys catching moonlight mushroom stems, and red and green seedless grapes. We remove any mushrooms that sprout up in the yard just because, but didn’t realize ‘edible’ mushrooms were on the bad list. With grapes, I wonder if it’s the seeds, or herbicides, or just bad mouthed as the predecessor of the Raisin…we never noticed a change in her. Half a a kilo would be over one pound of raisins – that can’t be good for anyone. She is a 50 lb, 10 yr old muttling. When she finds a whole chestnut some ignorant squirrel buries in the yard, that’s a different story. She will be sick.
I got here from a ‘Dangerous Food for Dogs’ link under ‘Barking up the Right Tree’ on the MSN home page.
Thanks for all the information listed above, especially on the tomatoes.
We have alot of wild mushrooms in our yard and our dogs love them, will fight to get to them before we can pick them up. One of them has just been in hospital and we assume that it is because she ate the mushrooms. We try to pick them up every morning but I know that we miss some. And also they grow so fast. We have also explored options of getting rid of them and have been told that there is nothing we can do but dig them up. Do you know of any solution?
My dog loves most veggies and fruit (but no grapes). He eats a RAW meat diet. Found you through Bing.
This is my first visit to your blog. Though I already knew about the foods/info within this post, I do wonder what your qualifications are for writing this? … and where your information came from. I suppose if I were a regular visitor I might know more about who you are, etc. I’m all for sharing info between each other via our blogs, etc., but I feel strongly about folks making it clear in their posts about where their info came from, and what qualifies them, if anything, in making certain claims in their posts. My feelings for these issues stem from my deep love for all of my pets, not just my dog. It’s so important to have knowledge, but even more important for us to know exactly where it came from.
I’m even more amazed at the amount of questions folks are asking, and then apparently waiting to see if they get a reply in return. If we take the step to bring a dog, or any animal, into our homes/lives, then we should take the needed steps to be very responsible for their well-being. CALL YOUR VET to get these serious questions properly answered.
Again, I’m all for sharing info, tips, etc. via the internet, but when it comes down to life altering decisions it is my belief that we all should be calling our Vet or taking our beloved pet to the Animal Hospital for proper care.
I do applaud your efforts and desire to get the word out on some of the dangerous foods for dogs. Thank you, kindly.
I got here from a ‘Dangerous Food for Dogs’ link under ‘Barking up the Right Tree’ on the MSN home page.
September 6, 2009, approx. 4.15 pm, PDT; Thank you!
Always need additional information to understand how best to treat my canine companions. Found this article via Bing!
BTW, some other “foods” are dangerous: seeds that many humans assume are harmless. Pepper (ground or any form) though the veggie (red or yellow) probably is just fine. Assume table pepper or any form used for cooking ingredient to be far more dangerous than salt. Sesseme seed is to be avoided; poppy seed is very dangerous and must be avoided. Also, the discussion on chocolate: it is a problem since it accumulates, over time, the caffeine-like substance. Thus, “my dog had a bar of chocolate (likely, milk chocolate) and survived!” That is a warning…the next amount the dog consumes, even years later, can be fatal. Amounts are proportional to dog’s weight though not always. And, some dogs may be hyper-sensitive to certain compounds.
I have read that brown rice is dangerous; other information intimates that white rice is to be avoided and only brown rice allowed. This information needs to be clarified.
Occasionally one of my dogs ( a 3 year old Golden Retriever) eats a roasted peanut. He will grab and eat one or two if it falls to the floor as I am eating them. Are roasted peanuts dangerous for dogs to eat?
loved the article and realy found it informative…do you have any tips on the safest and best store bought dog foods ?
Thank you,katt
ps;got to your site via Bing,no lie!!
Is beef bologna bad for your dog? My dog is 3 years old and has never eaten dog food, we feed her boiled chicken , chicken noodle soup and such, is any of this bad for her? Also she likes little pieces of pop sickels.
Yikes, a lot of new comments. Firstly, thanks to everyone for letting me know where you all came from. Trust me I don’t normally get 4000 people to a single post in a day. Anyway:
Hi Barb,
I would stay away from the peanut butter. Apart from anything else too much fat and salt is very bad for Dogs. See some of the other comments for the many problems that high fat diets cause.
N. Engelhart,
Exactly right. The higher the cocoa content the more dangerous it is for Dogs to eat. No chocolate is best. Dogs do not need chocolate so we don;t need to feed it to them.
Hi Julia,
I have similar problems. Our Dogs have just learnt to forage somehow. Faye eats blackberries from the bushes, climbs almond trees, eats fermenting olives off our trees, jumps at fig trees and more. They love their walks at the moment as so much free food is in the campo here in Spain.
Mzz April,
You are welcome.
Donna,
I am afraid I don’t know how to get rid of the mushrooms. If anyone who reads this knows please leave a reply.
Amy,
That’s great. Raw is a great way to feed Dogs.
Pearl,
I understand your sentiments. I am in no way qualified and even if I were would that make me 100% right. A large majority of Vets don’t like feeding raw diets to Dogs yet the evidwence that it gives them longer lives, stops them getting bad breath and stops tooth decay is a proven fact.
Qualifications do not mean people (vets) don’t sometimes have alterior motives. I am not suggesting there is an evil conspiracy to keep us taking our pets to the vets when we don;t need to but they often do not give us the best advice.
Our first Dog cost us a fortune id dental bills becasue we only fed him bought Dog food. Not once has any vet told me to give Dogs bones as it will clean their teeth. They just suggest we come in regularly for teeth cleaning. See what I mean. No money for them.
