by Darwin Merluza
If you are a dog owner, especially a Frenchie, a recent story of a dog that had a near-death experience after an onion snack should get your antennas up. Frenchies are well-known for their ravenous appetites and other undesirable behaviors. Since they spend most of their time indoors, chances are they could fill their bellies from the table. But you shouldn’t let that happen because it’s dangerous for the dog.
You might think that perhaps we are being a bit paranoid. After all, dogs often eat human food, and nothing happens. But that’s not the case. Here are reasons why your French Bulldog should not eat from the table. You will also learn the dangers that lurk and how to discourage such behavior. But first, here’s a clarification on why your dog escaped the ER.
Can dogs eat human food and scraps?
After reading the story about the New Hampshire dog, you might wonder whether Frenchies can eat bread, pork, potatoes, rice, or sugary snacks like ice cream and chocolate. Maybe you often share a bite without thinking about the dangers of feeding dogs table scraps, and your Frenchie never had tummy issues.
If that’s you, you should count yourself lucky and stop immediately. Animal health expert, Aisling O’Keeffe, MVB, clarifies that one type of chocolate – milk chocolate – is not toxic. But brown chocolate could be lethal. A bite from your bar of Kit Kat could be catastrophic.
Below are more reasons why your Frenchie shouldn’t eat from the table.
Some foods are toxic to dogs. Not many dog owners understand the dangers of feeding human foods to dogs. They do not know that some human foods contain dog-toxic ingredients. Foods like raisins, onions, and garlic contain toxic elements that could hurt your dog. Processed foods also contain ingredients like sweeteners and seasoning that could be toxic to dogs. For example, chocolate contains methylxanthines, and onion powder contains N-propyl disulfide which is toxic to dogs.
You could unknowingly poison your Frenchie when you allow her to eat from the table. It could lead to digestion issues. The human digestive system is different from that of a dog. We (humans) got accustomed to eating foods packed with fats, carbs, sodium, and fiber.
When your Frenchie eats from the table, they could experience symptoms of stomach upsets like vomiting, diarrhea, and even long-term conditions like pancreatitis.
It can lead to obesity. Keep in mind that Frenchies have ravenous appetites. When you combine this with foods rich in sugars, fats, and carbs, the result is predictable – obesity.
If you allow your Frenchie to eat from the table, it won’t be long before you notice a pot belly. Within a short time, they could begin experiencing difficulty in motion and breathing due to excess weight.
It encourages undesirable behavior. Allowing your Frenchie to eat from the table also encourages begging behavior. You may think it’s cute, but not everyone will share your view. Just think about it, would your guests feel comfortable with a dog hovering around the dinner table? Your Frenchie could also feel free to have a bite (or more) straight from the plate or serving bowl. As long as you allow your dog to eat from the table, there is a risk she may embarrass you before guests.
The dog could refuse to eat from their bowl. Creating embarrassing scenes is only one side of the behavior coin. The other is your Frenchie could turn their nose on their bowl. After all, you allow them to eat human foods that are often more filling and calorie-packed.
Your puppy will be on your lap begging for scraps whereas they have left plenty of kibble in their bowls.
How to avoid your Frenchie’s negative behavior. Now that we understand the dangers of feeding human foods to your Frenchie, the next step is to discourage them from the table.
First, never feed your Frenchie from the table or give her scraps in the first place; it’s much harder to train them out of the behavior once you’ve started. Nevertheless, if you regularly do it, or if your Frenchie already begs for food, the following pointer will get you on the right track:
Deny them access to the dining table area (whether you are eating or not). Provide a distraction. If the Frenchie has a favorite human-grade dog food or toy, give it to them when they want to eat. Crate-train your Frenchie, and usher them to their crate during dinner time. Ignore their begging – it might be nerve-wracking, but you can do it. Make interesting meals for your Frenchie. Reward good behavior and be consistent. Remember to check the number of treats, and certainly let the treats not be table scraps.
A final word
Frenchies are cute and cuddly, but have ravenous appetites and could develop undesirable meal habits like eating from the table. Don’t allow this behavior to creep in; it endangers them and could hurt others. Avoid feeding your Frenchie from the table and train them to eat only from their bowls.
