5 Foods Your Dog Should Never Eat

We know the foods we need to eat healthily – even if we might choose to ignore them. But when you own a dog it’s your responsibility to make the best dietary decisions for them. It’s not just about keeping them healthy, it’s also about avoiding foods that can be harmful if your dog gets their paws on them. Because while a chocolate bar might feel naughty for us, it could be deadly for your dog.

To help you understand the human foods that should be kept well away from dogs, we’ve created a run down of the top five foods your dog should never eat.

1. Chocolate

As we already mentioned, chocolate can be deadly for dogs. This is because it contains methylxanthines that speed up your dog’s metabolism leading to increased heart rate, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in extreme cases seizures and death. The amount of chocolate your dog can ingest without becoming seriously ill depends on their size, but to avoid any doubt it’s recommended that you keep your own tasty treats well out of your pet’s reach.

2. Grapes and raisins

Another popular human treat that doesn’t go down well with dogs is grapes and raisins. They might sound harmless, or even healthy, but they are extremely toxic for dogs and can cause kidney failure and in some cases death. Though some dogs exhibit more extreme reactions to grape ingestion than others, it’s best to completely avoid access to the fruit to avoid any risk. 

3. Avocados

Proof that what’s healthy for humans is often very unhealthy for dogs: avocado can poison or possibly kill your pet. This is because avocado contains a fatty acid called persin, which is a toxin for dogs. So before you feed your pup the last corner of your avo toast, think again. 

4. Milk and dairy

Like most animals, dogs drink milk from their mothers as puppies. But unlike humans, this is where their milk consumption must stop. Dogs don’t produce the enzymes needed to digest the sugars and fatty acids found in dairy products. So if they eat any it can lead to serious stomach issues.

5. Garlic and onion

As a staple of the human diet, you could be forgiven for thinking that garlic and onions would be harmless for dogs. But even a small amount of these foods can cause major issues for their health. If they eat enough it can eventually cause anaemia which kills your dog’s red blood cells and leads to further health complications. 

There are a number of other foods, including what we might consider to be healthy fruits and vegetables, that should not be offered to your dog. Macadamia nuts, sugary foods, yeast, salt, and caffeine are all also potentially dangerous for dogs. So before you share your treat with your pet, it’s important to extensively research the foods they can and cannot digest safely.