The Pros & Cons of People Food For Pets

I posted a picture this week of my dogs waiting expectantly for a bite of strawberry.  Those of you who know me know that my dogs LOVE berries. I grow raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries in my garden, but I never get to eat any myself as the dogs help themselves as if they were the ones putting in all the gardening work!  I do giggle and then sigh every time I have to purchase berries for myself at the grocery store, but they are happy, foraging dogs and foraging is good for a dog's brain, so there is that benefit for sure.  So why am I even bringing this up?  Well, several people were surprised that my dogs liked strawberries AND that I give my dogs "people food."

Here's the thing. I prefer to think of food as food, not separating people food from pet food.  Now, while I'm certainly not going to eat a dog cookie (though my kids swear the dog cookies I make from scratch for our dogs taste like biscotti!) or dog kibble, I see no reason my dogs and I can't share dog-friendly, appropriate treats and snacks. I make sure what I share isn't loaded with sugar or salt, but again, this isn't about their primary diet (they eat commercial kibble), it's about something special we can share, like those strawberries.

While most pet owners are familiar with the "don't feed to your pets" list of foods such as onions, garlic, avocado, chocolate, grapes, raisins, mustard, macadamia nuts and almonds, rhubarb, and anything containing xylitol, there are some foods that might surprise you. For example, a cat *could* eat a walnut or a pecan, I just don't know many cats that would, LOL. Dogs, on the other hand, should never eat walnuts or pecans. Apricots, plums, cherries, and peaches, for example, aren't toxic per se, as long as your pet only eats the flesh of the fruit.  The pits, stems, and leaves are the toxic parts.  And apples are okay to give your pets, but make sure that they don't get the core or the seeds. 

Now that we've been reminded of what not to give our pets, let's talk about what we can share and why we might want to do so. First and foremost, sharing berries, apples, bananas, pumpkin, squash, and lean meats and cheeses are a way to help you connect with your pets. Early humans shared their leftovers with sociable wolves and that's part of the way that dogs became domesticated. Eating together is something humans do, and so do dogs.  Eating with our dogs bonds us even closer.  You can use these foods as treats, or you can use them as part of your training program with your pets, giving them more motivation to learn and perform, working for novel rewards. You can even drop a few bites onto their regular food to "spice it up" or include a few pieces in those interactive puzzles to generate new interest. 

I'm not advocating for replacing your pet's well-balanced diet with "people food." What I am advocating for is thinking a bit more about what you yourself are eating or snacking on and whether it can be shared.  And while I most certainly would not give my dogs a handful of tortilla chips, I have been known to give them one when I'm eating them and my dogs do love them!  They also love popcorn (just a few pieces, of course), peanut butter, and almond butter. They love Greek yogurt, and an occasional taste of vanilla ice cream. And if I make salmon, steak, or burgers, they are front and center for a taste.  I rarely make chicken anymore at home because Henley is allergic to it, so I don't like to make things that can't be shared with all of the dogs.

Here's some more food for thought (pun intended, of course).  Giving little bits of "people food" to your pets from the time they are small means their bodies are acclimated to those things.  My friend, Trish, refers to this as priming the pump.  If your dogs and cats have had little bites of lots of safe foods then the chances of them getting sick (think pancreatitis) when they steal or acquire some at one time or another is greatly decreased.  And, yes, I know you think your pets are *never* going to steal food, but you know what?  Even if they don't steal it from a counter, plate, or table, they might surf a trash can or simply scrounge around under the table or your baby's high chair for anything that has been dropped.  Better that you know their bodies can tolerate some richer foods than to panic when they find some Thanksgiving turkey on the floor after a holiday party.

I do make those biscotti-like dog cookies for my dogs during the holidays and they get pupsicles made with fruit and liquid yogurt during the summer.  My daughter makes the dogs pupcakes for their birthdays, and we use nut butters in their frozen kongs. We are thus incorporating ingredients typically thought of as being for people only, and readily giving them to our dogs.  It's a win-win, they are happy to get the treats and we enjoy creating them.

Now, I know that my list of no-no's isn't exhaustive, nor is my list of safe foods complete. It's just meant to give you an idea of what you might share with your pets as part of your bonding practices with them.  If you aren't sure if a food you regularly eat is safe for your pet, ask your veterinarian rather than relying on the internet. Better safe than sorry!

As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.

I'm growing zucchini in my front yard garden for Henley as he loves it grated on his meals and I love it too!  Zelly likes to play with her zucchini slices, tossing them in the air with glee, while Ozzie doesn't enjoy squash of any kind, leaving it for the smooth collies (ane me!) to enjoy.