Stubborn Dog, Novice Owner

People Food You Should Never Feed Your Dog

January 17, 2022January 19, 2022Diane J.

We love to sneak a table scrap or two to our dogs. We assume they are much stronger and can tolerate more than we can. They must have guts of steel, I mean they chew up and sometimes eat sticks, they chew and swallow foam ear plugs (that can’t solely be a Pandora thing) and gnaw dried sinew bits from beef bones. Clearly, they are tough. But just like a small stone can fall Goliath, something as tiny has a handful of poppy seeds can fall our beloved pooches.

People Food You Should Never Feed Your Dog

Thankfully, most of us know some of the people food we should never feed our dogs. We usually learn from well-meaning dog owners or veterinarians who inform us of what’s not safe. But if you’re a novice dog owner like I am, you may not have heard about some of these foods.

I’ve put together a small list of some of the most common people food that you should never feed your dog.

If you want to know what you can safely feed your dog, my last post was People Food For Dogs – What You Should Know

Be Aware

Some people will tell you their dog ate (insert one of the below foods here) and they were fine. That may well be the case. Or maybe the person isn’t on top of Doo-Duty and didn’t realize the effect said food had on the dog.

Some of the food items aren’t as toxic as others. And some of the food items won’t show up immediately after eating. Don’t assume the last thing your dog ate is the main culprit, it may have been something he got into the previous day. You should also know that dogs are pretty good at hiding discomfort.

If your dog ingests any items listed below, contact your veterinarian immediately. Most times, it will be a “watch and see” situation. Don’t just watch and see without consulting the vet because there could be a very telling sign your dog is in trouble. A sign that you would miss if they didn’t specifically mention it.

This is not a comprehensive list. If you are unsure of an item that your dog ingested, call your veterinarian.

People Food You Should Never Feed Your Dog – Choking Hazards

Yes, this is similar to raising toddlers. Some food items have a knack for getting lodged in a dog’s throat because of size or texture. I’ve raised a horde of boys, but when we got Pandora I had a conversation with our Vet. It went like this:

Me: Doc, she’s a cross between a Dyson Vacuum and a goat on steroids. It doesn’t even need to be under her nose before it gets sucked it.

Doctor: (Long, uncomfortably long pause) It’s been a while since you’ve had a dog, hasn’t it?

And because he’s a great Vet, he basically gave me a college-class length lecture. Nicely, he loves his job. He’s always learning and sharing as much information as he can. I just wish I had a notebook with me that day.

A few choking hazards

Cooked bones – the bones splinter much easier when they are cooked
Gristle
Almonds
Broccoli Stalks

Medium Toxicity People Food You Should Never Feed Your Dog

WARNING: I’m hesitant to say these foods will only cause discomfort, because in the wrong amount or with a dog that may have sensitivities it could be much worse. Anything I have in this list should be avoided. Just know that.

Cinnamon – May cause mouth irritation, upset stomach. HOWEVER, a food that has cinnamon in it, may have other ingredients that are way more toxic to dogs.
Coconut Flesh and milk – May upset the stomach.
Walnuts and Pecans – Contain a lot of fat that can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

The Worst and/or Most Toxic People Foods You Should Never Feed Your Dog

Again, be advised that some people will say their pets got into and were fine. I usually hear this with chocolate. I’m going to kick off this list with chocolate but before I do, here’s what a local Animal Hospital says about the subject (I highly recommend following the link, it’s a super short and highly informative article):

To put this in perspective, a medium-sized dog weighing 50 pounds would only need to eat 1 ounce of baker’s chocolate, or 9 ounces of milk chocolate, to potentially show signs of poisoning. For many dogs, ingesting small amounts of milk chocolate is not harmful.
Chocolate Poisoning in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospital (vcahospitals.com)

The Avoid List

Chocolate – Again I highly recommend reading the above link.
Avocado
Lemons, Limes, Grapefruit
Cherries – Can lead to cyanide poisoning
Grapes – HIGHLY TOXIC: Can lead to sudden kidney failure.
Mushrooms – since I’ve only read of one mushroom that MIGHT be okay, I’ve lumped all mushrooms into the no category.
Onions/Garlic/Leeks- see the quote below from the American Kennel Club they’ve explained the concern quite well.
Nutmeg – apparently a smidgen is okay if your dog ingests it, but larger quantities can by highly toxic.
Xylitol – Usually this is found in gum and some peanut butters. Double check your peanut butter.
Poppy Seeds – This is a prime example of a toxic item showing signs hours after ingestion.

