Dog treats???

[JanineG]

Please settle an argument: My other half thinks that giving dogs leftover chicken, eggs, chicken bones, chilli, curry and baked beans (not all together) is fine. I say that it's all very unhealthy for them and that he shouldn't just give them everything that's leftover, but be selective. What do you all think??

Thanks in advance,

Janine x

[gelda]

You're quite right Janine. Chicken bones are a NO NO for a start, The dog will get all sorts of digestive problems if your friend carries on like this and it will probably die young.Iankeela will probably give you a more detailed answer to this. tell your friend to stick to dog food they don't need all that sort of food. Gelda.

[kita1]

Cooked chicken bones splinter into sharp pieces and can pierce the dogs stomach or intestine.

This will convert into a very large vets bill and possibly a dead dog.

NEVER give (or allow your dog to pick up) cooked chicken bones.

As for giving other left over food, chilli and curry will probably upset the dogs stomach and the dog will probably end up with the runs (or stinking the house out!).

Is it really worth it?

[allotment10]

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2& cat=1661&articleid=1030

[lankeela]

I think you've had your question answered!

Definitely not cooked chicken bones, but the odd bit of leftover chicken is fine, also cooked eggs. Chilli and curry may make him squitty and although baked beans may make him fart in small quantities they are ok. Try adding things to his dinner rather than give them to him as a treat, but as the link suggested never more than 10% of his meal.

I think the moral of the story is, if you have that much left over you are either cooking far too much or your cooking is cr*p!

[Wagon_Wheel]

WOndered if you had seen the recent edition of "It's Me or The Fat Dog"? Basically, giving your dog stuff like this is killing it with kindness. Pet obesity is becoming one of the largest killers of domestic pets. Do you ever see a fat wild animal???!

As long as they are getting the proper nutition through their daily meals, treats should be pet specific and limited by the weight of your animal. If you are giving your pet processed ready meals, the additives and colourings are also no good for them and will give them the squits and other digestive problems. As already said, chicken bones are an out and out no no although a little cooked chicken should be ok and is actually good for an upset tummy with rice.

Please don't give your dog any more of this crap food. It makes me so upset when people have pets yet don't take the time to look into what is best for them. Some people argue that in the old days scraps is all the dog got, but in the old days e numbers etc were unknown!

[JanineG]

Thanks for the advice guys. I have to say that my message was not meant to say the dogs are given chicken bones - they are not. They are given other bones (lamb etc) but I was aware of the problems with chicken bones previously. Sorry if I scared you all with my apparent stupidity!

Lankeela - the leftovers are generally added to their usual food anyway, but I'll remember the 10% rule for future reference. I think that's an excellent way of keeping things under control.

Wagon Wheel - please don't be upset that "people have pets yet don't take the time to look into what's best for them". Obviously if I didn't take the time, I wouldn't have been concerned enough to post the question in the first place. Both of my dogs are much loved and healthy and I can assure you that everything I do for them has their health and welfare at heart. Its the people that wouldn't think to be concerned over these matters that you should be having a go at.

Thanks again for the help.

[poopy]

On the program 'its me or the dog' the other day Victoria Stillwell said its good to have a wide selection of food for your pooch i.e veg & stuff. I suppose the above is a good selection but be careful not to over feed.

[kaylamay]

chicken "meat" and eggs are ok, but the rest, no! chicken bones can splinter and become imbedded in the throat or intestines and the chili and curry can cause gastrointestinal upset and the runs.