As to the source of this article. It was from lots of research about dangerous foods for our Dogs.Some is backed up by science and some is from observations of many pet owners.
For everyone who reads this, all I can say is it is better to be safe than sorry. We all make our own minds up about what we believe when we read something. I have no ulterior motive apart from to write good content and to offer my completely inexpert opinion. I am just a Dog owner.
Denis,
Thanks for the contribution. Very good point about chocolate. They can be fine eating it a few times but the next time…..
Joe,
You have to watch the salt content. A single nut will be fine but lots of roasted and salted is not good.
Pat,
Thanks. I will not be popular for saying this but for me much store bought Dog food is much the same. Far better to simply replace a few meals each week with some raw meaty bones or a nice homemade Dog food.
Glen,
Raw is best if possible. Noodles etc are not the best. Artificial additives especially. Popsicles? Naughty. All that sugar is alien to Dogs. Try going for some raw meat and raw bones, he will love it.
p.s Sorry if there are spelling mistakes, I can’t face reading through it again. Thanks everyone.
i hope you guys can help me. i have a new puppy i have tried evrything i can think of to house break him. he will poop outside be just wont pee out side. i’m at my wits end with him. he is only 2 months old,he is part lab and pit.hes very sweet and good natured him and my 4 year old grandson get along like bandits. i dont want to get rid of him but if he doesnt stop peeing in the house i dont know what to do. please help. thank you
Hi Tomera,
2 months old is very young and normally they have only just left their Mum at that age. There are not many pups that will be housetrained at that age. You need to be patient and be aware that any excitement will make him pee. As well as when he wakes up, after playing, after eating etc.
You need to take him outside as often as possible and praise him each time he goes for a pee. He will gradually begin to just pee outside. You need to take him out whenever he has done any of the above. He will gradually learn but it is not an instant fix. All puppies take a while to understand that they must pee outside. Keep an eye on him. If he looks like he is about to do it grab him and put him out. Also make sure that when you take him out he has a pee. You may have to be patient and wait a while but this works very well.
Hope this helps. Let me know how you get on.
I found your site through the ASK search engine! Thanks for the information…I did not realize that many of those foods could pose a threat to our French Bull dogs which we dearly love. Thanks again.
I found you through a search on Google.
I was eating almonds on my couch and my dog was staring at me with her big brown eyes saying please give me one. I thought I remembered reading somewhere that almonds were bad so I used Google to search “Can dogs eat almonds” and your website was about the 4th down on the resulting list.
As a person who always ensure that my pets get the best nutrition, I always go to the extent of preparing my own dog food. One of my favorite recipe:
1)Hamburger meat
2)Egg white (with yolk removed)
3)A mix of oatmeal
4)Some slice of carrots (whether he likes it or not)
5)Dog vitamins (bought from pet shop)
I was just wondering what people fed their dogs before dog food was invented and if any of them survived?
Can you feed dogs unsalted peanuts?
I taught garlic can be fed to dogs for flea problem. Some dog owners advice that garlic is good for flea problem, now I don’t know if I will or will not give garlic to my dogs. Anyways, I have a site about dogs called All About Dogs and there I have a post about hypoallergenic dog food that might be useful for dog owner.
[...] I was just reading the The Three Dog Blog about dogs eating human food a fascinating read you should go over and have a read. It tells you about foods dangerous for dog. [...]
I think this is a valuable article. My dog ate some chocolate after christmas one year and it almost killed her. I never new that chocolate contained another chemical besides cafeine that was toxic to dogs. Thanks for the great article.
Very good article but there are a couple things I’d like to point out as someone who’s worked in animal hospitals for several years…
1. Avocados, it actually depends on the variety. Haas avocados which are the main variety found in grocery stores and are grown primary in CA are non-toxic. It is the south american and some mexican varieties that are a problem. Avoderm is made with Haas and other american varieties of avocados that don’t cause problems and is perfectly safe to use if you are feeding a dry kibble.
2. Pork, another concern with pork is intestinal parasites. Which is also one of the main reasons why humans should not consume raw pork as well.
3. Chocolate. I asked a couple of the vets I work/ed with, and the holistic nutrition dvm my allergy dog sees, about a build up of chocolate toxicity as I noticed someone else had said that was possible. All of whom stated it wasn’t possible over a long period of time, short term (within a few day) could possibly cause a problem though. A rough guide of toxic levels would be as follows:
Using a dose of 100 mg/kg of theobromine as the toxic dose it comes out roughly as:
1 ounce per 1 pound of body weight for Milk chocolate
1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight for Semisweet chocolate
1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight for Baker’s chocolate.
So if a 45 pound bulldog got a hold of hershey’s bar (which is 1.5 ounces) it’s not an issue. If your 2lb chihuahua gets ahold of that same bar, you should contact your vet. Now if that same bulldog gets ahold of a Lindt baker’s chocolate bar (90% pure and 5.3oz) you would need to rush him immediately to your vet.
For those of you who read this and go “oh its ok for me to give my dog chocolate then ’cause it’s really not enough to kill him” that doesn’t mean it’s good for them. It can still cause intestinal issues i.e. vomiting, diarrhea, etc. I’m only listing this here for those who’ve had their dog steal things like brownies or an entire bag of m&m and who are concerned.
i have a 4 years old beagle ..nought hi don everyday and each time he would smell some cooked bone on grass area and eat them before i could stop him ….is that reaaly dangerous ?cause i dun wan to restrain him to go to the grass area