Onions, leeks, and chives are part of a family of plants called Allium that is poisonous to most pets, especially cats. Eating onions can cause your dog’s red blood cells to rupture, and can also cause vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and nausea. Poisoning from onions is more serious in Japanese breeds of dogs like Akitas and Shiba Inus, but all dogs are very susceptible to it.
Fruits and Vegetables Dogs Can or Can’t Eat – American Kennel Club (akc.org)

The Backstory for This Post

I realize there are many articles regarding what foods are safe and not safe for our dogs, I don’t think it hurts to keep putting the information out there. Each list I read had at least one thing another didn’t. None of the lists I read contained Poppy Seeds as a no-no.

In August of this year (2021) Pandora and I were playing frisbee. She was leaping, sprinting, sliding, just dazzling me with her athletic ability as usual. In an instant she stopped. She turned away from the frisbee. Then she dropped her tail and walked slower. She laid on the ground and looked me with that “I don’t feel good, Mom,” look.

I thought she’d hurt herself leaping for the frisbee. I rubbed down her legs and she didn’t show any sign of pain. Finally, she moved into the house. She laid down and was most definitely not feeling well.

We had no idea why. She’d had her regular breakfast of dry dog food. We hadn’t given her anything else. No treats, no bacon, no people scraps of anything.

The only thing she’d had that wasn’t normal was from the previous evening when she’d swiped some of my son’s muffin. It was a poppy seed muffin. After remembering that, I took to Google. And I learned that poppy seeds are highly toxic. But I also learned (and I wish I could find the link I found at that time) that it would take a lot of poppy seeds to be that toxic. They aren’t good in any quantity, but there is a point when they can be deadly. Thankfully, the link I found set my mind at ease. We all took turns keeping an eye on her. She recovered, thankfully! But she was definitely miserable.

When in doubt, call your vet.

I know the veterinarians in my area are fully booked, so getting through to a live person sometimes can be difficult. If you are concerned and have to wait for a call back, try calling an animal hospital near you. Or at the very least hit up Google and read three to five links to get an idea of whether or not you should be concerned. I usually do a full sentence, something like: Are poppy seeds toxic to dogs?

If you have learned of any people food you should never feed your dog and it’s not on this list, please let me know. I will continue to update as I hear about them.

Coming Next Week:

Beverages that your dog can and cannot drink.

People Food You CAN Feed Your Dog

People Food for Dogs – What to Know

January 10, 2022March 6, 2022Diane J.

We all know not to give our dogs too much people food, even if we think the foo d we are feeding them is healthy. If you’re like me, you hit Google on a regular basis to see if a particular people food is safe for your dog. Avocado = NO. Strawberries = YES. It gets tiresome always checking.

For this post I’m including a list of safe-for-dogs food items. Most of them are quite common. However, I throw in a few that might be surprising. Or maybe I was the only one surprised – did you know dogs can eat Mango? Or Pineapple? Yeah, I didn’t know that. I assumed those wouldn’t be good for them. I also assumed avocados would be fine. NO, they’re not. Not at all. No ‘cado for the doggo.

After chatting with lots of dog parents and then researching what I learned, I’ve also discovered that some people food can even be beneficial to dogs.

I’ve created a list of people foods that are safe for dogs (in small quantities) and when appropriate I share a benefit for the dog if eating that particular food. I say “may” because for each “yes, it works” response, there’s always an equal opposite response, “no, it didn’t work for my dog.”

The list is not all-encompassing, fully extensive. Different countries have different tastes, just like different regions within countries have different tastes. I did my best to list the most common people foods.

Disclaimer

I am not a veterinarian. I’m an average, maybe slightly under-average dog owner. You know your dog better than anyone else, so trust your gut. If something sounds off about a recommendation, listen to your gut. Don’t do it until you have consulted with your Vet first.

Fruit Options of People Food for Dogs

Fruits and Vegetables are the categories that hold the safest options of people food for dogs. Not all are safe. If you don’t see it on the list, check Google, ask Siri, hit up Alexa, or contact your veterinarian’s office.

