Feeding people food to dogs

[stacwase]

I always used to say to never give people food to dogs and poo-poo people who said "well my dog would starve before he'd eat dog food", but now I have found that it's necessary to get Tony to eat more because he's so underweight.

Lately I've been putting the juice or sauce from our leftovers on his dog food to make it more flavorful. Yesterday I fed him some very lean venison stew with potatoes in it, and today I gave him scrambled eggs.

What sorts of people food do you give your dogs? I know gravy is a big no-no, if it's high-fat. And I've heard about onions and chocolate being toxic.

Are potatoes OK?

[pitc9]

I give my pups leftovers all the time. I give them potatoes a lot, I don't think they are bad for them. Mine have never gotten sick from them.
Mine are underweight, so table food mixed in with their dog food just makes them eat more and makes myself and our vet happy!

[BitsyNaceyDog]

My dogs really only get carrots. They get a couple everyday, and they love them.

[Samantha Puppy]

I usually save at least a few bites of whatever meat I'm eating for Samantha - chicken, steak, pork, you name it. If the side I make with dinner is okay to give her (meaning it wouldn't be messy like mashed potatoes), I'll give her a bite or two of that as well. If I make spaghetti, I make a tad extra and give her her own in her bowl. She loves spaghetti. She also gets veggies or pieces of fruit if I'm eating that. I guess I'll usually let her taste about anything I have.

The way I see it is, they're only here for a short time as it is. Let them enjoy it. So long as I'm not overfeeding her, which I'm not, and she knows that her dinner is her puppy food, which she does, no harm no foul.

[KYS]

I have a sister that gives all the family left overs to
her dogs. (they have cast iron stomachs now)
If I did that for my dogs, I'd have a couple of sick pooches.


When I cook for myself, I consider my dogs.
(I cook meat, fish and skinless poultry, plain
yoguart, cottage cheese etc. etc.
(I try to never add anything that could upset the dogs tummy's)

I add to their food in moderation for taste.

Rocky and SHeba ane not big on veggies.
Pepper will eat anything.

[boscibo]

We always save a few bites of meat from our meals for our dogs. Nothing in a large enough quantity that would put them off their regular food, though. I don't feed them anything with sugar/high fructose corn syrup, I don't believe sugar is good for people or dogs.

[wolfie]

Originally posted by Samantha Puppy
The way I see it is, they're only here for a short time as it is. Let them enjoy it. So long as I'm not overfeeding her, which I'm not, and she knows that her dinner is her puppy food, which she does, no harm no foul.

That's a great way to look at it.

Actually, I never understood people who would never give people food to their pups! lol. I mean, it's not hurting them, and as long as you give it to them in moderation they don't get fat or sick.

Our dogs get a little bit of left overs from dinner most every day. And if I can't finish something, like a bagel for example, I give it to the pups. We make sure there's nothing too fatty or something we wouldn't eat so they don't get sick. And yes, chocolate and onions are a no no. And sugar isn't too good for them either... though Daphne has been known to have a twizzler from time to time.

[micki76]

Chester has pancreatitis so ours usually don't get any people food.

Feeding people food is not harmful in small amounts of very low fat, low sodium foods for most dogs. But be very careful with high fat foods, as they can be very dangerous. You don't want your dog to get pancreatitis, trust me.

[bsherman]

Just a quick post, Tawny's dogfood is Potatoe and Duck, allergy formula, and does she every love it so I guess cooked potoates are ok, I know raw are not good even for people, they are of the nightshade family, highly toxic raw (ie green).

[stacwase]

By "high fat" - I assume that regular hamburger would be too fatty but ground chuck would probably be OK.

What about hot dogs? Probably too fatty, I would think. And high in sodium. But they sure love them!

I'm thinking high-protein foods and vegetables would be OK, but for some reason I wouldn't feel comfortable giving them pancakes or anything like that. I don't know why - but it seems like all that white flour wouldn't be good for them. Agree? Disagree?

In just the past few days since I've been supplementing with people food, Tony looks less thin. My son noticed too, so it must not be my imagination.

[Jods]

I have a question on top of that one... If you feed your dogs people food do they drool or satre at you when your eating cause they're expecting to get some mine do until I tell them to go away but, do yours??

[Kfamr]

The most my dogs get anymore are maybe tiny crumbs and Fruits/Veggies.

After meeting Duke and Val (dukedogsmom) and hearing how she almost lost Duke to pancreatitis, I do not see how it's worth it.
It may make them "happy"... but mine are also happy with having a nice yummy milkbone with a dab of peanut butter or something on it.


Just be careful with Tony.. after a while he may become "fat"
It only needs a bit to make it a "different flavor"

Have you ever tried to mix a bit of slightly warm water in with it?
Simba and Nala LOVE that. It makes a bit of "gravy" out of their dog food.

Another thing they like is if I put a bit a peanut butter and mix it with warm water and pour it over their food.

[Logan]

Mine get little bits, occasionally, meat scraps, potatoes, sometimes rice or vegetables. We don't cook with a lot of salt or seasonings, so I feel it's pretty safe, and I only give them a spoonful each to flavor up their food and help Murphy to take her medication. It is always stirred in with their dog food.

Logan

[dukedogsmom]

Since Duke got so sick, I haven't been giving him people food at all. I know chicken and rice is really good to feed them. Also, carrots. How about broth? Would that be bad like gravy? Is Tony one of the chis? They make those really good dog dinners for small dogs that have the gravy in them. Also, they make gravy for dogs. I saw some at my pet store.

[bsherman]

Miss Tawny lays at my feet, and if she hears the knife and fork go down she gets up. All I have to say is "not for puppies" and she lays down again. If you feed alot of people food , I'm sure there would be problems seeing half our food has chemical additives in it anyway. My vet said 1 tlbs isn't going to hurt anyone, but don't get carried away, as much veggies as they want but not the gassy ones like cabbage, because you will find out really quick. Phew!