I usually give sweets to my dog. Say, Mysoore pak, Milk peda, payasam, etc. in high amount. Will it affect it badly?
4 Answers
Do you clean your dog's teeth afterwards? If not, the dog may suffer from dental caries (like humans who do not brush their teeth), and will have to have diseased teeth extracted. Also, a diet high in sugar will lead to obesity, and possibly diabetes later in life (again, like humans). Is this what you want for your pet?
Also, chocolate is poisonous to dogs, since they cannot metabolise theobromine very well and it will accumulate in their metabolic system if they eat too much. Humans can metabolise and excrete theobromine very easily. My brother's Yorkshire Terrier once helped himself to a boxful of chocolates and had to be hospitalised. Fortunately, the dog survived.
If you want to give your dog an occasional treat (for training purposes, say), then you should buy specially formulated doggy-treats. These will be sugar-free and safe for a dog to eat. Please desist from giving your dog confectioneries meant for humans. They will do it no good in the long run (or you, for that matter).
Dogs can get diabetes. And while folks in india do tend to feed their dogs milk products (for example old rice and yogurt/buttermilk), many dogs tend to be lactose intolerant. While mine has an extreme soft spot for that sort of sweet, on the Rare occations he gets it, he has the runs.
Traditional indian milk sweets are pretty much a double whammy of fat (and your dog being overweight can cause health problems) and processed sugar. And I've seen the long term concequences of feeding your dog these things. At the twilight of my aunt's dog's life he was having incontinence (Presumably due to undiagnosed diabetes), very poor teeth and gum disease, and weight related arthritis and joint issues.
I do realise its probably going to be a painful process to change, but slowly weaning your dog off such sweets is a good idea. You can control your diet, but your dog usually can't, especially if he's food motivated. Its a good idea to stick to stuff meant for dogs.
answered Mar 27, 2017 at 23:52
Neither dairy or sugar (especially Xylitol) are recommended for dogs. Seasoning is also not recommended for dogs if you prepare your payasam with seasonings (for example cinnamon, paprika, nutmeg, ginger). Sugar feeds bacteria - in the mouth and in the digestive tract. This can cause cavities on the teeth and intestinal irregularity.
Foods to avoid: salt, chocolate, avocado, grapes, citrus, coconut, dairy, nuts, garlic, onion, chives, yeast, alcohol.
Foods that are okay for dogs as a treat (in small amounts and proportionate to their size and weight): cooked carrots (raw carrots can tear up innards if not properly chewed), sweet potatoes (no skins), green beans, peas, corn, soy beans, cucumbers (peeled). Only in small amounts: apple, watermelon (no seeds or skin), broccoli, asparagus.
Keep an eye on you dog's behavior - do they get excited and then lethargic after these treats? Is their digestion affected - do they get diarrhea, or is their stool regular and firm? Likely a small dog will be more negatively affected by a sweet milk treat than a large dog, but I would strongly urge that you do not make this a regular habit no matter what size or breed.
Keep in mind with treats that dogs are more interested in the focused affection and attention you are giving them. It is not how much of a treat or that you like the treat that is important, it is just that you are giving them a treat. I would also recommend that you make giving treats part of a behavior training reward routine. For example, tell your dog to "sit" using a stern command voice. When they sit, say "good dog" with a smile and an affectionate voice. Then give them the treat and a belly rub. Who's a happy puppy?
Lastly, dogs don't have nearly as sensitive taste buds as humans. They do not need a variety of exciting flavors. They do have very sensitive senses of smell. If you want to keep them engaged while you are preparing meals, you can hold dishes and utensil's for them to sniff at. This will help them feel like a part of the activity. They do not need to taste or eat the foods you prepare for yourself and your family. In general, it is a good idea not to feed dogs human food at all and to keep your feeding times separate so as not to encourage them to beg for food from humans.
It's probably a very bad idea to give sweets to dogs! it can cause tummy upsets, obesity, and a whole range of issues here is a great article https://www.petmd.com/dog/slideshows/6-reasons-why-your-dog-shouldnt-have-sugar
Depending on the breed, life stage of your dog you should calculate the right amount of food to feed. This article http://shihtzuexpert.com/best-dog-food-for-shih-tzu/#DogFoodBuyersGuide presents a scientific way to figure out how much to feed.
