If you are looking for the answer to the question “What can my dog eat?” and even more importantly “What can’t my dog eat?”, we got the answers.

Introduction

Navigating your dog’s nutrition can sometimes feel overwhelming. With an abundance of food choices, understanding what nourishes and what harms is essential. This guide aims to illuminate the paths of dietary wellness for your beloved dog, providing a comprehensive list of foods that embrace and enhance their well-being and those that pose threats to their health.

50 Foods Your Dog Can Enjoy

Proteins for Vitality

From chicken to turkey, and beef to selected fish, providing a variety of lean, cooked, and unseasoned meats ensures a rich supply of essential proteins and amino acids. Organ meats like liver, kidney, and heart can also be incorporated in moderation for a diverse protein profile.

Fruits for Antioxidants

Fruits such as apples, bananas, blueberries, and watermelon, offer refreshing bursts of antioxidants, vitamins, and hydration. Ensure seeds and pits are removed to prevent any choking hazards.

Vegetables for Nutrients

Veggies like carrots, cucumbers, green beans, and sweet potatoes are fantastic, nutrient-dense options. They supply vitamins, fiber, and are overall powerhouse ingredients for a balanced diet.

Grains for Energy

Rice, pasta, quinoa, and oatmeal are excellent grain choices. When cooked and offered plain, they are easy on your dog’s stomach and are a great energy sources.

Extras for Variety

Incorporate variety with extras like plain popcorn, chia seeds, coconut, and seaweed/nori, to give a delightful and unexpected twist to your dog’s meal.

*Each dog is an individual with unique dietary needs and preferences. Introducing foods gradually and observing any reactions ensures that the new additions are well-received by your dog’s system.

50 Foods to Keep Away from Your Dog

Toxic Fruits and Vegetables

Grapes, raisins, cherries, and avocado are among the fruits that can cause various complications such as kidney failure or vomiting. Onions, garlic, and chives can cause gastrointestinal distress and harm red blood cells.

Harmful Sweets and Spices

Chocolate, xylitol, and cinnamon are poisonous to dogs and can lead to various symptoms ranging from vomiting to liver failure. Ensure sweets like gum and candies, especially those containing artificial sweeteners like xylitol, are kept out of reach.

Beverages Not Safe For Dogs

Alcohol, coffee, tea, and any beverage containing caffeine can have disastrous effects, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and even death.

Inappropriate Proteins and Dairy

Raw eggs, raw meat, and bacon should be avoided due to the risk of salmonella or other bacterial infections. If you still choose to feed your dog a raw diet, PDSA suggests to always choose a commercially prepared one. This is because commercial suppliers must take precautions to make sure all pet food is packaged correctly to certain hygiene standards, which is especially important with raw food. Companies making complete pet foods will also have to make sure that foods will contain everything your pet needs to stay healthy.

Some other foods and additives to avoid include salt, mushrooms, cooked bones, and fruit pits. Even certain human vitamins and fat trimmings can be dangerous.

The Simplified list:

50 Foods Dogs Can Eat

1. Chicken: Cooked and unseasoned.
2. Turkey: Cooked and without bones or skin.
3. Beef: Lean cuts, cooked, and unseasoned.
4. Fish: Boneless, cooked, and unseasoned like salmon and tuna.
5. Shrimp: Cleaned and cooked.
6. Carrots: Raw or cooked.
7. Blueberries
8. Apples: Seedless.
9. Bananas
10. Watermelon: Seedless.
11. Cranberries
12. Raspberries
13. Strawberries
14. Pineapple
15. Pears: Cored.
16. Pumpkin
17. Sweet potatoes
18. Regular Potatoes: Cooked.
19. Broccoli: In small quantities.
20. Green Beans
21. Peas
22. Cucumbers
23. Zucchini
24. Spinach
25. Brussels Sprouts
26. Kale
27. Celery
28. Cauliflower
29. Mango: Without the pit.
30. Oranges: In small quantities.
31. Peaches: Without the pit.
32. Plums: Without the pit.
33. Tomatoes: Ripe.
34. Carrots
35. Peas: Green and snow peas.
36. Rice: Cooked.
37. Pasta: Cooked plain.
38. Quinoa
39. Oatmeal: Cooked and plain.
40. Barley
41. Liver: Cooked and in moderation.
42. Kidney: Cooked.
43. Heart: Cooked.
44. Plain Popcorn: Unsalted and unbuttered.
45. Coconut
46. Chia Seeds
47. Seaweed/Nori
48. Bell Peppers
49. Cantaloupe
50. Apricots: Without the pit.

50 Foods Dogs Can’t Eat

1. Chocolate
2. Coffee
3. Caffeine
4. Grapes
5. Raisins
6. Macadamia nuts
7. Almonds
8. Garlic
9. Onions
10. Chives
11. Tea
12. Alcohol
13. Raw yeast dough
14. Xylitol (found in gum, candy, baked goods, and toothpaste)
15. Avocado
16. Cherries
17. Mushrooms
18. Tobacco
19. Cooked bones
20. Fruit pits and seeds
21. Corn on the cob
22. Milk and other dairy products
23. Gum
24. Salt
25. Bacon and fatty meat
26. Liver in excessive amounts
27. Raw eggs
28. Raw meat and fish
29. Persimmons, peaches, and plums
30. Nutmeg
31. Licorice
32. Citrus oils
33. Human vitamins
34. Lemons and limes
35. Fat trimmings and bones
36. Cinnamon
37. Ice cream
38. Tofu
39. Fruits with pits
40. Old or spoiled food
41. Yeast
42. Artificial sweeteners
43. Tobacco and marijuana
44. Hops
45. Hot and spicy foods
46. Any food with artificial colors, chemicals, and preservatives
47. Too much fish
48. Raw potatoes
49. Apple cores and seeds
50. Apricot and peach pits

Conclusion: What Can My Dog Eat?

Creating a wholesome and safe diet for your dog is a monumental step towards a vibrant, healthy, and happy life. This extensive list is a tool to guide, enhance, and safeguard your dog’s nutritional journey. Knowledge, vigilance, and a sprinkling of culinary experimenting will ensure that your dog thrives. Remember, always consult a veterinarian when in doubt or introducing a new food to your dog’s diet, especially if they have already existing conditions and allergies.