Feeding dogs human food

[pigsDOfly]

Just want some opinions please regarding feeding dogs human food.

I'm by no means a dog expert - on my first dog who is nearly 2yo - but I've done a lot of research and am careful what I feed my dog.

My DD and her DP have 2 dogs. DP's dog is a large breed, DD's dog is a small breed.The small one is my dog's full sister - same mum and dad, different litters.

Both their dogs are given left overs from the human meals, as well as their own food. These left overs frequently contain things like onions, mushrooms and garlic. Things I understood were totally unsuitable for dogs.

At Christmas when the family were all together DD's DP started feeding big dog raisins. I probably, shouldn't have interfered, but asked him if he realized how dangerous raisins are for dogs and asked him not to do it where my dog was - he was throwing them to his dog and I was worried that if they fell on the floor the smaller dogs might pick them up. He made fun of me over it at the time and for some time after. He clearly thinks I'm over protective towards my dog and that I have some very strange ideas.

Anyway last night I had dinner with them and he made curry, quite a hot curry btw. When he was clearing up he fed the dogs their kibble, mixing it in with some of the left over curry. I was a bit horrified tbh but kept my mouth shut as it isn't any of my business what they feed their dogs and my dog was at home so wasn't going to eat any of it.

What I want to know is, am I wrong to think they are not doing these dogs any kindness by giving them these things, or is it an acceptable way to feed dogs. When I've mentioned it in the past to my DD she says her DP grew up with dogs and know all about them.

Whilst I fully accept that how he feeds his dog is up to him, DD's dog lived with me while she was a young puppy and I do have more of a bond with her. I hasten to add that this is purely for my own information as I've learned my lesson about giving my opinion; I would just be interested to know what others think.

[lljkk]

It sounds reckless. I'm not sure you can do anything about it, though.

[austenozzy]

i agree re raisins, and other stuff like chocolate that it's well known is bad for them (to sensible dog owners anyway), but i've been known to replace part of my dog's feed with leftover stufg like pasta, veg' etc. i've seen her eat far worse when out on walkies. she's killed and eaten whole rabbits with no ill effects, not to mention poo of various animals!

but yanbu re the annoying relation.

[ruledbyheart]

Well raisins and onions are a no no to start with, unfortunately some people always think they know better and won't listen to advice, maybe he'd change his mind if god forbid dog has kidney failure but other then that there isn't much you can do.

[pigsDOfly]

Thanks for your replies. Obviously leftovers things like pasta and vegetables are fine and if they were giving their dogs those things I wouldn't be worried, but leftover mushroom pizza and curry surely isn't good?

Yes, I don't think there's anything I can do either tbh. I vowed I'd never be an interfering MIL so won't say anything to him but it just upsets me to see them possibly doing some long term harm that won't show up now but, as you say ruled, might shorten the dogs' lives.

My DD loves the dogs so much but she seems to have a blind spot with her DP and anything he says is gospel.

He made a joke last night about the affects on the little dog of having had a curry when she wanted to go out to the garden after they'd eaten.

[tabulahrasa]

Mushroom pizza's no worse than it is for people really, but why would you feed a dog junk food? I think you have a responsibility to feed dogs an appropriate diet - though saying that I know someone who gives theirs tea and toast for breakfast with seemingly no ill effects.

Raisins are much more dangerous for small dogs btw - it's a certain amount per kilo of dog that's poisonous.

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

I give my dog leftover veg, meat scraps, cooked pasta and potato. He has also been known to eat directly out of the dishwasher. I wouldn't deliberately feed him crap, though.

[Bakingtins]

I'm a vet.
Raisins (and currants, sultanas, grapes etc) can be toxic, causing kidney failure. There is no known toxic dose, some dogs seem to be more susceptible and can be poisoned by even a small amount, others can eat them without apparent ill effects. A stupid thing to be deliberately feeding to a dog.
Onions, garlic, leeks, spring onions can be toxic, raw or cooked. Again, no clear toxic dose and it may vary. Tends to cause blood dyscrasias (changes in blood cells) which you are not going to notice at a low level but could progress to being serious.
Agree with austen about the chocolate also being on the banned list.

I don't see small amounts of human food being a problem in addition to a proper diet of dog food, but you do need to be careful what you choose. We'd often advise owners to feed chicken/white fish/rice/potato if their dog had an upset tummy. Curry, quite apart from the likelihood of it containing onions, is not a good idea! Be glad it is not you scooping the resulting poop...

[pigsDOfly]

Don't get me wrong, I'm perfectly happy with my dog having human food and she frequently does, as well as her own food. Perhaps my subject title gives a different impression.

I'm just very concerned at the rubbish my DD and her DP are giving their dogs, particularly my DD's small dog, and she just won't accept that feeding her dog things like curry, that incidentally did have raisins and onion in it, is possibly causing long term damage. The curry wasn't a one off as they feed inappropriate foodstuff all the time.

I don't want to try to tell her how to treat her dog, it's not my business, but there's part of me that feels I have to make her aware of the harm that is probably being done to her dog.

I was under the impression Tabulahrasa that mushrooms are also poisonous for dogs, and most pizzas have tomato, surely the pips are bad, and onions on them, so again more things they shouldn't be given.

[pigsDOfly]

Thank you for the information Bakingtins. I've sent the relevant bits from your reply to my DD in the hope that she'll accept that as the information is coming from a vet, I'm not being stupid and over reacting.

[tabulahrasa]

I wasn't thinking about tomatoes or onions, lol...I'd mentally gone, cheese, mushrooms, base. (I can make pizza, honestly)

Mushrooms are ok though - they're often listed as poisonous meaning ones they find growing, not the kind you'd have yourself.

[pigsDOfly]

This is the thing. It's quite easy to forget what's in things until you really start thinking about it. I know people who's dogs seem to be able to eat chocolate without any harm coming to them. I suppose it's just luck of the draw and the size of the dogs in some instances.

Anyway, as I said I sent the information to my daughter. She was a bit huffy with me about it at the beginning, but I think she knows that what her DP is doing is a little unwise but is going along with his view because that's what she does. After several texts back and forth she agreed that perhaps it's not good to be giving her dog these things and that she should supervise her dog's intake herself.

So thank you all for your input, and that comes from my DD's dog as well.