Apples – no seeds or core
Bananas – high in sugar so only give as a treat once in a while
Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Mango
Oranges – no peel
Peaches – no pits, some people have reported diarrhea in their dogs
Pineapple – POSSIBLE BENEFIT: If your dog eats his or other animals’ poop (it’s called Coprophagia) some people have reported that eating pineapple makes the poop taste off-putting to the dog.
Raspberries
Strawberries – POSSIBLE BENEFIT: May whiten dog’s teeth.
Watermelon – no seeds or rind

A little hope for those whose dogs have Coprophagia:

While it can be tough to discourage dogs over one year old that have developed a poop-eating habit, most puppies will grow out of it.
Breaking Your Pup Of A Nasty Habit: Poop Eating & Butt Scootch – DogTime

Vegetable Options

This is a great category for people food options for dogs. You usually don’t have to worry about sugar content.

Beets
Broccoli – Florets, no stalks. HOWEVER: More than one place I’ve researched has mentioned there is a potential for severe gastric irritation. You may want to avoid this veggie or try a super small piece as a treat.
Brusses Sprouts – WARNING: If you have people coming over or you’re going to bed, your pooch may gas you out of the room. However, it might be a great way to get straggling guests out of your house.
Cabbage – Take note of the above gas warning.
Carrots – Cooked or raw. POSSIBLE BENEFIT: Raw carrots are great for dog’s teeth and gums. It helps remove plaque from their teeth.
Cauliflower
Celery – POSSIBLE BENEFIT: May freshen your dog’s breath. If your puppy is currently going through a Coprophagia phase (see #8 in the fruit category) you may want to give this a try.
Cucumbers – And yes, you can give your dog a pickle, but only as a rare treat because of the high sodium content.
Green Beans
Lettuce
Parsnips
Peas – regular green, snow, and sugar snap varieties are fine
Pumpkin – Cooked and mashed or cooked and diced. POTENTIAL BENEFIT: Help relieve diarrhea in dogs.
Radishes – Another gas warning
Spinach – Some listings don’t give warnings; other listings say to avoid large quantities.
Sweet Potatoes – Same preparation as Pumpkin (#13). POTENTIAL BENEFIT: Can help relieve constipation in dogs. I can verify that this has worked for Pandora. Just a tablespoon or two. Not too much or you might end up visiting #13.
Tomatoes – however make sure the tomato is ripe, never give them unripe tomatoes and try to keep them from eating the tomato plant itself.
Turnips
Zucchini

Nut Options

When it comes to nuts, there a lot of yes versus no on whether they are okay or not. If you do decide to give your dog nuts these are the ones that I’ve seen consistently rank in the “okay” category. Always make sure the nuts are out of the shell. Those darn shells can be choking hazards for dogs.

Cashews
Peanuts
Pistachios

The American Kennel Club has this to say about nuts:

Not all nuts are toxic to dogs, but almost all nuts are high in fat. This can lead to obesity and pancreatic issues in dogs. Feeding your dog salted nuts can also lead to water retention and other complications, and some nuts, like almonds, are potential choking hazards. In addition, there are certain types of nuts, such as macadamia nuts, that are very toxic to dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Nuts? – American Kennel Club (akc.org)

They recommend avoiding nuts and going for safer alternatives in the fruit and vegetable categories.

Meat and Legume Options of People Food for Dogs

The biggest concerns with meat are the high fat content and the seasonings we use. If you opt to give your dog meat, trim the fat and avoid the seasonings. Pretend you’re cooking for your beloved great-grandparent who has heart issues and diabetes, give it to them lean, bland, and in small chunks.

Alligator – I had to put this in here. I only saw it on one resource. Definitely not something we see in the Pacific NW, but for some regions, this may be good to know. If you live in those regions, you probably already know it’s fine to feed the dog.
Bacon – WARNING: Only as a small chunk and once in a while. The high fat content can lead to pancreatitis in dogs (and cats – as we unfortunately learned. Stan made a full recovery and now hates us for not giving him bacon anymore – he’s very vocal about that hate).
Beef
Beans
Chicken – This is great for a training treat. Boil it and just give tiny bits. It’s a high-value reward during the training stages.
Clams – Cooked and shelled.
Eggs – Must be cooked
Lentils
Salmon – Cooked, watch them bones.
Shrimp – Cooked
Tuna – Yes, even from the can.
Venison

A Couple Other Options and Reminder

One other item safe for dogs is honey. But not raw honey. They can also eat cheese but go easy with it. Peanut Butter is good, too. However, make sure it doesn’t contain Xylitol. That’s toxic to dogs.

Again, I want to remind you to go with your gut, know your dog’s food sensitivities and consult with your vet’s office if you’re unsure. We tell people it’s safe to eat shrimp and most people can without any side effect. But for some it is a major food allergy. Always try a pea-size chunk and wait 24 hours to see if anything is okay.

