The market is full of foods for dogs. But there are some food items that you can prepare at home for your dog. The topic for today what should be avoided as a food item for Labrador dogs.
I will go over food items that are strictly prohibited for Labrador retriever dogs. As a dog owner, it is your responsibility to be aware of the food items that your Lab should not eat.
You will be surprised at seeing this list of food items which Labrador should not eat. Many myths will be demystified. For example, Chocolate is so common in our households. When you are having chocolate, it’s natural to share it with your dog. But chocolate is not healthy at all for dogs and should not be given to them. Their bodies cannot digest it and they are bound to get sick.
If you are going to read this article then it means you do love and care for your dog a lot. This list of What Food items Labrador dogs not eat is not exhaustive and you should also prepare a diet plan for your dog.
STRIKE OUT THESE FOODS
The following 3 food items are strictly prohibited for any dog. If you have given these to your dog in the past then make it a point that you will never ever give it again to your beloved dog.
1. Alcohol
Dogs don’t need to drink alcohol and are not meant to be. Our body is different, we can drink alcohol in moderate quantity depending on the health condition. But for dogs, alcohol is too fatal. A small amount of alcohol is hazardous for dogs.
Your Lab may show symptoms like vomiting, loose motions and laziness If you see such symptoms, then it is a case of poisoning. Immediately rush to a vet. The above symptoms can occur from other food items but alcohol drinking gives above symptoms in dogs.
The initial symptoms of vomiting etc. will convert for dangerous visible conditions like organ failure and comma.
Organ failures ultimately lead to death. So, giving alcohol and then not keeping an eye on the dog is a total mistreatment of dogs and is a form of cruelty. Never do that to a dog.
It may so happen that you are not giving alcohol to the dog but he has the habit of stealing food items. If you have alcohol bottles easily accessible then he may drink in your absence too.
So, keep alcohol bottles away from their reach. Regarding this, there are other household items also like washing powder which should be out of your Labrador’s reach.
2. Almonds
Almonds or for that matter another kind of dry fruits are not easy to digest for dogs. Strike off-dry fruits from your Lab’s diet. Again, anything that is not digestible by your dog is going to result in vomiting.
Almonds and other dry fruits store too much energy and calories. Obesity among dogs is increasing and needs to be controlled. By not giving almonds, you are removing one calorie-rich food item from their diet.
3. Avocado
Avocado is expensive and not good for your dog. The reason why I don’t recommend avocados is that they are high in calories. This goes in line with Almonds. It’s better not to give food items that are high in calorie value.
The main constituent in avocado which is Persin is not good for dogs and harms them instead of causing any good.
4. Bones
Fish bones are anyways not good for anyone. They are small in size and can cause choking in the throat.
Apart from fish bones, other kinds of bones have been recommended to dogs for chewing. However, I don’t buy this idea. Some people give more preference to cooked bones than raw bones.
However, cooked bones are subject to getting broken into pieces and can get stuck in the throat just like fish bones. The cooking of bones results in brittleness in bones and hence when the dog chews on it with force, they are bound to get broken into small pieces.
The raw bones are too strong and the dog will try it’s most to chew on it and break it. In the process, the Lab can cause damage to his own teeth. Puppies are more inclined to get this problem because their teeth are not that strong.
Labrador owners give bones to their dogs for chewing. However, there are other toys and sticks available in the market which serve this purpose of chewing and are much safer for the Lab.
5. Bread
Bread has refined flour which results in increased fat. You can opt for more healthy options in terms of bread like brown bread.
Dogs do like bread and you can give them but maintain moderation with white bread and try for brown bread is available in your nearby store.
6. Macadamia nut
Macadamia nut is also not a portion of food for your dog. Strike it completely from his diet plan.
It is poisonous for dogs and it causes them digestion problems which further results in vomiting, body temperature, and nervous system failure.
7. Milk
While milk is not a completely “NEVER” food item for your dog, but I always recommend to avoid it.
In fact, I avoid dairy products for my dogs and I recommend the same to my readers. If you are traveling and you are out of stock for the dog feed that you carried, then you can consider giving milk to your dog as a one-time meal.
Milk is not toxic and won’t cause any direct harm to your dog. But still, don’t give it your dog too frequently for his long-term health.
8. Chocolate
Chocolate does nothing good for dogs. It causes more damage than any giving any benefits. Labradors cannot digest it. It contains caffeine which is again not good for dogs. Most dog owners would already know this but for new dog owners, this should be an important point to note for the whole life.
Dehydration, vomiting and loose motions are commonly seen when dogs eat chocolate. If the quantity of chocolate is high then it can be deadly for the dog.
Organs failure, seizures, internal bleeding, and laziness are more severe symptoms and if left untreated, this is catastrophic for the dog.
