Human Food For Dogs: A Guide to What Dogs Can Eat
If you have a dog at home, you probably view him or her as a member of your family. This means that you need to provide your dog with plenty of healthy nutrition as well. That is why you think carefully about the type of dog food do you give your dog, only giving him or her healthy ingredients. On the other hand, you may run out of food from time to time. If you run out, what can you feed your dog instead? There are plenty of human food options that they will enjoy; however, not all of them are healthy. What do you need to think about?
Considerations for Feeding Your Dog Human Food
If you are looking for an alternative to traditional food for your canine friend, there are a few considerations you need to make. These include:- Stay away from any food that has a lot of sugar, salt, or spice in it. A dog does not have the same taste buds as a human. These foods could lead to an upset stomach, causing vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation.
- In addition, you should also stay away from processed foods. Processed foods contain a lot of synthetic ingredients that are going to lead to GI inflammation. This can lead to an upset stomach and your furry friend as well.
- Only feed your dog lean meat. It should be 80 percent lean. You also need to make sure you cook the meat, remove all skin, and remove all bones. It is very easy for them to choke on bones that could be present in meat.
- In addition, you also need to think about any allergies or chronic health conditions they may have. Canine food allergies commonly include grain, dairy, eggs, wheat, and soy. Make sure you know what allergies they have before feeding him or her human food.
If you think about this ahead of time, you should be able to find a healthy alternative for your canine friend. Keep in mind that these are only meant to be temporary alternatives. Human meals for dogs are not meant to be long-term solutions. They are meant to be a stopgap until you can get more dog food for them. Take a closer look at what you may be able to feed your dog.
Food from the Pantry
If you take a closer look at your pantry, you may be able to find a variety of food options that your dog will enjoy. A few examples include:- Peanut butter, as long as it does not contain a Xylitol in it, which would lead to an upset stomach
- Vegetable broth if you are looking for extra flavor, as long as it does not contain sodium
- Complex carbohydrates including couscous and brown rice, as long as it has been cooked thoroughly
- Canned vegetables including corn, carrots, and peas as long as they have been rinsed well to remove all added sodium
These are common foods that you may have in your pantry that could be suitable for them. Make sure you remove any additives before you give this food to your dog.
Food from the Refrigerator
You may be able to find a few great foods in your refrigerator as well. A few foods you may have that they may enjoy include:- Low-fat Greek yogurt, as long as it is plain, and it does not have any added sugar
- A few types of mild cheese, including American cheese, as long as your dog does not have an allergy to dairy
- Sweet potatoes and white potatoes as long as they have been cooked thoroughly
- Eggs, including scrambled eggs, as long as they do not have an egg allergy
- Rotisserie chicken as long as all the skin and bones have been removed
- Certain types of fruits including sliced bananas, pears, blueberries, and strawberries
These are a few great examples of foods you may have in your refrigerator that could be suitable for them. Think carefully before you give your dog human food.