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Dog lovers are generally very kind people. It’s common to want to share everything with your canine pal, from your heart to your home and even the foot of your bed if they’re lucky. Surely there’s nothing wrong with sharing our favorite foods with our dogs too, right? Not necessarily. 

We all want to show our pets how much we love them and help them feel part of the family. However, sometimes love hurts, and in the case of using just any human food for dogs, it can kill. It often starts with slipping them a little treat off our plate once in a while when they’re well behaved, but you soon find yourself overfeeding them off your plate.

Believe it or not, your dog has you trained pretty well too. They’ll whine, jump up, sit and stare, run around, or do anything to get your attention in the hopes of dropping a yummy morsel from your plate. As a responsible pet parent, it’s your job to ask yourself some essential questions before reinforcing such behavior. 

Vital questions include “can dogs eat human food”? Or more importantly, is “human food bad for dogs”? And, if we can feed our pups a little bit of human food once in a while, what human food can dogs eat safely?

Read on to find out whether there are human foods dogs can eat, how to choose safe human food for dogs, and discover a great solution from Spot and Tango for pet parents who want to ensure their pup follows a delicious human-grade diet formulated by vet nutritionists.

All Your Questions Answered – Can Dogs Eat Human Food?

The answer isn’t so straightforward. There are some human foods your dog can eat that provide various health benefits like better breath, joint strength, and allergy immunity. However, there are plenty of foods that are off-limits too.

Many foods that people digest just fine can wreak havoc on your dog’s body and cause severe health problems. Be mindful that even safe human food for dogs in excess can cause canine obesity, a significant health concern for US dogs. 

You might think a bite or two here and there won’t cause any harm, but you’ll be surprised by how little it takes. A single ounce of cheddar cheese for a 20-pound dog is the caloric equivalent of one and a half hamburgers for a person. Small bites quickly add up and cause weight gain, leading to various health problems like diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.

What Human Food Can Dogs Eat?

Dogs are carnivores, but not obligate carnivores that only eat meat. They’re pretty open to a variety of different foods. Wild dogs survive on meat and seasonal vegetables and occasionally eat fruits, so any human foods dogs can eat at home should generally revolve around these items. 

The best human food for dogs includes:

Proteins

• Beef liver
• Chicken
• Pork – a very digestible protein full of amino acids. It can also be less allergic to some dogs compared to other options
• Turkey – be sure to remove excess fat and skin
• Eggs – ensure you cook them before giving them to your dog
• Fish – sardines, and salmon contain good fats and amino acids
• Cheese – in small, moderate quantities, provided your dog isn’t lactose intolerant
• Yogurt – in moderation and plain without added sugar or artificial sweeteners

Fruits And Vegetables

• Apples
• Bananas – full of magnesium for healthy bones
• Blueberries – a rich source of antioxidants, fiber, and phytochemicals
• Mango
• Seedless watermelon
• Pumpkin
• Tomatoes – in moderation as a treat
• Carrots
• Sweet potatoes – in moderation. Rich in vitamin A
• Broccoli
• Green peas
• Green beans

Remember: fruits are high in sugar, so only give them to your dog in moderation.

Grains

• Corn – off the cob. Excellent source of fatty acids, fiber, and protein
• Oatmeal
• Quinoa – has a solid nutritional profile and is a healthy alternative to wheat, corn, and soy
• Bread – plain and in small amounts. Won’t hurt your dog but also has no health benefits
• Rice – plain and cooked. Easy to digest and can help relieve an upset stomach

Other Foods

• Coconut
• Peanut butter – raw and unsalted (and without xylitol). Contains heart-healthy fats, niacin, and vitamins B and E
• Popcorn – unsalted, unbattered, air-popped, and in moderation. It contains thiamine and riboflavin that promote digestion and eye health. Pop kernels all the way to prevent a choking hazard
• Honey – has countless nutrients like vitamin A, B, C, D, E, and K, calcium, potassium, copper, magnesium, and antioxidants.

Is Human Food Good For Dogs?

If you ask pet experts what human food is good for dogs, they’ll advise you to keep your pup strictly on food for dogs. But why is that? Is human food bad for dogs?