The best way to see how your dog is reacting to new food is to be diligent on Doo-Duty. This is definitely not the most pleasant task of being a pet parent. However, you can see how your dog is fairing after trying something new when on doo-duty. It’s how I discovered that rawhide was not digesting well in Pandora’s system.

COMING NEXT WEEK: People Food You Should Never Feed Your Dog

Australian Cattle Dog, Novice Owner

August 17, 2020July 11, 2020Diane J.

The Details

I posted once about my new Australian Cattle Dog puppy, Pandora. Today she is 15 weeks old (3.5 months, plus a week). This little girl has stolen my heart and destroyed my socks.

As I attempt to train her I’ve realized a few things. The most obvious one being, I never trained a dog before. As a young girl, I remember when we got our dog, Katy. She was a mutt, super cute, and somewhere between small and mid-sized on the height spectrum.

I remember when we brought her home and put an old clock under her bed so she could hear the tick, tick, tick of the time. We also gave her a doll “Mr. Bill” that she loved to attack.

My parents made a puppy gate that blocked off the kitchen. That was Katy’s area at bedtime during the night and when we had to leave the house without her. As Katy got older she learned to jump. We’d hear, “click, click, click, click, click,” across the kitchen linoleum, a thump and silence. She didn’t make much noise on the carpet. That was all you needed to hear to know she’d escaped.

There was the night we were eating dinner and after us girls were done, we’d gone off to play. Shortly after we heard a yelp.

Turns out, Dad was tired of Katy biting his ear, so he bit her ear. I don’t know how I feel about that, but she didn’t bite his ear again, so….

The Collie

When my husband’s and my son was three or four, we got a Collie. Super smart, we were told. Now, granted, I am clearly not a dog trainer. However, that dog didn’t listen. I tried to train her to sit. Nope. Not going to do it. And then she took off. She ran and ran, just like the first dog in Funny Farm.

Long story short, she was rehomed.

Enter Pandora, the Australian Cattle Dog

We’ve had Pandora at home with us for almost two months now. We picked her up three days before she turned eight weeks old.

I have found great training videos on YouTube. I’ve found videos specific to the Australian Cattle Dog breed. This breed is also know as Blue Heeler or Red Heeler depending on the color. Blue is white and back and sometimes a tad bit of brown. A red heeler is one that is brown and white.

One thing, I keep hearing over and over again is how this breed needs to be socialized. They are wired to be a one-person dog. And many people talk of their heelers flipping a switch and going from little social furballs to angry hermits.

I don’t want that for Pandora. I want her to be, at the very least, non-plussed by other animals and people. Preferably, she will play with other dogs and be kind to people, maybe not super lovey, but you know, not all, “I shall eat you if you take one more step.”

The Problem

Australian Cattle Dogs are smart, but tough to train. Couple that with novice dog owners and there’s a reason most dog sites say this breed is more for people who are experienced dog owners.

Have I made it clear that we’re not experienced dog owners? Because we’re not. Not even close.

The problem is more me than Pandora. I have to learn how to be the leader of her world. I have to learn to be consistent with her training. Plus, I need to get the others in the household on board with her training. That’s even harder than training her.

What I need

What I keep looking for is a site that shows me what to expect with a tough breed and a novice trainer. I need reality. I don’t want sugar-coated encouragement nor do I want horror stories. Actual tips would be most helpful and I want to see how it plays out and how long it will take to get her to be a decent dog. And hopefully, I don’t screw up along the way.

Since, I’m not finding that, my blog is becoming that. Pandora is taking over our lives. In a good way.

I’m starting a YouTube channel with clips from our walks so you can see how long it’s taking her to learn and hopefully you can pickup ideas and most importantly, share ideas with me.

Here’s to new adventures!

This post was previously published on DianeDeMasi.com.

New Puppy

August 3, 2020September 19, 2023Diane J.

Picking up our new puppy

Adding a new puppy to our household was not the greatest planned event in our life.

My husband likes dogs, but he was done with them when we got a wild child early in our life as husband and wife. If you’ve ever watched Funny Farm with Chevy Chase, we got dog number one.

So, when my husband texted me that he was at an account with a bunch of cute puppies, I thought nothing of it. He likes looking at puppies but he had sworn off ever having a dog in the home again. The next day he was back at the same account, and he texted that the puppies were all cute, but one was really cute. Something in that text stood out, a soft spot. A little something more than just a “cute puppy.”

