Which foods are dangerous for dogs: expert advice for outdoor trips and picnics

Long walks and time outdoors are a good way to relax, especially together with a four-legged friend. But in nature a dog gets access to many things its owner does not usually feed it, and some foods, including those taken along on a picnic, can cause serious health problems. Latvian specialists spoke about this in material published by the portal LSM.

In the warm season dogs spend much more time outside: on joint hikes, swimming, picnics and in the garden. While the owner relaxes, the dog often manages to reach something it should not eat. Dog trainer Ivars Lielpēteris stresses that a dog's diet should not copy a human's: a dog is a predator. Suitable food is meat without spices, as well as dry food or canned food. If an owner gives up commercial food, special mixtures of bones, internal organs and mainly various meat trimmings must be prepared, rather than giving table leftovers.

What is harmful to dogs

Veterinarian Lita Konopore notes that the smaller the animal, the higher the risk that certain foods will harm it. Pork fat can cause pancreas problems. Chocolate is toxic to dogs, and onions are very toxic both raw and cooked, so care is needed that onions left after boiling meat broth do not end up on the compost pile. Grapes and raisins, as well as spicy and salty dishes, are also harmful.

Picnics are a particular problem, when the owner's attention is elsewhere. A dog may eat leftover meat with bones or salads. Konopore also reminds that a dog's digestive tract cannot digest cellulose, so grass more often causes problems, including blockage.

A small amount of watermelon, melon, cucumber, carrot, gooseberry or apple does no harm. Bones are a source of calcium and help clean teeth, but boiled bones and bones with sharp edges should be avoided; the larger the bone, the safer it is.

Water and swimming

A dog should always have access to clean drinking water. Lielpēteris advises caution with puddles in central Riga, as they may contain chemicals leaked from cars, while in a forest this matters less. A dog should not be let into water where the owner would not swim themselves; stagnant water and ponds that have turned green should be avoided.