Our Favorite Human Foods for Pups!

Here at the Bone and Breakfast, we love to spoil our pups occasionally with things that we think of as "human only" foods. Here's some of our favorites, in no particular order.

Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkin puree is a staple in our cabinet! We like using it for ourselves to make pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread, but our canine pals love it too. Pumpkin is super fiber rich, but also bland. This means it's a great option for dogs who are experiencing GI upset. It's the first thing we reach for if a dog is having soft stool, which can be totally normal if they're a little anxious in a new setting.

Pumpkin also contains prebiotics, which help feed the beneficial bacteria in your dog's gut.

It's important to make sure that you're using plain canned pumpkin, and not pumpkin pie filling, as pumpkin pie filling tends to have extras that your dog doesn't need.

How we like to serve it: Mixed into kibble with warm water, or baked into homemade dog treats

Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is kind of a polarizing snack choice for humans. You love it, or you hate it. But we love to keep it on hand for some dogs! If your dog is lactose intolerant, you should probably avoid cottage cheese (although, it is very low in lactose, so can be tolerated by some dogs who can't have other dairy). But otherwise, it can be a great source of protein and calcium.

One of our pups is chronically underweight due to an intestinal surgery in her youth, so we love to give her a protein boost when we can. Cottage cheese can also be a good low-fat option for dogs who struggle with weight, but you still only want to over a spoonful or two to their food.

It's worth noting that dogs on some antibiotics shouldn't be given cottage cheese, as the high amount of calcium present can block the antibiotics from being absorbed by the body. Consult your vet if you have questions about whether or not your dog should have cottage cheese.

How we like to serve it: On a lick mat or in a toppl or kong

Fruit Scraps

Our kids go through fruit like it's going out of style, so we end up with a lot of fruit trimmings around our house! It's a fun treat to add to our dog's meals or in their enrichment toys from time to time.

Some of our regular fruit scraps include: banana ends, strawberry tops, and kiwi rinds. We also like to add blueberries to their enrichment toys. They're full of antioxidants, which are super beneficial for their brains.

The fruits to avoid? Grapes, avocado and tomatoes--do you consider tomatoes to be a fruit? We know they're technically a fruit, but we definitely associate them more with vegetables.

Also, any pits or apple seeds. Stone fruits contain cyanide in their pits, and apple seeds contain arsenic. If they accidentally ingest 1 or 2, it's probably fine, but you don't want to offer these things to your dog.

How we like to serve it: Frozen in the top of a kong, or in an ice cube or broth cube

Fish

From sardines and anchovies to salmon skin and fish oil, we love them all! Just like us, dogs need a diet full of Omega-3 fatty acids. It's important for their brains and joints, and also can be helpful in aiding skin conditions and improve their coat.

One of our pups suffers from seasonal allergies that cause skin issues. We've found that upping her intake of fish or supplementing with fish oil helps a ton, and all of our dogs benefit from the change in diet.

It's also excellent for senior dogs whose joints may be bothering them in old age. You can even buy a fish-first dog food, rather than one that's chicken, lamb or beef based for an easy way to get fish into their diet.

How we like to serve it: fish oil in food or a water bowl, freeze-dried sardines and freeze-dried salmon skin treats

Is Human Food Right For Your Dog?

As long as your dog doesn't have any particular health conditions or struggle with weight, absolutely! It's important to note that you should always slightly decrease their kibble, if that's what you feed, when supplementing with other foods. Adding too many extras and keeping their intake at a maintenance-level feeding amount can cause excessive weight gain, which can cause health problems in your pup. If you have any questions or concerns about adding these treats to your dog's routine, you should ask your vet.

We love to add these foods to enrichment toys for guest dogs from time to time, so let us know if your dog has any food allergies, intolerances, or even their favorites! Bon appetit!