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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Feeding dogs chocolate

61 replies

ZestyMaximus · 14/04/2016 09:36

AIBU to get upset and angry at DP when he casually announces that he's fed my dogs chocolate. Again. Despite me having previously, on more than one occasion, told him it's poisonous for dogs and not to feed it to them.

His defense is that it was only a little bit (they're Chihuahuas so it wouldn't take much) and that he used to give his previous dog (Greyhound / Collie mix) the occasional bit and she didn't drop dead. He thinks it's bullshit that chocolate is actually poisonous to dogs.

OP posts:
DontOpenDeadInside · 14/04/2016 09:39

Even if it wasn't poisonous, what's the point in giving them some? Dogs have (I think) 1/10th of our tastebuds, so they are not enjoying it. They eat it because they're scavengers and thats what scavengers do.

DontOpenDeadInside · 14/04/2016 09:40

Sorry its 1/6th tastebuds. Humans have around 9000, dogs have around 1600.

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 14/04/2016 09:42

He's a twat.

He's giving them chocolate to show you he's right and you're overreacting.
I'll be having strong words.

Birdsgottafly · 14/04/2016 09:42

It's a mind game, if he wants to give a treat, have dog treats in, or a small piece or cheese.

Or is he generally one of those people who thinks he knows better than doctors about allergies etc?

Mysillydog · 14/04/2016 09:44

Dogs love chocolate but it's not good for them. The toxicity is worse for small dogs. Maybe his larger dog could take it, although she shouldn't have, but your dogs are tiny. He is being VVV unreasonable.

My dog got a packet of chocolate covered raisins a few months ago, and had to have an emetic injection. He was very poorly from the treatment, although thankfully he vomited up the raisins and was ok. I felt dreadfully guilty because I had left them on a table where he could access and he is well known for being a food thief.

Wincarnis · 14/04/2016 09:45

YANBU!!!

You are right, it would not take much chocolate to poison a tiny dog.

Dogs don't crave chocolate and there is no need to give it to them.

Is there a possibility he does not like your dogs and is being mean ?

NotQuiteJustYet · 14/04/2016 09:47

My two are terrible for trying to get ahold of chocolate so it's obvious most dogs enjoy it but that's no reason to actively feed them it!

I'd be absolutely furious with him, if he wants to feed them chocolate he can go and buy them a bag of doggie chocolate which is carob based and non-toxic to them.

SimpleSimonThePieMan · 14/04/2016 09:54

Fuck me! If anyone fed my dog chocolate they'd a) be needing an ambulance and b) be paying the vets bills!

scarednoob · 14/04/2016 09:55

I know I was shocked when I learned this, because we fed my friend's miniature dachshund chocolate loads of times and she was never poorly.

Guess what I did when I found out that chocolate is actually terrible for dogs - I made sure I never ever let another dog have chocolate. I didn't carry on feeding it to them on the basis that one dog was fine 25 years ago.

He's a dick who thinks he knows best and wants to show that off. and he needs to stop it or fuck off.

Original poster
ZestyMaximus · 14/04/2016 09:57

Chardonnay - My thoughts precisely. 'Over reacting' was his completely his stance.

Birds - Yep, precisely that sort of person. According to him, depression can be fixed by just getting a grip and getting out there and being active. Pills are completely unnecessary for anyone. (He's done no research, just his opinion)

DeadInside - I did not know that. Might explain why one of the little blighters is so keen on eating poo. (Her own poo, her sister's poo, the cat's poo. She's not picky)

OP posts:
EponasWildDaughter · 14/04/2016 09:59

He thinks it's bullshit that chocolate is actually poisonous to dogs.

pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/dogs-and-chocolate-get-the-facts

Would he actually read any info if you shoved it in his face showed it to him?

imwithspud · 14/04/2016 09:59

YANBU, chocolate is really bad for dogs. And also they are your dogs, so what you say goes.

A few years ago we were at the PILs during summer, we all had ice cream, they also gave their dog a bowl of the same ice cream we were all having, I was Shock and Hmm at the same time.