When he told me about the puppy that evening, I knew his wall was crumbling. The next day he told me I should come down and see them. As I drove down to his account, I was resolved to get this pup. I didn’t care what the breed was, I didn’t care what it looked like, I just knew this would be my chance to get another dog. But I also didn’t want to get my hopes up because I kept thinking my husband would remember our first dog and that little soft spot would close up like Fort Knox. Turns out, I had nothing to worry about. I fell in love with her at first touch. My husband’s soft spot opened wide and we declared ownership/familyship, whatever you want to call it.

We waited five long days to bring her home. As we waited, I dove down the puppy-training rabbit hole.

Day One with our new puppy

Pandora came home with us on March 27th. She is an Australian Cattle Dog and, according to the lady we adopted her from, “1/8 Border Collie.” We are all suckers for Pandora’s expressive eyes, she has us wrapped tight around her little tail.

Day one went well. Much better than I anticipated. You see when I dove down the research rabbit hole, I came across many warning videos of ACD’s. What to know before you get one. And some of the information was concerning. But most people quelled that concern by making sure we spend lots of time on training.

What Pandora Knows

The lady we got Pandora from had already started training her to “sit.” We are incredibly lucky that she seems to be doing that all on her own, even at the door before we go outside.

So, we continue with “sit” and also are working on “Leave it.”

The First Night

First day home we ooh-ahhed and molly-coddled her. We let her sleep with us. This wasn’t fully intentional. We didn’t have a crate. Amazon is overwhelmed right now so the crate won’t arrive until the end of April.

So we figured “why not? maybe we don’t need a crate.” Thankfully, the next day I was back on Amazon and ordering the kennel. We have a cat crate that she fits in, so we’re saying a prayer that the crate will hold her until the kennel gets here.

Nothing bad happened the first night, she was super happy and did fabulously. I took her to bed at 11:00, she woke for a potty break at 4:20 and then back to bed until 7:30 am. That seems like a pretty sweet system.

Day Two

Another great day, but I made a note, that I’m going to have to leave her alone at some point. Right now, I have her by my side all the time. If she’s not with me, the kids are tasked to watch her while I shower or grab a bite to eat.

Pandora’s favorite activity so far is the pull toy.

The second evening went well enough. We put her in the crate, she whined and then screamed for about 5 minutes before settling into a whimper and finally falling asleep. She slept until 5 something, ran out for a quick potty break, and back to sleep until 7:30.

She is getting better with “leave it” in an undistracted environment.

Day Three

Pandora is fairly calm. She’s only eight weeks old, she still sleeps a lot.

She entertained herself for a few minutes. So proud of her.

We have progressed more with “leave it” and she is starting to take a bit better to the leash.

The Third Night with Our New Puppy

I must remember she is still a new puppy. She has been doing well, but she spoiled me the first couple of nights.

Last night we (Pandora and I) were up at 3:00 and 5:20. She went back to bed quickly after the three o’clock potty break. Not so quickly after the 5:20 break. I got her to rest for a little over an hour and napped at the same time. Final wake-up call 7:30.

Current Day (day 4)

She has been sluggish this morning. Growth spurt? Too many training snacks? Ate something she shouldn’t have outside. She’s a cross between a Dyson on steroids and a goat. She can suck up anything in the blink of an eye and doesn’t care whether it’s edible or not. I’ve fished rocks, twigs, weed tree seedlings, deer droppings, and moss from her mouth.

She’s been stealing the cats’ toys and I had to do a Google search to make sure all the catnip she inhaled is okay for dogs. Apparently, it’s fine, it acts as a tranquilizer. Maybe that’s why she’s sleeping so much?

As I started this post I was concerned that maybe she was sick, but since that point, she has gone on a major tear. She had me running in the yard (good exercise) and I have her on a leash because I’m trying to nix all the nibblings. Because the little land shark attacked my boots. They aren’t even real Uggs, just some fake ones. But apparently, they are super awesome to attack.

Things started getting chaotic with her running over, ripping at my boots, and then dashing off and trying to grab anything to eat (I feed her plenty). I tugged on the leash a few times before I tried “leave it.” That was successful twice, so we’re making progress, WooHoo!

She’s learned “look at me” in a mostly distraction-free environment. Still, need to work on it more.

Tomorrow is her first check-up with the vet.

If you want to follow Pandora as she grows, please check out our Instagram account: @SubbornDogNoviceOwner. 🙂

This piece was originally posted on my other website: DianeDeMasi.com on March 31,2020.
Edited: September 19, 2023