Dog Training Guidelines 

Your Source Of Dog Training Tips & Guidelines 

Food items that are common to us people can be quite toxic for puppies and dogs.  Sometimes it only has to be a very small amount to cause harm.  Food items, especially those which are listed below, should never be given to dogs. They should be stored out of their reach. Instruct other members of the family not to give any forbidden foods to dogs or puppies. You must use care while you are preparing and serving foods in order to ensure that your dog or puppy will not be tempted just to take a little lick to see what the food tastes like.

Which foods are considered to be dangerous for your puppy or dog? Some foods which humans can eat, and even some of the other species of animals, can be hazardous for dogs due to their different metabolism. Some foods may only cause a mild digestive upset while other foods can cause a severe illness and even death. The following food items, which seem so common place to us, should never be fed to dogs or puppies. This is not a complete list because it would be impossible to list every little thing your dog should not eat:

• Alcoholic beverages – Any of these can cause intoxication, coma and even death.
• Baby food – They may possibly contain onion powder which can be toxic to dogs. If the dog is fed baby food in large amounts, it could result in nutritional deficiencies.
• Bones from poultry, fish or other meat sources – These can cause laceration or obstruction of the digestive system.
• Cat food – For dogs, this is too high in fats and proteins.
• Chocolate, tea, coffee, & other foods containing caffeine – These foods contain theobromine or theophylline which can affect the nervous system and heart.
• Citrus oil extracts – May cause vomiting
• Fat trimmings – May cause pancreatitis
• Raisins and grapes – These have an unknown toxin which can cause kidney damage. No problem has been found with grape seed extract.
• Hops – An unknown compound causes panting, elevated temperature, increased heart rate, seizures and even death.
• Iron containing supplements – May damage the digestive system lining and may be toxic to liver, kidneys and other organs.
• Large quantities of liver – The dog can get Vitamin A toxicity which affects the bones and muscles.
• Macadamia nuts – These contain an unknown toxin and can affect the nervous system, the digestive system and the muscle.
• Marijuana – Depresses the nervous system, causes vomiting and alters the heart rate
• Dairy and milk products – Some adult cats and dogs do not have enough lactase which breaks down the lactose in milk. This may result in diarrhea.
• Garbage, spoiled or moldy food – May contain a variety of toxins which cause diarrhea, vomiting and may affect other organs.
• Mushrooms – They can contain toxins which may affect multiple body systems, cause shock and even death.
• Garlic and onions – These contain disulfides and sulfoxides which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia. Cats are more likely to get this than dogs. Garlic seems to be less toxic than onions.
• Persimmons – Seeds may cause an intestinal obstruction and enteritis.
• Peach and plum pits – May cause an obstruction of the digestive tract
• Rhubarb, potato and tomato leaves; tomato and potato stems – These contain oxalates, which may affect the nervous, digestive and urinary systems.
• Raw eggs – Contains avidin which leads to a decrease of the absorption of biotin. This leads to hair coat and skin problems. Raw eggs are also a source of Salmonella.
• Raw fish – May result in a thiamine deficiency which leads to seizures, loss of appetite and even death.
• Salt – If this is eaten in very large quantities, it may cause an electrolyte imbalance.
• String – This is called a “string foreign body” because it becomes trapped in the digestive system.
• Sugary foods – Leads to obesity, dental problems and may result in diabetes mellitus.
• Table scraps (in large quantities) – They are not nutritionally balanced. Trim fat from meat; do not give bones. Table scraps should not be more than 10% of the dog’s diet.
• Tobacco – Contains nicotine which affects the nervous and digestive systems. It can lead to a rapid heart beat, collapse, coma and even death.
• Yeast dough – As the yeast expands it produces gas in the digestive system. This can cause the stomach or intestines to rupture.

These are just some of the foods which you should keep away from your canine. Remember that your four-legged friend is not like a human, and its body may react in different ways to different substances. If you want to have a healthy puppy or dog, then abide by the above list and everything will be all right.