I've read dogs should never have fried foods but what about barbequed?

I usually buy 6# of hamburger, fire up the weber (charcoal) and grill him quarter-size burgers. I only give him two a day. Is this really that bad other than being rather expensive lately?

He really likes them!


Thanks

Baldwin

 

Of course he likes them!...................he's been trained to eat human food!

You need to feed a dog a balanced diet and bbq'd hamburger is not what I would call balanced.
There is too much fat content for what nutrition he gets from it.

He may like this kind of food but I would guarantee that if you were to substitute ten minutes of vigorous exersize followed by a good quality dog food he would like that even more.

Not sure if you get the National Geographic channel but the show Dog Whisperer is quite good at putting a dog's mental and physical health into perspective.

 

I'm not sure but I think you misunderstood. I don't give him quarter-pounders, they are quarter size (inch or so across) burgers twice a day for a treat. He eats his dog food and plenty of water. Little cool this time of year to play in the yard but I do take him out 3 or 4 times a day to write in the snow.

My thinking is most of the grease drips off on a barbeque rather than sitting in it in a pan. I don't know.

Reminds me of a relative years ago who would fry their basset hound eggs every morning. That poor dog was so fat his belly almost touched the ground. I'd never do that.


Thanks

Baldwin

 

Baldwin,

There are a lot of other healthier treats you can give your dog...the grilled burger isn't as bad as really greasy foods, but it can mess with his digestive system and arteries just as it can mess with a humans.

I would suggest perhaps a trip to the local large pet store, and search out some of the soft treats, or maybe some of the flavoured biscuits. These are formulated with the dogs health in mind, and you won't need to be concerned.

I personally stay away from giving all of our fur kids *People* food as it can cause health issues, and also obesity as you have seen in the bassett. Plus, I hate it when critters beg...and they eventually all start it, if fed human foods.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. When I got him from the shelter almost 7 years ago they 'guessed' he was about 2 so he's getting up there.

I've bought him Milk Bone biscuits but he wouldn't eat them. When we get a biscuit from the credit union or gas station he hides them in the back seat or under his blanket, he never eats them.

Just before we go out for a pee he'll get some dog food and hide it in his recliner then usually eats it after. He's a weird egg but he's my buddy.

I've looked in my KV Vet catalog for treats but there's so much junk I don't know what to buy. He does like to chew on a rawhide bone.

Baldwin

 

It is too easy to think that because we like to eat comfort foods that are important to our short term well being that dogs are gratified by the same thing.

A dog is more satisfied and would go to sleep happier if it had an opportunity to get a pat on the head for doing a good job with a physical challenge like sitting and staying or heeling on a long walk.
Eating unhealthy for a dog human food is not the way to canine happiness.

If you take the dog out for extended vigorous exersize he may see those rejected milk bones in a different light.

 

I wouldn't think that a quarter size piece a couple times a day will do any harm at all as long as the dog is eating a healthy diet along with it. Of course as the others say there are healthier alternatives available that he would like just as much.

 

As a treat, some BBQ hamburger is fine, as is most people food. Always stay away from chocolate, esp. dark chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie or a small bite of a chocolate bar won't be enough to make a dog sick, but shouldn't be given as a treat. The higher the cocoa content, the more dangerous it can be. Onions are another food that dogs shouldn't have.

But you asked about hamburger, not chocolate. Just wanted to throw that in there for good measure.

Feeding him that much that often isn't good for him, even though he likes it. It sounds like he's picky about his treats, though. There are a lot of good, healthy treats on the market, such as Mother Hubbard and Three Dog Bakery. Ezra (our greyhound) likes almost any of the peanut butter flavored treats, and almost all of the other 'bakery' style treats. The Milk Bone biscuits may just be too bland for your dog, which wouldn't be shocking. Three Dog Bakery makes a treat called Ribbbs, which are baked treats that taste like BBQ ribs. I'm sure he'd love those!

Our dog has peculiar eating habits, too. Sometimes he'll vacuum up his food as if he's starving, sometimes he'll take all day to eat his morning 'breakfast', and sometimes he'll take one piece of kibble at a time over to his bed to eat it. Occasionally he won't touch his food until we get home, and then he'll vacuum it up! This seems like a normal dog thing, since I work with coyotes and they sometimes do the same thing. They're all crazy, but you gotta love 'em.

Good luck with finding the picky boy something he likes!