With the holiday season fast approaching, there are many things to look forward to. But let’s face it, very few compare to sitting at the dinner table with your close friends or family and tucking into a Christmas-themed feast. However, a particular furry friend always seems to get left out over the holidays, and that’s your pooch.
Although they might stare up at us with those big doe-like eyes and salvia dribbling down their chin, many pet owners try not to succumb to their cuteness by offering them a piece of whatever’s on their plate. Because although we may mean well, not all human food is suitable for dogs and can cause severe issues if ingested due to the sensitive nature of their digestive systems.
On the other hand, many people foods are also safe for dogs to eat and can be an excellent way to provide them with the nutrients and health benefits they require for a long and happy life. So, if you’ve ever wondered, can dogs eat pineapple, carrots, apples, or peanut butter? You’re in the right place! We outline a quick list of the best human treats for dogs below, so it’s not just you and your family that can take part in the festive feasting this year, but your pooch too!
Pineapple
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, can dogs eat pineapple? You might be surprised to discover that dogs can eat raw pineapple but only in moderation. Although they might not be able to partake in the upside-down pineapple cake that your grandma makes each year for the Christmas feast, a little pineapple can provide many benefits for your furry friend.
Pineapple contains vitamins such as potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, and many more. Yet most of these can be derived from a dog’s usual daily diet, so there is no real need to include pineapple in your dog’s diet. However, it can be nice to have it as a snack every once in a while, or on special occasions like holidays and birthdays.
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Carrots
A frequent addition to a Christmas dinner, carrots are another human food that dogs can occasionally snack on. Although if you plan to feed them to your canine, we recommend skipping the gravy on this occasion as it contains high amounts of sodium, fats, and ingredients like onions and garlic that can be toxic to dogs.
Like pineapple, carrots are an excellent treat for your dog since they contain several vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, vitamin C, biotin, and much more. Plus, they’re tasty too! As well as being suitable for digestive health, chewing on the occasional carrot can also be beneficial for dental health since the rough texture of the vegetable can help remove plaque from their teeth.
However, if you plan to feed your dog carrot, it is wise to supervise them whenever you do, as they can be a choking hazard, especially to younger pups! You can eliminate this danger by cooking the carrot before giving it to your furry friend or by cutting it up into smaller chunks which are easier for them to digest and less likely to get stuck in their throat.
Peanut Butter
Suppose the click of a freshly opened peanut butter jar sends your dog running into the kitchen. In that case, you’ll be glad to discover that this human treat is also dog-friendly if it is unsalted with no added sugars or sweeteners. Like the other food items on this list, dog-friendly peanut butter also contains many beneficial elements like healthy fats, vitamin B, vitamin E, niacin, and many more.
Yet, it is essential to monitor how much of this nutty treat your pet is given as overfeeding it to your dog can cause the development of other health issues like obesity. If you plan to feed your pet peanut butter occasionally, be sure to do your research and only buy products that don’t contain a sweetener called xylitol, as this is highly toxic to dogs and could result in a trip to the vet or the Animal Poison Control Center.
Apples
Like the popular rhyme suggests, apples are another human treat that dogs can enjoy occasionally. Pumped full of vitamins and minerals, this fruit is beneficial for digestive and oral health since its rough texture is useful for keeping teeth and gums clean.
Yet be sure not to feed your dog too many, as they contain a high sugar content which can lead to weight gain and other health conditions like diabetes. Just be sure to de-core the apples before feeding them to your pooch, as it’ll help keep them safe from cyanide poisoning!