Can You Feed Your Dog People Food?

It is a universally acknowledged truth that dogs are man’s best friend. Given that fact, a lot of dog owners treat their furry friends just like their human friends! And a lot of times that’s a great thing. According to The Washington Post, scientists believe that pets release oxytocin, a hormone that includes stimulating social bonding, relaxation, trust, and easing stress. According to the 2012 U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook (a publication of the American Veterinary Medical Association) has found that about 43 million American households have dogs and about 36 million households have cats. There’s a reason for that! Lori Kogan, an associate professor of clinical sciences at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and the editor of the Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin, says that pets can be especially helpful for people facing emotional difficulties. “Dogs have a positive impact on depression and anxiety,’’ Kogan says. “When someone loses a spouse or partner, for example, having a dog provides a reason to get up and be social,’’ she says. For many older people, “it’s the only relationship they have.’’

Via Reshot

The thing is, even though we treat dogs just like our best friend. We let them sleep in our beds, watch movies with us on the couch, and maybe even share some of our human food with them. But the problem is that there are a lot of human foods that are definitely a no-go for our furry friends. The dangerous list of foods you should never share with your dog include grapes, cherries, raisins, onions, gravy, poultry skin, bacon, chocolate, macadamia nuts, and avocado. These foods you should use with caution when sharing with your BFF: popcorn, sardines and other fish, ice cream, citrus fruits, and watermelon. And the safe list of food you can definitely share with your dog: sweet potatoes, pumpkin, peas, eggs, green beans, and fruit like apples, bananas and cantaloupe.