Do you think feeding your dog scraps is a good idea?

I think all that talk about balanced diets is just marketing stuff to get you to buy pet food from the store. I don't buy pet food for the puppies I take care of and they are very healthy.

In any case, long before the days of store-bought pet food, how did dogs and cats survive? They got table scraps and scavenged/hunted for any other extras. Personally, I think you neighbor is partly right. If he lives in a place where the dog can catch and feast on small game at night, then there'd no point in buying dog food from the store.

 

Yes, and no.

Dogs are more okay with eating what we eat because unlike cats who are strictly carnivores, dogs are actually omnivores. Their stomach is more okay with eating a combination of meat, grains, veggies, and fat.

However, most of our food that we cook or buy often times are WAY too high in salt and fat content for the dog's stomach to handle. A little bit of it (like super super tiny bit of it) is fine, but in large amounts or frequent amounts it can give the dog stomach and digestive issues.

Scraps from our table should be treated as...well, a treat. It should be an occasional thing, but one should never leave a plate of left-overs on the floor for the dog.

 

I think that it's ok that dogs eat scraps, I mean, after all they are eating what we are eating right, so how bad can that be? The only problem I see is that the quantity might not be enough, but in that case we can cook a little extra or give the animal proper dog food as a complement, but apart than that scraps are fine I suppose.

 

Ah, but the insides of a dog is rather different to us, their body can't handle things like citric acid, salt and fat as well as our bodies can and sometimes it stores it up, which is definitely not a good thing. Scraps on top of dog food is probably the right way to go as long as the scraps are not something like potatoes, fruit or something with a lot of salt.

 

I think it is okay in moderation and it would depend on the dog and what you're feeding them. I used to feed mine pizza crust. Then I stopped feeding one and just gave it to the other. Now I don't give it to either of them. For some reason they have diarrhea now with it when they didn't used to.
I would not suggest chicken bones because they might choke on them.

 

I absolutely agree. Just because he'll eat it and just because he's happy and alert, doesn't mean he's healthy. PEOPLE shouldn't even be eating "people food", it's devoid of nutrition and all the healthy goodness our bodies thrive off. We'd probably even be better off eating one of the better brands of dog food than what we're currently eating now lol. So no, no way would I put the western diet on an innocent animal.. living things are always healthy until they're not. He will regret it.

 

So you think dog food is healthier for people to eat than people food?
I might agree if you are talking about some junk food, but surely you're not saying that about a regular cooked meal, right?

 

Depends on what "a regular cooked meal" is to you. I can cook pretty much anything lol, doesn't make it good for you. Just because you can make something at home, doesn't mean it's any better than Mcdonalds. My idea of healthy is whole, unprocessed foods. NOT grocery store foods/produce etc. So yes.. for the most part, I think a good quality dog food (does that even exist at this point? lol) is better for you than the western diet I didn't say healthy, mind you.. just better. And that's without actually looking into it too.. which I'm sort of curious enough to do now lol.

 

Yes, I don't know much about dog nutrition, but instinctively I would not give them fruit or salt, I don't think it's a thing they need. Once I gave my dog spicy leftovers by accident and I saw he was in pain, he drank a lot of water after that. Also, my in-laws only feed scraps to their dog and he's fine and healthy.

 

I always thought that every creature needed fruit because it's part of a balanced diet. I don't know much about nutrition I guess. I do know that you can't feed them grapes. Some dogs will be okay with a whole lot while others will be in fatal condition after one little piece so it's not a good idea to risk it.

 

I never feed my dog scraps. My friend did similar actions like your neighbor and the dog became sick from eating food that wasn't meant for animals. Eventually, she ended up giving the dog to her mom. I know dog food is not cheap but I don't take the risk with my dog's health. I never bought into the idea of dogs loving human food and all will be okay. After doing research, I've learn this not the case at all!

 

A little bit in moderation doesn't seem too bad, but worries me is people who feed their dogs scraps exclusively and don't pay attention to the quantity. A lot of human food is high in fat and sodium so i think if you're gonna give that to your dog you have to err on the side of caution and only a little bit.

 

I agree that dogs and cats need nutrition that is not found in table food, but from my experience, my cat became ill while feeding him Whiskas, and it actually made him unable to pee and he developed kidney stones because of it, so I would now rather feed him table food because even if they are not getting the nutrition that they need, at least they never got sick eating table food.

 

If you find that your cat has issues with that particular brand of food, it might just been a brand problem then. I would try switching foods and seeing what works best for your cat. Just remember that cats are exclusively carnivorous so they need a lot of meat and protein in their diet.

 

I think it's important to feed dogs diets that best fit their digestion system. There are many human foods that aren't good for canines. So, anyone who just feeds their dog scraps is making a huge mistake. Whether they know it or not, they are lowering the quality of their animal's life and possibly cutting it short.

 

Whiskas is known for that. ALWAYS look into your brands before buying.. stay away from IAMS too.. busted for some pretty disgusting treatment of animals etc. Dogs and cats need all their nutrients and at least these garbage foods on the shelf for them are fortified or whatever they pack in there to give it to them. Table scraps are not adequate.

 

My dog gets select scraps. Someone mentioned grapes and dogs: the problem is that commercial grapes have all been treated with fungicides that are toxic to dogs. Organic grapes, or ones you grow and know haven't been treated with fungicides (they contain copper) are supposed to be safe. Not all vets agree with that and say no grapes,period. Or peel the grapes for your dog. Just before you give them a pedicure and massage.

 

The last time I brought my dog to the vet he suggested that scraps form the table were much better than most of the dog foods that are out on the market, because the food from our plates was a better quality at least. Still, he suggested a majority meat diet for him, and gave me the suggestion of brands like Wild Blue, and any other type that doesn't use a lot of grain based fillers.

 

I don't know as much about a dogs diet as I only have cats. Personally I think it's not ok to just feed your dog table scraps. Dogs are omnivores like people but there might be different nutritional requirements. I say if you don't want to feed commercial food to your dog you need to research what an appropriate home food diet for a dog is, and it might be necessary to prepare meals strictly for your dog. Ask your vet about what a safe healthy diet is for a dog or do research online before deciding. I think the safest thing would be to use a good quality dog food and give table scraps as an occasional treat in small quantities.

I know for cats table scraps are a really bad idea since they are carnivores, and even an all home meat diet wouldn't be ok without some supplements.