Question:
: : Hi! My JRT, Max, loves human food, particularly carrots. He goes nuts over them. He also loves almost every other veggies, (even the ones that little kids don't like, like brussel sprouts!) Anyway I wanted to know if veggies are good for him to have on a daily bacis? And I also heard that milk is very bad for JRT, is this true? Thanks
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: Hi, Dean,
: Our resident nutritional expert, Heather, may be able to help you more than I can, but I have a little knowledge about this.
: There's nothing wrong with dogs eating veggies, except onions are deadly, so keep them away from him. A girl I know had to nurse 3 dogs back to health after they helped themselves to a bag of onions. It was truly scary.
: That being said (that veggies are fine for dogs to eat) I would be careful that you don't fill your dog up on veggies because it would cut into a well balanced diet. They might more or less end up being "empty calories" as they might fill him up and not allow him to get the rest of the nourishment he needs.
: As for milk, it's not a natural thing for a dog to have and can lead to upset stomachs in my own dogs, but Heather can probably help you more there.
: Jane
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Hi Dean,
First of all, let me point out two things. 1) An excess of ANYTHING can make a dog sick. 2) There is no such thing as "human food." Read your dog food's ingredients label. "Human food!" Chicken, beef, rice, corn... don't you eat that stuff too? Processed bags of "dog food" is a relatively new invention, no more than 55-60 years old. Until that time, dogs ate what their humans ate, and in many other countries (such as the working terriers in England) , they still do.
If you want to slip your dog some veggie snacks, there is nothing wrong with this. My guys love carrots and squash. I use turkey dogs, cheese and cheerios when I train. These are much healtier treats than sugar-ladden Beggin Strips and such. But, you should learn what levels mean "excess" and what, like onions among others, should be avoided.
Dogs CAN survive on a vegetarian diet (cats can not!), although a meat based diet the canine's natural diet and is much easier to balance. Vegetables contain nutrients as well as other foods. If you are going to be feeding these a lot, please do some reading to learn how to prepare and balance the meals. I would not be extremely concerned that vegetables would "throw off" his nutritional levels or be empty of nutritional value.
The myth that canines are lactose intolerant is just that, a myth. As I said above, anything a belly isn't used to given in excess is going to make a dog sick. If your dog sneaks a sip of milk out of your glass when you go answer the phone, it isn't going to hurt him. Dairy products in their meals are not harmful, as long as the proper balance is there.
I would strongly encourage you to do more reading on this subject. There are a couple of books listed in the food and bone FAQ, as well as many, many sites available on the internet. They will help you sort out the myths.
Have fun with your pup!
Heather
