Is this bad?

Question

I know a dog owner who feeds their dog on purely human food. My mother gave her yorkshire terrier chocolate every night and he died of diabetse. Every time I try to tell these owners about what they are doing I am cast as a monster and I don't understand that the bond between the owners and their "soul mate". I love Domestic pets, why do we kill what we love?

Answer 1

these types of pet owners are irresponsible.i think they're bitter and lonely so that's why they treat their pets like real children, even feeding them human food, such as chocolate. chocolate is a comfort food and women usually consume chocolate when they're unhappy because chocolate gives women a good feeling, almost euphoric. she gave her yorkie chocolate because chocolate makes her happy and she sees the dog as her companion, so she thinks that it'll make her dog happy too.little does she know, that chocolate is lethal to dogs.it's a similar concept as to why some people give their children whatever they desire to eat & over-feeding them, because that shows that they "love" them.some pet owners are outrageous with the pet clothing and cutesy pet carriers/pet name tags.i think that they should let dogs be dogs.it's sad that some use their pets like a fashion accessory and prance their pets, especially dogs, around like they're in a circus fashion show.some humans might think that dressing up their pets is cute but whenever they take their pets out for a walk, it's embarassing and the other normal dogs, are silently laughing at the dog wearing the knitted sweater and matching doggie scarf.humans should be considerate of their pet's feelings and be more informed of the dangers that they put their pet's in.

Answer 2

Part of it was horrible to do...
Part of it was fine...

Dogs can eat human food, but they really need to have it properly balanced for THEIR dietary needs. Meat is great. Rice and veggies really aren't all that needed... some of them like it, but it's not absolutely a necessity. Meat can be fed cooked or raw, but bones have to be raw to be safe.

The response you get from dog owners might be a result of how you approach them. If you sound pushy or strident, because you know some of what your mom fed was bad, then people won't listen. It's just human nature. The harder you push, the less others listen.

The human food your mom fed might have been ok if it didn't contain grapes, muishrooms, garlic, raising, onions and chocolate. Those are some of the human foods that are toxic to dogs. The main thing your mom fed that I KNOW was really bad was the chocolate.

A bond with a soul mate includes the desire to NOT feed them foods that will poison them. Many of us do NOT feed what will kill our beloved dogs.

Answer 3

I know how you feel.Unfortunatly with the older generation, there very set in there ways and trying to tell them what there doing to there dog is unhealthy or dangerous is like talking to a brick wall!! My nan [who's passed away now] had kept dogs all her adult life, aswell as many other animals.The thing is was that she regulary fed her dogs bones, which we know if cooked can be dangerous esp chicken bones, chocolate, biscuits, roast dinners, bread, basically anything the dog wanted.I used to tell her that feeding chocolate was dangerous but she'd always say "i've fed all my dogs a little bit of what i have everyday and they've all been healthy" my nans dogs must have been the lucky ones who never suffered any series consequences. Trying to get them to take there dogs to the vets was another story! They beleived in the old fashioned way that dogs heal themselves etc and they were rarely taken to the vets. I think it's important that the generation of dog owners today are edcuated properly on dog ownership and welfare before getting a dog. People think there loving there dog by offering them "human" food but it's actually giving them a death sentence.

Answer 4

It is really bad to feed dogs a diet of human food. I recently adopted a pug mix from a shelter. She was way over weight and had crystallizing in her bladder from being given too much human food. She is now on a special diet for the rest of her life. Unlike human food, dog food is designed with the proper nutrients that dogs need to stay healthy. No you are not mean I would be telling the people the same thing if I knew them.

Answer 5

Some people don't understand that you can literally kill your pet with kindness. Chocolate is toxic to dogs. However, a lot of people do feed their dogs on food designed to be used for human consumption, as long as the diet is healthy and varied and people avoid things such as chocolate and onions, the dog should do well.
Years ago, before commercial dog food was widely used, dogs were fed all the table scraps and did very well on them. Mind you, back then, food was not contaminated with all the chemicals and preservatives that's in it today, and that goes for most commercial pet foods along with food stuff for humans' too.

Answer 6

I agree with you all the way. My grandmother feeds her dogs McDonald's every week and they get whatever she eats, too daily. I ended up taking one of her dogs because he was so unhealthy. When I got him he weighed 65 pounds...now that I've have him for a while, changed his diet and gave him regular exercise he's down to 43. That is incredibly significant on a dog. She was loving him to death, literally...which is what so many people nowadays are doing with their dogs. It's like parenting, though, you can't tell them what's the right thing to do because they think what they're doing is fine. So, when their dogs die 5 years sooner than what they could have live to be, maybe then they'll get the picture.
Its sad, but people do what they do. There's plenty information out there, they just refuse to believe it.

Answer 7

Ignorance.

Just simply not knowing & refusal to believe what they are told. They think they know what is best for their pet.

Some people don't even use common sense.

When I was training dogs I specialized in aggression training & damned near every owner screwed up the training. You can explain over & over again & they just don't get it.

Another thing people do to their dog is to apply human behavior on to their dogs, then turn around and question why their pet isn't isn't behaving like a dog. No concept.

Answer 8

A quality dog food should be made of human grade ingredients. So it is possible to feed your dog well using human food.
That being said, you have to know what you are doing and what dogs require and the average Joe does not.
If however the dog is getting what the owner does and the owner is eating fast food and junk then the dog will not receive adequate nutrition, and may in fact end up with many health problems; allergies, overweight, diabetes, pancreatitis, etc.
Chocolate does not cause diabetes. It is toxic to dogs, however the toxicity lies in the fact that it increases heartrate which leads to excessive urination & puts stress on the kidneys; the dog actually dies of dehydration and kidney failure.
Print THIS out and give it to your mother...or others...
http://www.dogownersdigest.com/news/library/chocolate-dog-poisoning.shtml
http://www.vetinfo.com/dencyclopedia/dechoc.html
Many people go ahead and give human food, table scraps, last bite, to their dogs because either they have not bothered to educate themselves, or they always have done so and don't think it's hurting any. They want the dog to "like" them. The dog does not know any better. It tastes as good to the dog as it does to us. However WE are SUPPOSED to be the ones in charge, the ones with the ability to reason.

Answer 9

Yes, it's bad. A lot of what Fido'll end up eating will be totally against what nature (and breeding intended) to be in his system - no apposable thumbs you see, evolution didn't expect that he'd be able to make pizza, and so didn't prepare him for it.
Still, he'll die happy; it must be a little like when Sisyphus, stole nectar from the Gods - food beyond your capacity to create within your reach and on demand. Some delights are worth the punishment.

Answer 10

Yes feeding the dog human food can be bad. BUT, chocolate isn't bad for all dogs. My mom had a dog when she was younger and her family fed it a chocolate bar a day, and it lived till 17. And my old dog, three times had gotten a whole bowl of hersey kisses, and it didn't affect him. It all depends on the dog. But yes, feeding it on human food ALL THE TIME, can be bad for the dog. It also depends on what human food they are feeding it. Not all is bad for dogs...