As a General Rule: Avoid Feeding Your Dog Salt and Black Pepper

Even though they can eat salt in pepper in small amounts doesn’t mean they should. Most dogs would prefer foods without black pepper. Large quantities of black pepper are often too spicy, and there are no health benefits to feeding black pepper to your dog. So as a general rule, you should avoid giving black pepper to your dog.

Health Concerns That May Arise From Your Dog Eating Too Much Black Pepper

Lightly seasoned foods shouldn’t be a problem for your dog to eat, but if your dog ingests too much black pepper or inhales too much pepper, you may notice some of these symptoms:

• Sneezing
• Indigestion
• Stomach cramps
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

If your dog experiences vomiting or diarrhea after consuming too much black pepper, call your veterinarian for help.
Related Link: Adding Vitamins Vs. Real Food to Your Dog’s Diet

Why Table Scraps Are a Bad Idea

While dogs can be quick little bandits, there are several reasons not to feed your dog table scraps. Not only can they end up consuming more black pepper than needed, but they can also ingest foods that may cause several problems.

Causes Digestive Problems

Table scraps can cause many different digestive issues because a dog’s digestion system is very different from a human’s system. Human food can be very fatty, rich, and too high in sodium for dogs. Human food can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Contains Toxic Foods for Dogs

Some human food is very poisonous to dogs, such as:

• Chocolate
• Raisins
• Grapes
• Onions
• Garlic
• Chives
• Nuts
• Avocado
• Citrus
• Coconut
• Dairy
• Raw meat
• Eggs
• Bones
• Xylitol
• Yeast Dough
• Alcohol
• Mushrooms
• Caffeine

Many of these foods can cause your dog to:

• Vomit
• Diahrrea
• Stomach Cramps
• Bloating
• Thirst
• Excessive Urination
• Depression 
• Tremors
• Higher Body Temperature
• Seizures
• Death

Because it is really easy to feed your dog toxic or poisonous human foods accidentally, it’s best to avoid giving them any table scraps.

Increases Odds of Obesity for Dogs

Most dog owners feed their dogs a regular diet even when they allow their dogs to eat table scraps. Dog foods are specifically designed to provide all the necessary nutrients your dog needs for the day. So extra scraps are generally just added calories that can lead to weight gain and obesity. 

Most dogs should only eat a third cup to four cups of dog food each day based on their size. Small dogs only need about 350-575 calories each day. If they are stealing or getting table scraps at every meal, then they can quickly go over their calorie count for the day. This is the same for large and medium-sized dogs.
About 25-30% of the dog population in North America is considered obese. Obesity can cause several health conditions for your dog, like heart disease and diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight for your dog is critical to their overall health and lifespan.

Need a supplement to help regulate your dog’s weight? Check out Rogue Pet Science’s Healthy Weight for Dogs Supplement made from natural ingredients.

Encourages Bad Behaviors

By feeding your dog table scraps, you encourage your dog to beg and hover around the dinner table. Dogs that are used to getting dinner scraps may also feel entitled to steal food from off the table or individual’s plates without permission. 

These are not good habits, and you should show caution when deciding to encourage these behaviors. 

An Ideal Diet For Your Dog

According to the AAFCO, an ideal diet for your adult dog to encourage a healthy lifestyle includes:

• Water: 1 ounce water per pound of body weight
• Crude Protein: 18% of daily diet or about 45 g
• Fats: 5.5 % of daily diet or about 13.8 g
• Carbohydrates: At least 20% of a daily diet
• Vitamins: This varies, but Vitamin A is the most significant at 5000 kg
• Minerals: Around 1-3% of the daily diet; 40 mg of Iron; 80 mg of Zinc

Puppies and Pregnant dogs need more protein, requiring 22.5% of their diet to help promote growth and reproduction.

Does your dog need a more vitamin-rich supplement to promote better gut health and nutrition? Shop Rogue Pet Science’s food toppers and mixer that provide essential vitamins and minerals to your dog’s diet.

Related Link: Are the Calories on Your Dog Food Label Correct?

Avoid Table Scraps and Black Pepper for a Healthier Diet

While it is completely fine for your dog to have table scraps and black pepper occasionally, you should not make this a habit. Too much pepper can wreck your dog’s digestion, and most dogs do not like it.

Be very careful not to create a dog that begs and prowls for table scraps because many human foods can be harmful, poisonous, or too fatty for your dog’s digestion. Be mindful about your dog’s diet to maintain a healthy, happy pup.

Rogue Pet Science creates quality, all-natural pet supplements and treats from proven ingredients. Their supplements are specially formulated to improve your dog’s overall nutrition and gut health. 

Want to improve your dog’s diet? Shop Rogue Pet Science’s many products that utilize all-natural sources for nutrients and vitamins.

Related Link: Why Gut Health is Important for Dogs

References:

1. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets
2. https://www.animalhealthfoundation.net/blog/2015/11/dangerous-foods-for-dogs/