If you’re at a cookout with your dog, you might be wondering: Can I give my dog a bit of my food, especially my hamburger?
We generally recommend dogs not receive table scraps to avoid developing bad eating habits and to prevent gastroenteritis due to a change in a dog’s regular diet, as well as to prevent obesity. Whether you can occasionally give them a bite of burger depends on the meat in question.
Understanding the Risks and Benefits
If you’re looking to give your dog a bite of the burger you’re munching on, you might want to reconsider. Chances are, your burger might have added salt, spices, and toppings that can be dangerous to dogs, such as onion or garlic. For our dogs, feeding seasoned meat is a recipe for unpleasant digestive upset at best and pancreatitis at worst.
However, if you want to throw a plain patty on the grill, unseasoned and cooked hamburger meat can be a healthy source of protein in addition to your dog’s regular, balanced diet. This is generally true of ground beef, turkey, chicken, and pork. Just make sure to cut the meat up into bite-sized pieces to prevent dog choking hazards.
Dangers of Raw Meat
Raw steak or hamburger patties can contain bacteria, such as salmonella and E. coli, that can be harmful to dogs and people. Keep a careful eye on the meat as you prepare the grill. The aroma will definitely get your dog’s attention, and they may try to sneak a tasty morsel of the uncooked meat.
Watch Out for Seasonings and Bones
Don’t give grilled bones of any kind to dogs. Cooked bones splinter and can cause obstruction along the gastrointestinal tract, anywhere from the mouth to the colon or rectum.
Look out for fatty foods or food containing spices, onion, or garlic. Onions and garlic are toxic to dogs. Also, don’t give cooked or seasoned pork to dogs.
You can give your dog the white meat of a cooked chicken breast if it contains no bones or spices. Depending on the dog, grilled beef items, such as a bite of steak, can be offered. Just make sure it’s cut into bite-sized pieces, and trim any fat before serving.
Most importantly, put all food away once you finish eating. Make sure you toss any garbage in well-closed garbage cans to prevent your dog from taking food when you aren’t looking. While you’re at it, leave the hotdogs on the grill, too.