Human Foods that are OK for Your Dog

Your dog’s diet contributes a lot to their overall health. A well-rounded, nutritious diet supports the health of their eyes, skin, coat, weight - even their joints can benefit!

As a dog trainer, I am often asked about doggie nutrition and feeding dogs human food. Here's my advice!

The Best Dog Diet By Age and Size

What and how you feed an 8 week old puppy should be different from what you will feed your adult or geriatric dog.

• Puppy.  Puppy’s should be fed 3 times a day until they are 1 years old. Once they turn 1 year old, you can go to 2 times a day. Puppies are growing fast and have loads of energy, so they require an extra feeding to keep their bodies fueled throughout the entire day.
• Adult Dog. Some owners only feed their dog once a day, but I feel it is healthier for your dog to feed them twice a day
• Senior Dog. When your dog hits his “Senior” years (depending on the size of the breed / 6 to 8 years old), you might need to consider a special diet for your elderly dog. "Weight Control", "Skin", or "Joint" diet mixes might be the way to go for your Senior dog.
• Large Breed. Large-Breed formulas can help avoid joint and bone issues in the future.  Look for brands that are specifically made for a large breed dogs.
• Small Breed. Small breeds are more receptacle to Hyperglycemia. More feedings throughout the day to help keep their sugar levels from dipping dangerously low might be required for your small breed.

Signs Your Dog Food is High Quality Stuff

Be sure to read the labels on the packaging of your dog's food. Grains such as; wheat, barley, soy and corn are considered fillers so be careful to make sure they aren’t the first ingredient on the label. Look for a "Meets AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) Standards" label.

Higher quality of food means better nutrition and better quality also means less pooping throughout the day. It's not the prettiest subject, but how is your dogs stools? Loose stools or diarrhea may be a sign that their diet is not agreeing with their body. A good diet on the other hand should produce firm stools - very helpful during puppy potty-training and making digesting easier (gentle on their tummy) for your dog.

Is Can or Dry Dog Food Better? 

Canned food does have higher water content, so it can be better for dogs by keeping them more hydrated.  I personally mix a dry brand food with wet “human” food (see below of what I give them).  My dogs are so excited when it comes to dinner time and they LOVE their food, so they never nit-pick at it.  Just make sure to stick with the same brand of dry and canned if you are doing only brand food. Frequent brand switching can upset your dog's tummy.

Is Brand Food Regulated?

Unfortunately, at this time there is no legal definition regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.  However, AAFCO is a non-profit organization that helps set standards for the quality of the brand foods that we feed our pets.  So if the brand food meets the AAFCO standards that will be a great brand to consider for your fur kid.

Considering Human Food

More and more people are opting to cook for their dogs rather than using prepackaged food. If you are considering going this route however, there are some important things to consider.

Safe Human Food for Your Dog

• Protein. Beef, Chicken, Venison, Buffalo, Fish, Lamb, Duck, Peanut Butter, Cheese (make sure they don’t experience lactose intolerance), Eggs, Yogurt
• Grains. Rice, Oatmeal
• Fruit. Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Honeydew (avoid exotic melons), Blueberries, Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Bananas, Apple Slices (WASH fruit that is served with skin),  Orange Slices (NO SKIN)
• Vegetable. Carrots, Green Beans, Broccoli (small amounts), Pumpkin, Sweet Potatoes, Corn, Spinach, Zucchini

Dangerous Human Food for Your Dog

• Raw Meat (although a lot of people are feeding their pets a “Raw” Diet, it is best to avoid Raw Meat)
• Onions, Garlic, White and Red Potatoes (especially the skin)
• Walnuts, Macadamia Nuts (Avoid most nuts, the oils can be very dangerous to your pets)
• Herbs, Seasonings, Oils
• Yeast (Raw Bread Dough)
• Grapes, Avocados, Raisins, Apple Cores/Seeds, Pits (from peaches, plums, apricots)
• Coffee, Soda (Caffeine), Alcohol
• Chocolate and other Sweets and Treats

A Trainer Tip:  Never feed your pets scraps from the table or while you are cooking.  If you decide to give them human food, include it as part of a meal, not just a freebie from the table.  Otherwise you will teach your pets to beg at the table and to counter-surf (searching and stealing food by putting their paws up on the table or counters or jumping up on the table or counters).  These are TWO unwanted behaviors that can be difficult to correct if you start these bad habits with your pets.

I hope you enjoy giving your dog the best quality food you can.  Just remember - as long as they look and feel good is what truly matters!

Resources:  http://www.moderndogmagazine.com/articles/10-people-foods-dogs/1896

Dog Bible, Edited by Kristin Mehus-Roe, 2005

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