Safe & Toxic Food for Dogs in 2020

We all know how much dogs love eating. As pet parents, we often debate whether giving them dog food at all times is the right thing to do or not. Most pet parents maintain a balance between home-cooked food and dog food. But knowing what kind of veggies, fruits, meat and poultry, nuts and dairy product is good for your dog is the way to go. There are a lot of things that are safe for your dog and a lot of things that are highly toxic. So it is crucial that you give your cutie home-cooked food after doing some considerable amount of research. Well, fret no more! We have decided to come to your rescue. Today we will make a list of a number of safe and toxic food for dogs so that your pooch can gorge on a variety of things. 

Vegetables:

Safe: Carrots, Beet, Cucumbers, Peas, Celery, Green beans, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Zucchini.

These fibrous veggies are brimming with different kinds of nutrients like Vit A, D, C and anti-oxidants. Carrots and celery are excellent for the teeth and cucumbers are good for obese dogs as they are filled with water and are super filling. Green beans, potatoes and peas can be boiled and given as snacks. Peppers are good immunity boosters. 

Toxic: Onions, Mushrooms, Asparagus.

Onions, leeks and shallots are highly poisonous for dogs and other animals. They make the blood cells rupture on dogs. Asparagus is tough for the dogs to digest and can get stuck in their throats as well. Mushrooms do not suit most dogs and could also cause death. 

To Be Given In Moderation: Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli, Peppers, Cabbage.

Brussel Sprouts and cabbage give a lot of gas to dogs and may be hard to digest which is why it should be given in moderation. Brussels and peppers should also be given in moderation as they are moderately good for the dogs but they can’t digest it properly. 

Fruits:

Most fruits are full of fructose (sugar) which is why the consumption differs from dog to dog. Consulting your vet is key and knowing what suits your dog is vital.

Safe: Watermelon, Pineapple, Papaya, Pears without seeds, Cantaloupe, Apples, Blueberries, Cranberries. 

All these fruits are rich in nutrients and can be given in small portions as per your dog’s needs. Watermelon is 90% water and 

Toxic: Grapes, Cherries, Avocado, all pits or seeds of fruits. The fruit itself is not very toxic but their skin and seeds are. These seeds are so toxic that it might lead to death.

To Be Given In Moderation: Mango, Banana, Raspberries.

These fruits are full of sugar which is not good for a dog and should be given in moderation only. 

Nuts:

These food items, in general, should be fed to your dog in moderation as they take time to digest it. They may also choke on it if it gets stuck in their throat. 

Safe: Peanut & Peanut Butter.

 are loved by dogs. The gooey, crunchy and creamy texture drives them crazy and doesn’t have any harmful effects on them either. But it is important that you give them a non-processed peanut butter which has so salt, sugar or preservatives. 

Toxic: Walnuts, Pistachios, Pecans, Macadamia Nuts, Pine Nuts, Brazil Nuts and raisins. These nuts have highly toxic substances that don’t go well for the doggos. It is better if you never even try to give them. 

Not Toxic But Could Be Avoided: Almond, Cashews, Hazelnuts. 

These are not exactly toxic for the dog but they can’t digest it properly so avoiding them is the way to go. 

Dairy:

Milk, Cheese, Yoghurt, Cream, Buttermilk, Ice Cream.

Dogs love consuming dairy items but it is important to that they should be given in extremely small quantities. Milk, cheese, yoghurt, cream, buttermilk all these dairy products should be given in moderation. It is because their digestive system can’t break down milk solids or sugars which results in diarrhoea and vomiting.  

Fish:

Tuna, Shrimp, Tuna.

Safe: Fish is good for your pooch as it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Give them the steamed unsalted version without bones and they are sorted. 

Toxic: Any fish with too many bones or thorns are not good for them. They aren’t toxic on its own but the bone may get stuck in their throat and that may harm them a lot. 

Meat & Poultry:

Chicken & Eggs, Beef, turkey, pork, duck, Lamb 

Chicken and eggs are loved by all dogs and giving them boiled chicken and egg is a good source of protein. Some dogs also eat bones but that should also be cooked. It actually depends on the breed of the dog. A lot of dogs are used to raw diets but that should only be the case if they can digest raw poultry but not that it isn’t advisable. Eggs are also a very good source of protein and dogs can eat it raw or boiled. If possible, give him boiled eggs and boil chicken only. Salmonella is present in raw chicken and eggs and that could be extremely harmful to them. So consult a doctor before you feed your dog raw poultry. 

Different cuts of beef are fed to dogs but usually, it is used less than chicken because it is expensive. Duck also comes in the same category. Duck meat is delicious and has less fat but is too expensive so isn’t the most sought after poultry. Pork is a good source of protein but it has a lot of fat which is why dogs are given this in moderation. Turkey is also like chicken but cooking a turkey on a regular basis is not convenient. Lamb is also a good source of protein but the fat content is more so it should be given in moderation. 

We will surely add some more items to the list of safe and toxic food for dogs but for now, we have covered almost all food items in this blog.

Our Two Cents:

We hope that our detailed blog on safe and toxic food for dogs will help you figure out what sort of diet your dog needs. The right kind is to mix a little bit of everything. Vegetables are a good source of fibre and meat and poultry is a good source of protein. Giving them fruits, dairy and peanut butter once in a while as treats is a good way to go about things. Better than giving them processed treats for sure. If you are looking for home-made recipes for your dog then click on this link.