When we like something, it’s always tempting to share a taste with our dogs. However, this can be unhealthy for them, especially if we share human foods too often or feed them something toxic. It’s vital that we ensure the food is safe before feeding it to our dogs, and limit their treats to under 10% of their daily diet.
In this article, we’ll talk about some common human snacks that you may want to share with your pup and whether or not they’re safe for dogs to eat.
Can Dogs Eat Human Snacks?
While dogs can eat some human snacks, it’s best to avoid sharing most of your favorite treats with your dog. They’re typically not healthy for them, as many processed foods contain high amounts of salt, sugar, and fats.
Too much sugar in a dog’s diet can cause diabetes, while too many fatty foods can lead to obesity or pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is a life-threatening condition caused by inflammation of the pancreas. In addition, your store-bought snacks may contain toxic ingredients you aren’t aware of, such as xylitol (a sweetener found in many sugar-free foods) or onion and garlic powders.
Below, we’ll discuss some common human snacks and whether they can be safely shared with our canine companions.
Can Dogs Eat French Fries?
Potatoes are safe for dogs to eat in moderation, so long as they’re cooked. Uncooked potatoes are toxic to dogs, as well as humans. That said, fries can pose a few problems for our pups. The first is their salt content, which can lead to health problems in large amounts. The next is seasoning, which may be toxic.
The fat in French fries can also be harmful if your dog eats too many, potentially leading to weight gain or pancreatitis. Lastly, common dipping sauces such as ketchup, mustard, and ranch all contain toxic ingredients. If you want to feed your dog fries, make sure they don’t contain harmful seasonings. Offer a small bite, and don’t use any dipping sauces.
Alternatively, why not try baking some homemade dog treats with sweet potato as an ingredient, or buying some from the store?
Can Dogs Eat Pretzels?
Pretzels pose two risks to dogs: a high salt content and potentially toxic ingredients, such as xylitol, garlic, and onion powder. That said, plain pretzels are okay for them to eat in moderation. Instead of pretzels, try some crunchy dog treats!
Can Dogs Eat Marshmallows?
Before feeding marshmallows to your dog, check for the artificial sweetener xylitol, also known as birch sugar, wood sugar, or birch bark extract. Xylitol is toxic and should never be fed to dogs.
If the marshmallows only contain regular sugar, they’re safe to feed in very small amounts, but they still aren’t healthy for your dog to eat. Consuming too many marshmallows may lead to obesity or health problems, such as diabetes.
Can Dogs Eat Pizza?
It’s common to share pizza with your dog, whether you’re giving them the crusts to eat or a couple of pepperonis. I’ve been guilty of it in the past as well! However, most pizzas contain garlic and onion powders in the tomato sauce, as well as pepperoni. This makes it unsafe to feed.
Pizza is also very fatty, and foods high in fat can cause pancreatitis in dogs–an emergent and life-threatening condition. Instead of feeding your dog pizza or pepperoni, try giving them a few bites of cooked, unseasoned meats like chicken or turkey.
Can Dogs Eat Popcorn?
Popcorn can be a healthy snack for dogs when served correctly. Otherwise, it can be dangerous. Plain, air-popped popcorn is safe to feed in small amounts, but any toppings — including butter — are a no-go. Some seasonings used on popcorn are toxic to dogs, while butter and oils can cause pancreatitis when consumed in high amounts.
That said, you shouldn’t panic if your dog eats a couple of dropped pieces of buttered popcorn. If they get into an entire bag, it might be a different story!
Can Dogs Eat String Cheese?
String cheese is safe for dogs and can make a good treat if fed in low amounts. Many people use cheese to hide their dogs’ pills, and string cheese can make great pill pockets when cut into small slices! That said, string cheese is quite high in calories, so be sure to feed it in small amounts only. The stringiness may also pose a problem for some dogs, especially young puppies. We recommend breaking it into shorter pieces so that your dog doesn’t choke.
Can Dogs Eat Potato Chips?
We recommend avoiding potato chips for your dog, as many of them contain toxins such as garlic and onion powder. They’re also high in salt and fat, so they aren’t an ideal snack for your pup.
That said, homemade potato chips without seasonings or salts can be healthy for your dog to eat in moderation. Be sure to also avoid adding butter or oil while baking. You can also try giving your dog crunchy dog treats to make up for not sharing your own crispy snack.
Conclusion
When in doubt, we recommend avoiding human snacks and feeding your dog things you know are safe, such as treats specifically made for them. Remember that treats should never make up more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories, as this can disrupt their nutritional balance, leading to deficiencies and other potential health issues.