Original poster
ZestyMaximus · 14/04/2016 10:02

Wincarnis - Whilst they're not his preferred choice of breed, he's bonded really strongly with them and proclaims to love them (and certainly appears to in all other respects)

OP posts:
Stratter5 · 14/04/2016 10:02

He's not a very 'D' P, is he? He'd be an XP in this house, that's if he lasted long enough to make it to X status.

As for the depression/pills thing, I'm a horrible person who is sitting here hoping he catches something nasty, so you can remind him of his mind over matter theory.

Namechangingchameleon · 14/04/2016 10:04

Omg ! one of my chihuahuas snaffled a really small bit of chocolate and I panicked for ages ! It was 11pm on a Saturday night so I couldn't do much about it. Thankfully she was fine!

I used to have a border collie who had the occasional square off my ex who was also fine but she was a much bigger dog obviously !

YADNBU! LTB!

hettyGreek · 14/04/2016 10:06

Is it really that bad for dogs?

I mean deep fried foods are bad for people as is anything with sugar or booze. People still eat them alot. Even water can be toxic.

EponasWildDaughter · 14/04/2016 10:06

My elderly parents used to do similar with their dog imwith. They used to treat it like a child. Spoiled the dog completely and ended up with a snappy unpleasant terrier which everyone was Hmm about.

Dogs aren't people. They don't need to be treated like one to enjoy life. With previous dogs when i was a child they'd never have treated a dog like a baby. Our dogs were lovely well adjusted dogs treated like dogs!

I don't think this is OPs DPs issue though. He just sounds as if he's doing it because he's a twat :)

StarkyTheDirewolf · 14/04/2016 10:08

I have chihuahuas, I'd hit the roof. Dh didn't believe our youngest chi was quite as stomach sensitive as I thought. He'd given him a bit of KFC skin, I let him clean up the explosions of shit that were all over the kitchen. He's never done it since.

But, aside from being harmful, why would he do it knowing it's going to upset you? That's awful!

ParanoidGynodroid · 14/04/2016 10:10

Ah yes, I've had the late, out of hours vet appointment for an emetic injection after my dog managed to get hold of a very rich chocolate cake and eat most of it. He was fine, but it could have been catastrophic.

Don't leave your dogs alone with him again, OP, his behaviour is appalling. Do show him some online articles about dogs and chocolate.

ParanoidGynodroid · 14/04/2016 10:11

hetty chocolate is extremely toxic to dogs.

firesidechat · 14/04/2016 10:12

Yes it is that bad hetty. Poisonous in fact and not at all like eating fried food. Confused

kissedbyamoonbeam · 14/04/2016 10:14

There is actually a converter online that tells you how much damages your dog. My dog ate a bar on Sunday. I googled to see what to do. Put his weight in, weight and type of chocolate and the table worked out mild toxicity. Your problem is you DH tho as chocolate is poisonous. He is not listening. Print out information. Hand it over. Tell him if he feeds the dogs chocolate again, you will have no choice but to believe that he is choosing to hurt them.
I'd have him verbally ripped to shreds myself. Then if he did it again he would be gone. Which sounds extreme but a DP who is so dismissive - no.

hettyGreek · 14/04/2016 10:15

Ok maybe it could be, but I did know somewhen when growing up who regularly fed their dog alot of chocolate. The dog still had a very long life, thats always made me question it.

Same with xyalotil and it being toxic for some animals. Some more rational studies say they would have to consume a vast vast amount for it to do anything,

Original poster
ZestyMaximus · 14/04/2016 10:23

Thank you everyone. I didn't think I was BU but his reaction when I had a go at him for it did make me wonder. That and the fact that this wasn't the first time (or even second time) that he and I have had the whole 'don't feed dogs chocolate, it's poisonous' argument conversation.

OP posts:
scarednoob · 14/04/2016 10:29

hetty there is a particular ingredient called theobromine that is toxic to dogs and fatal in certain quantities. So it's not just that it's unhealthy - it'd be like us eating foxgloves or something Sad