I do get queries like can I give a little bit of chocolate bite when the dog is staring at me while I eat chocolate. My answer is, do you want to give him instant satisfaction by offering chocolate or you want him to stay healthy and live longer. Chocolate for dogs is a strict no.
9. Cinnamon (Direct or Cookies)
Cinnamon is not toxic in nature. In fact, cinnamon with warm lemon water in the morning is good for you. But nor for your dog. Whole cinnamon will make them irritated.
The cinnamon powder will cause a problem with breathing for them.
It’s better to avoid offering cinnamon based food items like cinnamon cookies as it causes side effects to them.
10. Coffee (Hot or Cold)
Same as with chocolate, coffee has caffeine which they cannot digest. It’s hazardous for them.
Some people will ask can I give a little sip of cold coffee that I made for myself. My answer is no, it interferes with their internal system and causes nervous problems like vomiting, diarrhea and also leads to internal bleeding.
11. Garlic in Any Form
Garlic is not good for dogs because it is from the Allium family. Other members of the allium family are onions and leeks. It is toxic to dogs and can cause serious medical issues to them.
If your dog has eaten garlic food by mistake then keep checking him for any symptoms. On the very first symptom of fainting or laziness, take him to the vet. Consider it as a medical emergency.
12. Grapes
Grapes hit the kidney of your Labrador Retriever. It is common for dog owners to share their food with their dogs as a gesture of care. But giving them grapes will hurt them and they will need to be taken to a vet.
Grapes are toxic to dogs.
13. Ice cream
Diary products themselves are high in fat and calories. Yes, they do have calcium but Ice Cream is not a food item for your dog. In the summer, you can enjoy scoops of ice cream but do not offer it to your dog.
Though the dog will eat ice cream when he is hungry because he doesn’t know what food is good for him. You as a dog owner should make sure that no one in your family also doesn’t offer ice cream in any form to the dog.
14. Nutmeg
Nutmeg consists of a compound named myristicin which is toxic to your Labrador. Though you are adding nutmeg powder in your recipes, do not offer those dishes to your dog.
15. Onions
Onions are once again a “NEVER” for your dog. Strike them out.
The N-propyl disulfide present in onions causes medical issues for the dog. There is not a single benefit of giving onions to dogs. Onions can result in anemia to dogs.
The low amount of oxygen in his body will cause the dog to look so sick and he will faint. He would just keep lying down and won’t be active.
Onion in any form is not good for your Labrador Retriever.
16. Pineapple
Pineapple is useful most of the time. The only thing to care about here is the quantity. Too much quantity of pineapple is not good. Labrador dogs are more prone to obesity and hence I recommend that you control the quantity intake of pineapple by your dog.
Too much pineapple will anyways cause him digestion problems and he won’t be able to eat anything else and may show symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.
So the best advice about pineapple is that give it in moderation and that too not daily. Where there is a season of fresh pineapples, then you can share some pineapple when you cut it for your salads or dinner, etc.
17. Raisins
Remember I had advised against giving grapes to your dog. Raisins are dried grapes so essentially; they would cause the same issues as grapes. Why take risks with these kinds of foods, when there are a number of healthy treats that can be given to your dog.
The toxins in grapes and raisins cannot be digested by a dog and cause harm to his body. You will need to rush him to a vet if he consumes wither of these two even by mistake.
18. Tomatoes
The precaution with any kind of food item that I advise against is because of the toxins present in it which cause harm to the dog’s body. Red tomatoes are good for the dog. You can give them to your dog. However, green tomatoes or unripe tomatoes are not recommended for Labrador dogs.
This is because of the toxin names Solanine present in green and unripe tomatoes. If given to a dog, it will cause an imbalance in his body. Common symptoms, in this case, include heart rate increase, laziness and breathing problems.
Conclusion: Not Every Food Item is Made for Labrador
There are a number of food items which we eat and we tend to give the same to our dog who is sitting or playing next to us. But proper knowledge of what to feed your dog is essential.
In fact, it is good to prepare a diet plan for your dog after consultation with a vet and stick to it. Anything not mentioned in the diet plan can be skipped by you. That way, you can ensure that the dog is not being fed any bad food item which is not meant for his body.
As the dog owner, only you can make sure that the Labrador dog that you own, eats the right food that is meant for him.
Also, I have to mention here that every dog is unique. The allergies, likes, and dislikes differ for every dog in a single breed. That is why I advise you to prepare the diet plan by visiting a vet. The vet will examine your dog and will recommend food items as per his likes and medical conditions.
I would end this article by saying that your Labrador is your responsibility from the time he enters your life, so take the utmost care of him in terms of food.
References
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/23025697
- https://dcjournal.ca/doi/abs/10.3148/74.2.2013.63
- https://muse.jhu.edu/article/256968/pdf
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