While the occasional piece of “people food” as a treat to your dog may not be detrimental, regular feeding may slowly cause adverse side effects behaviorally, physically, and socially. Here are a few reasons why feeding your dog from your plate can be a bad idea:

Health Problems

Dogs have a different digestive system to humans, as well as unique nutritional needs. Typical human food contains many ingredients and additives that aren’t good for dogs. Human food may also be too rich and fatty for a dog to digest properly, or contain unhealthy amounts of salt or sugar (which can dangerously affect your dog’s glucose levels). 

Eating such food can cause food sensitivity symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea, and even more severe conditions like pancreatitis, obesity, or diabetes.

Foods with high fat and caloric content can also lead to weight gain. Dogs that eat only dog food tend to have better body condition scores with an appropriate weight for their size, breed, and age. They’re also less likely to have bone, joint, mobility, or ligament issues or develop breathing issues, heart disease, or decreased liver function.

Behavioral Issues

It can be challenging to stop once you start feeding your dog scraps at the table. Dogs love a routine and know you’ll pet them when they nudge you, take them out when they bark or give them a treat when they whine. When you feed your dog anything other than their regular dog food from your plate, the counter, or anywhere that’s not their food bowl, you introduce bad habits that can be difficult to break.

You can bet they’ll be there next time you’re having dinner, and they’ll have expectations. Such expectations lead to negative behavior like begging, whining, or barking. They’ll beg for food while you cook, eat, or snack, and it can occur at any time, especially when they see you holding or eating food.

It will soon become annoying for you and anyone else sitting at the table. You may even resort to sharing your food with your dog to stop the annoying behavior, reinforcing it further. It can be embarrassing in front of guests and even dangerous if they start feeding them without knowledge of human foods that are toxic to dogs.

Human Foods That Are Toxic To Dogs

Human foods that are toxic to dogs include:

• Grapes and raisins

Highly toxic, even in small amounts, and can cause kidney failure, liver damage, or death.

• Caffeine

When consumed in large amounts, it can cause tremors, increased blood pressure, seizures or death.

• Chocolate

It contains caffeine and chemicals like methylxanthines that are toxic to dogs. It can stop your dog’s metabolic process and cause vomiting, diarrhea, irregular heart function, seizures, or death.

• Onions, chives, or garlic

They contain disulfides and sulfoxides that can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Large quantities can cause hemolytic anemia, vomiting, loss of appetite, weakness, diarrhea, shortness of breath, and darkened urine. You can read more here about why garlic and onions are bad for dogs.

• Avocados.

They contain a toxic substance called persin which can cause diarrhea, vomiting, pancreatitis, or constipation.

• Lemons and limes

It contains citric acid, which can cause stomach upsets or gradual nervous system suppression.

• Macadamia nuts

They’re poisonous to dogs and can cause vomiting, muscle weakness, lethargy, or hyperthermia.

• Any food containing xylitol

Xylitol is a sugar substitute added by many manufacturers to various human foods. It’s commonly found in processed sugar-free foods, breath mints, diet foods, and chewing gum. Xylitol is very toxic to dogs, and even small quantities can lead to kidney failure, insulin overproduction, and death.

• Alcohol

Alcohol can impair breathing and coordination, and consumption can lead to coma or death.

Always ensure human foods that are toxic to dogs are kept out of your pup’s reach. If you suspect your dog may have eaten something harmful, call your vet or the Animal Poison Control Center immediately for advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Human Food Can Puppies Eat?

Puppies can safely eat human food that bigger dogs can eat, but you must reduce the quantity and ensure it doesn’t contain anything toxic. Giving a little as a treat can go a long way, but too much can replace the balanced diet they need.

Can Dogs Eat Human Food Every Day?

While the occasional table scrap may not be harmful, giving your dog human food every day may have undesired effects. They can quickly gain weight, start begging and other annoying behaviors, or even refuse their own food altogether. This behavior can be challenging to break and cause adverse physical effects for your dog if they don’t eat balanced and nutritious meals for long periods.

Can Dogs Eat Human Food Instead of Dog Food?

No. Dogs have unique nutritional needs compared to humans. You should only give human food to your dog as a treat in small quantities and in the same way you’d give any other dog treat. It should be a reward for obedience or good behavior, not begging.

Human food should never make up more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories. Factor this into their regular diet and only give safe human foods dogs can eat as a dressing on top of the typical food in their bowl. 

Final Thoughts

So, can dogs eat human food? Yes, but only safe human food for dogs in small quantities as a treat. Just because there are human foods dogs can eat, it doesn’t mean you should let your dog overindulge.