Are Table Scraps Really Bad For Dogs?

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     Most people have been taught that table scraps are "bad" for dogs and under no circumstances should you ever give your dog food from the table. However, is this actually true? After all, what did dogs eat before the invention of commercial dog food? They ate from their owner's table. After all, commercial dog food was made during the 1950's, but there were many dogs around prior to that time that pretty much ate whatever his owner ate. At the time, owners mostly gave their dogs meat, after all, at the time, everyone thought dogs were carnivores, but in truth, dogs are opportunists, meaning they will eat whatever is available.

Long before the 1950's, dogs were fed grains and meat when the owner's had it, but somewhere between the 1900 and 1950's, it was believed that dogs should only be given meat and no grains, interesting when you think about how far dog food has come since the early days. Unfortunately, with the invention of processed dog food also meant dogs in the early days were not getting a very balanced diet. Some of the early commercial dog foods were just scraps of leather and grain fragments on the floors, and then mashed together, not very appetizing, but owners has no idea what was in the dog food.

It was then that commercial dog food somehow took on a mind of its own, with the assumption being that if a dog ate scraps from the table, it meant that he would get sick, or just not be "right" because he dared to eat people food. However, sharing a piece of meat from the table with your dog is actually good for them and they will appreciate it. Sharing bread and other grains are not the best to give to your dog, especially if he or she has a grain allergy, but sharing meat is more than okay.

One thing you want to make certain of is that if you feed your dog more than a tiny piece of meat from the table that you feed them a little less of their own food, otherwise, they can get as bit pudgy quickly due to the overage of caloric intake. Make sure the meat you share with your dog is not covered in cheese or anything else; it should just be a plain piece of meat, which is something your dog will greatly appreciate.

The next time your dog begs at the table, do not fear giving him a piece of meat, in fact, if you can't finish your meal and there is a hunk of plain meat left, cut it up into small bite-size pieces and give it to your dog to replace one of his meals, he will love you for it. A dog's digestive track has not changed much from their ancestors, the wolf, who have a body designed to process and breakdown lots of protein found in meat, which means that giving Fido a some scraps in the form of meat is actually good for him.