Can dogs eat human food without getting sick?

Answer 1

Yes. After all -- commercial dog food is made from "human food!"

It makes sense to feed dogs a variety for the same reason it makes sense for us. Look up "the French Paradox" which is a theory about the benefits of variety.

You can cook for your dog (many sites list menus). But since your dog has no control, you have to be a wise nutrition-master. Probably the wisest strategy is to feed 2/3 commercial dog food and augment it with carefully-chose, prepared human food.

Vegetables need to be chopped fine or run through a food processor or blender.

Table scraps are not usually a good idea because it is hard to control what they contain from day to day. And feeding from the table teaches them to beg whenever you eat.

You need to be careful since their nutritional needs are a bit different from ours, and some substances are toxic.

Oh, and as for chocolate -- it is toxic but only in fairly high quantities and primarily only for dark chocolate. In other words, keep your dog away from the Hershey's but if it happens accidentally, don't panic -- check online for sources that will talk about dangerous dose.

Read a lot first -- there a lot of whacky diets, "natural" products without a lot of reasearch, and strange ideas out there.

Answer 2

my dog climbed on a table once and ate an entire chocolate cake and didn't get sick. that was five years ago, so far there haven't been any long term effects either. i sometimes share food with my dogs (usually meat), but they know that their main source of food is coming from their dog bowls. which human foods will or won't make a dog sick really depends on the dog and it's size. any kind of human food given to a dog should be in limited amounts. chocolate, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, mushrooms, and raisins/grapes, are some of the main things that they shouldn't eat...the list is endless. if you do a search on the web for 'foods toxic to dogs' plenty of resources will come up.

Answer 3

As a responsible Miniature Schnauzer owner, I can tell you that the overall answer is NO.
A big no-no is feeding your dog chococlate. Ingredients in chocolate cause the dog's heart rate to go very fast (chocolate makes us humans hyper, thus increasing our heart rate), and some dogs have died of cardiac arrest (heart attack) because of them being fed chocolate.
Also, another big no-no is feeding your dog cooked bones, this is very dangerous because while they chew on it, the bone is brittle and the dog may choke on the little pieces. Raw bones are ok, but not cooked ones, but even better, get raw-hides from the local pet store.
The only "human" foods that would be suitable for dogs in my opinion (and facts say this too), is probably fruits and veggies, and peanut butter, but always in moderation!
(although there are recipes out there for pet treats you can make with stuff from your kitchen, those are OK. The "bad" human foods are usually those which concern processed foods ie. junk food)

If you want to reward your dog, feed him/her pet store treats, they are MADE for pets.

But on the other hand, I know some people who do feed their dogs table scraps, and the dogs aren't sick, but it won't be healthy for the dog in the long run, because of all the calories in people food, dogs tend to become overweight. (some breeds are worst than others, my dog's breed has tendency to become overweight easily and has a very fussy stomach)

So it's basically just a personal choice if you wanna feed your dog people food, but beware, its not gonna pay off in the long run, I always think of my dog's health first.

(PS. feeding dogs table scraps can also lead them to begging at the dinner table, which is not good at all, especially if you have a big dog, or if you have company over.)

Answer 4

Generally, no, some foods that we eat are toxic to dogs, such as garlic and onion which can cause anaemia and there are a lot more. Human food doesn't contain the nutrients that dogs need in appropriate levels or is lacking completely.

Having said that, some people feed their dog human grade meat with other suitable vegetables,grains and many other natural ingredients added to provide a balanced diet in line with the dog's requirements, it is quite a complex recipe and I wouldn't recommend it.

Answer 5

Some of the purebreds have very sensitive digestive systems. Labradors get the farts (which are really nasty) with almost any change in their diet, so it's best to stick to good old, crunchy dog food for them. Many breeds are susceptible to digestive upset this way.
Even in the heartiest mutt, human food is often a major cause of weight gain & plaque problems with their teeth. You can allow your pet a small bit on special occassions, but it's not a good idea to make a regular thing of it.

Answer 6

depends on what you are giving them. Some people food will make them sick and some wont. My dogs eat both - Dog food and every now and then they get certain left overs. (like ham - or a slice of cheese) they love steak and chicken if you pull it off the bone. You should never give a dog chocolate.

Answer 7

Yes you can. It is recommended that you don't though because it is bad for their teeth. Also, dogs become picky eaters if you feed them human food. They may not want to eat regular dog food after that. Chocolate will make your dog sick and can kill him/her. Their body can not process and break down the chocolate.

Answer 8

I have herd that ppl Feed there dogs Boneless Chicken only and it helped keep one living till it was 18

Answer 9

yes dogs can get sick eating human food as human food contains alot of ingredients that are not good for the dogs such as monosodium gramate (MSG), salt, sugar, etc.

one of the symtoms that you can notice is that the dog's hair start to drop.

Answer 10

I give my dog our left-over meats with some veggies mixed in, it does'nt make him sick, but if I overdo it, he starts to gain weight.