10,460 answers about dogs
From a puppy’s first feeding schedule to a senior dog’s comfort care, dog owners ask it all — this page gathers the dog library of KinsLe Answers in one place. Browse by topic below, from feeding and training to health, grooming, safety and travel. Every answer is original, written by KinsLe, and tied to a real KinsLe feature.
763 answers in Feeding & Nutrition — page 21 of 32
A small bite of a plain pretzel will not poison a dog, but pretzels are salty, starchy snacks with nothing a dog needs, so they should stay an occasional crumb rather than a treat habit. The salt coating is the main issue, hard baked pretzels can also crack a tooth or lodge in the throat, and flavored versions may…
Dogs can eat potatoes when they are fully cooked, peeled, and served completely plain, but raw potatoes — especially green or sprouting ones — contain solanine and should never be fed. Cooked potato is a starchy energy food with little protein, so it works as an occasional small side rather than a regular part of the…
Pepperoni is not a good food for dogs and is best skipped entirely: it is a cured sausage loaded with fat and salt, and its spice blend commonly includes garlic and onion powders that dogs should not eat. Even a few slices can bring on vomiting or diarrhea in a sensitive dog, and rich fatty foods fed repeatedly raise…
Plain mushrooms bought from a grocery store are generally safe for dogs in small amounts when cooked simply with no butter, oil, garlic, or sauce, but wild mushrooms are a completely different story and should never be eaten at all. Some wild species are highly toxic, and even experienced people misidentify them, so a…
A plain marshmallow is not poisonous to a dog, but it is basically puffed sugar with nothing useful in it, so it should never be more than a rare, tiny taste. The real danger hides in sugar-free versions, which can be sweetened with xylitol, also listed as birch sugar, a sweetener that is seriously toxic to dogs even…
Yes, plain cooked mackerel with the bones removed is safe for most dogs and rich in the omega-3 oils oily fish provide, but it is best as an occasional food because larger oily fish can carry more mercury than small fish over time. Choose mackerel canned in water or cook it fresh and plain, and avoid heavily salted,…
No, macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs and should never be fed, even in small amounts, and a dog who eats them can develop hind-leg weakness, wobbling, tremors, vomiting, and fever within hours. If you think your dog ate macadamia nuts, including in cookies or trail mix, contact your veterinarian promptly rather than…
Yes, a small amount of plain cooked lobster meat is safe for most dogs, as long as every fragment of shell is removed and the meat carries no butter, garlic, or seasoning from the table. Lobster is rich, so a few bites are plenty, and a first taste should be small in case of a shellfish sensitivity you did not know…
Yes, cooked liver is safe for dogs and exceptionally nutritious, but it must stay a small occasional extra because its very high vitamin A content can build up and cause harm when liver is fed heavily day after day. A few small pieces of plain cooked beef or chicken liver once or twice a week suits most dogs better…
No, dogs should not eat limes: the peel, rind, and leaves contain compounds that can irritate and even poison dogs, and the intensely sour acidic flesh commonly causes vomiting or diarrhea even in small tastes. Most dogs dislike the taste and leave limes alone, but a dog who chewed peel or drank lime juice needs…
Yes, plain cooked lamb without bones is a safe and well-liked protein for most dogs, and it is often used for dogs who react to more common meats like chicken or beef. Trim visible fat before serving, since fatty lamb can upset stomachs and adds calories quickly, and never offer cooked lamb bones, which splinter. When…
Yes, cooked plain kidney is safe for most dogs in small amounts and is a nutrient-dense organ meat, but its richness means a little goes a long way and raw kidney should never be served. Keep portions modest and occasional, since kidney is concentrated in nutrients and purines that dogs prone to certain urinary stones…
A tiny piece of a plain cooked hot dog will not poison most dogs, but hot dogs are a poor treat choice: they are heavily processed, very salty, high in fat, and often seasoned with garlic or onion powder. If a piece is shared at a cookout, cut it lengthwise into small bits so a gulping dog cannot choke on a round…
Yes, plain cooked herring with every bone removed is safe for most dogs and brings the omega-3 oils this oily fish is known for, but it should be an occasional topper rather than a daily staple because it is rich. Skip pickled herring, which is packed in salt and often vinegar and spices, and never serve herring raw…
Yes, ripe guava flesh is safe for most dogs in small pieces, once the peel is removed and every hard white seed is picked out, since those seeds are a choking risk and can irritate the gut. Offer a few soft cubes as a treat rather than a bowlful, because guava is sugary and fibrous enough to loosen stool when a dog…
Most healthy dogs can have a small amount of plain, pasteurized goat milk as an occasional treat, and many tolerate it more easily than cow milk because it has slightly less lactose and smaller fat globules. It is not a meal or a needed supplement, and the safest first serving is just a few spoonfuls poured over food…
Yes, dogs can eat dates in small amounts once the pit is removed: the flesh is naturally sweet and fibrous and is not toxic, but it is concentrated sugar, so dates belong in the occasional-treat category rather than the daily bowl. Offer one pitted date cut into small pieces for a medium or large dog, less for a small…
No — currants must never be fed to dogs. The dried currants sold for baking are a form of dried grape, and grapes, raisins, and their relatives can cause sudden, severe kidney damage in dogs, with no safe amount and no way to predict which dog will be affected. Keep baking currants sealed and out of reach, check…
A small smear of plain cream cheese is safe for most dogs and is a classic trick for disguising a pill or lining a food-stuffable toy, but it is fatty, salty, and made from milk, so dogs who struggle with lactose or rich food may answer with gas or loose stool. Use a thin spread rather than a spoonful, choose the…
A plain cracker now and then will not harm most dogs, but crackers offer almost nothing a dog needs — they are mostly refined flour and salt, and flavored varieties can carry onion, garlic, or far more sodium than a dog should snack on. Treat a cracker as an occasional crunchy extra rather than a training reward,…
A small amount of plain, cooked crab meat is safe for most dogs and provides lean protein, but the shell, the seasoning, and the garlic butter that usually surround crab are where the real dangers sit. Pick the meat out yourself, check it twice for shell fragments, and serve a few plain flakes plain rather than…
Plain cooked pork is safe for dogs in modest amounts, but it is one of the fattier everyday meats, and the pork products people eat most — ham, bacon, sausage, and seasoned roasts — are loaded with salt and flavorings that do not belong in a dog's bowl. Offer only fresh, unseasoned pork cooked through, trimmed well,…
Yes, plain cooked lamb is safe for dogs and is often well tolerated by dogs who react to more common proteins, though it is richer and fattier than chicken or beef, so portions should stay modest. Serve it boneless, trimmed of visible fat, and cooked without seasoning, garlic, or onion, and introduce it slowly over a…
Yes, plain cooked beef is safe and nutritious for dogs, as long as it is lean, fully cooked, and served without seasoning, sauces, onion, or garlic, all of which can cause problems that the beef itself never would. Trim visible fat, cut the meat into bite-sized pieces for your dog's size, and offer it as a topper or…
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