For centuries, bread has been with us for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but then again so have our dogs. They sit by our sides, peaking those pleading eyes up over the table. But as you finally give in and toss him/her a scrap of bread, the question occurs to you, should dogs eat bread?
But before you get the chance to whip such a question into google, your hungry mutt has already scoffed the lot. So you shrug it off.
The many uses of human food
Human food has been the foundation of the man and dog alliance for ages passed. We use it as a reward to train them to stay by our side when danger mounts against us. Or else we use treats to train them into performing tricks for our friends. We can also use it as a disguise for medicine, did you ever try shoving a pill into the jaws of a Rottweiler? Me neither, instead try wrapping the pill in a piece of bread or meat for them to gobble up.
But most of all, we’ve always loved to spoil our canine friends by throwing them food from the table or the counter. This isn’t such a problem as long as you don’t mind dirty paws on the counter now and then.
Mischievous pups
But as a dog owner, when was the last time you remember enjoying a meal all to yourself. When was the last time you could eat without your heart being besieged by those puppy dog eyes? There are those of us who can hold firm, there are those of us with hearts of stone.
But we live to regret it when we turn around and find a package of bread torn open and scattered across the floor. I’ll bet you never imagined this when you first looked into those adorable puppy eyes. T
hey begged you to bring them home with you. But there is something that separates the puppy lovers from the dog lovers.
First, you have the ones that clean up the mess. And then you have ones that rush over to check if the animal hasn’t eaten something poisonous. But even if they are fine, there are still questions that beg an answer.
What’s your dogs favorite human food?
Let’s get something straight here, dogs are not people. Sometimes it’s easy to forget this, especially when we call them our best friends. But as his/her best friend, it’s your responsibility to look after their wellbeing.
So where’s the food in the house? What’s the most common? What’s the easiest for your sniffer friend to get their nose into? Well, have you ever found yourself without toast for your butter. Or do you throw the leftover sandwich crusts into the dog’s bowl. Maybe you should ask yourself something.
Should dogs eat bread? Well, you better keep reading to find out. But for now, keep the bread box shut.
Is bread suitable for dogs?
Before I dare to answer the question. “should dogs eat bread?” I first need to make something else clear, because we can forget.
Bread is not designed for any of your pets. Because here’s the thing, bread sometimes seems as natural as an apple, but it doesn’t grow on trees. It’s a man-made invention, constructed from other natural ingredients. It is formulated to suit human biology. That is why, no matter how much your pooch enjoys it, nothing can replace dog food as its base diet. A
re you trying a new diet and you want someone to join you? Don’t make it your dog, maybe you can give up eating meat to make the world a better place but that doesn’t mean your dog can. Instead, they need meat. It doesn’t matter it is dry or wet, cooked or raw. They need those proteins and nutrients it provides to keep being that loyal friend by your side.
Omnivore to the core
It’s no secret that dogs love adventure, they love to try out new things, and this includes food. There’s no reason why your dog shouldn’t be able to boast of an expanded palate. Think about what your canine friend is at their core. They could be a poodle, a Rottweiler, a Jack Russell terrier or even a sausage dog. But they all come from wild animals who would hunt and gather to stay alive.
But when meat was not always in such an abundance they had another resource at their disposal. Dogs are not strictly carnivores. They are omnivores, meaning they can afford to try out alternative food sources. This could be a berry or a fruit tree to scoff away at. It all helps to keep their energy up to find more meat.
That’s why back home, fruits, veggies and grains are all ok for them to eat. They can be scraps thrown from the table or mixed into their food. This gives your dog the spice of variety that we all need in our lives. But that being said, try not to make your lovable friend a means of disposal for your unwanted food.
Overfeeding dogs is a real danger. It can lead to obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes or perhaps even fussy eating.
Death by chocolate
When you think of dogs and chocolate, where does your mind go? Does it go to some joke or stereotype you heard from a friend or saw acted out in a cartoon or movie, well stop! This is no joke. Never ever give chocolate to your dog or any dog. What’s seems like a sweet, creamy, melt in your mouth delicacy to you is just a block of toxins to most animals.
In fact, it should be a law for this fact to be written on all chocolate wrappers just so no one forgets. But we all make mistakes. You might leave your Hershey’s bar down for a moment. But if you happen to notice your dog getting a little too curious, be sure to call the vet for advice.
But after that, make sure to keep your chocolate where your furry friend would never think to look. This could be right next to the vacuum cleaner.
Is bread dough suitable for dogs?
Sometimes dogs eat weird things, sometimes they’re even unmentionable. It’s common knowledge of their omnivorous nature. But this does not mean they can eat everything and anything. After all, we are omnivores but there’s plenty of things that both humans and dogs should never eat. One of these is bread dough.
You could almost think of uncooked dough as a live animal. A monster waiting for some unsuspecting hound to swallow it. The live yeast in the dough makes itself at home in the warm moist pit of your dog’s stomach. Then it expands like bread dough in an oven. The bigger that this monstrosity gets, then the more it presses down on your dog’s diaphragm.
This will make it difficult for them to breath.
If you ever notice such swelling on your pet’s tummy, then make sure to be straight on the phone to the vet. They may also ask you to keep an eye on your dog. Watch out for other symptoms such as alcohol intoxication.
This happens when the yeast multiplies and pumps alcohol into the bloodstream. There are early signs of this condition to consider. This can include, loss of coordination, vomiting, disorientation or distended abdomen. So make sure to do your baking while the dogs out playing fetch.
Can I throw my dog a slice of bread?
So the oven goes ding! The bread is cooked and now here come those puppy dog eyes once again. Can you throw them a slice? Well, fortunately, the answer is usually yes. But this doesn’t mean you can unhook the leash inside the bakery shop. Humans and dogs share a love a wide variety of foods. But they can also share allergies and even diabetes.
Some dogs are allergic to wheat and gluten. Then there are some are diabetic. And since bread is a carbohydrate, that means it breaks down into sugar. This can spike their blood sugar levels, which leads to excess weight gain.
Here’s a tip, you want to give your dog bread? Don’t toss the entire loaf at them. Instead, start them out with a small piece and keep an eye on the animal for several hours. But if that still puts you at unease, why not start them out on gluten-free bread. After all, they won’t know the difference.
It’s always best that you check the label of any bread you offer to your dog. This is to make sure it doesn’t break any of their individual dietary restrictions. But what if you still don’t feel comfortable serving up any bread to your precious pooch.
Well, why not try baking your own bread. There is plenty of dog-safe recipes to be found online. No longer will you have to worry when your sneaky friend swipes a sandwich from your hand. You won’t be dialing up the vet anymore when they pull a fresh batch out of the bread box. Now all that’s left to worry about is the mess.
No desert for doggies
So, we know sharing your sweet tooth with your dog can be detrimental. And in most cases, this is pretty much a no-no. That means, no sharing your doughnuts, fruit loaf, cakes or any other baked sugary treats with your dog.
Sweet stuff like raisins can cause quite a lot of pain in your pet. So if they manage to get even a nibble at them, you better get straight back on that phone to the vet.
“It’s just bread?”
You might be thinking, “it’s just a bit of bread! I feed my dog all the time and they love me for it!” Well good for you, but it’s always good to be aware of the worst-case scenarios for anything to do with your pet. After all, this is a life entrusted in your hands.
Animals cannot tell you where it hurts or how they feel if something goes wrong. So it’s always good to stay informed. That being said, bread can also be good for your dog.
Bread is a carbohydrate, meaning it produces a lot of energy. So make sure to feed your dog a safe piece of bread. Then get ready to enjoy one of the best games of fetch you’ve ever played with them.
