[Zub23]

I'm of the "no people food" class of dog owner. However, I get the impression that the woman who fostered Rosie before we added her to our family wasn't so careful. She claimed that she only feeds dogs appropriate food but I noticed that she was awfully free with cheese for instance. Also, whenever we have had people over for a barbecue, Rosie (who is very shy around strangers and almost never begs for food) works the crowd like a pro. She has killed puppy dog eyes. I'm pretty sure her foster mom had lots of parties where the guests were "dropping" food all over the place.
So, to my original question, do
you think an occasional piece of hotdog or burger is such a bad thing? My husband and I barbecued tonight and as usual the dogs were hanging closely around the grill...

 

[Zub23]

"Killer" not killed. ..

 

[LeoRose]

Cheese is good. I, and lots of other people, use it as training treats. Hot dogs are high in both fat and sodium, but a bite here or there is okay. My dogs also like little bits of raw and/or cooked hamburger meat.

 

[Tater33]

Cheese is good. I, and lots of other people, use it as training treats. Hot dogs are high in both fat and sodium, but a bite here or there is okay. My dogs also like little bits of raw and/or cooked hamburger meat.

Is any cheese OK? American, sharp cheddar...?
I didn't know hot dogs had that much sodium. We don't give our much of it at all but I'll stop completely.

 

[storyist]

Some cheeses have a lot of sodium too. A lot of dog people around here use that white cheese that comes in sticks for snacks (string cheese?) for dog treats. I often keep treats in my mouth for easy access when I'm training, and that stuff was so salty I couldn't stand it. Look at nutrient labels.

If a dog is loose with guests at a barbecue, there's probably no way to stop some of them from slipping her stuff. I'd just make sure they can't give her anything Bad For Dogs, like a desert heavy with dark chocolate or onion rings.

My dogs probably get at least 5% of anything I eat that isn't bad for them. It's made then beggars, but it hasn't hurt them.

 

[LeoRose]

I've used string (mozzarella) cheese, cheddar cheese, colby/jack cheese, and even Swiss cheese on a occasion. Some cheese is saltier than other brands. but if I'm going to hold a treat in my mouth, it's going to be something I'd eat anyway, and I happen to like cheese.

Yes, hot dogs (or any cured meat) have a ton of salt ,and usually lots of fat. You can use bits of hot dog as training treats as long as it's just a little bit. I have friends who cut them into little pieces and then microwave the heck out of them until they are dry and crunchy, and toss a few bits in with kibble, freeze-dried or dehydrated bits, and other assorted goodies, to make a sort of trail mix of training treats. A little hot dog goes a long way when used like that.

As mentioned, leaving a dog loose during a gathering pretty much ensures that they will be vacuuming up any dropped bits and pieces, and/or people are going to slip them a little something whether it's good for them or not.

 

[briteday]

Our dogs do not ever get "people food" unless it is for a special reason. We use low fat string cheese for giving them meds. It is such a treat for them that they never notice the pill hidden inside. We use the dried out hot dog bits when we are training. They are cheap, easy to make, and the dogs consider them to be high value. Little bits go a long way. I would not be feeding my dogs anything at a bbq as it is all too greasy or has condiments on it. Our dogs eat a raw meat only diet but there is nothing at a bbg (unless hubby drops a raw steak or chicken on the ground) that we would allow them to eat. Unless you are eating their dog kibble and enjoying it, there is no reason to allow/train a dog to eat people food. We actively discourage the dogs ("leave it") from eating any food that drops from a human any time. We feed out dogs first at dinner time each evening. They eat in their crates. They stay in their crates to rest while we eat dinner. Then we all enjoy a play session in the yard or a walk in the neighborhood after dinner. When started as a puppy, they never learn to beg at the table and have never eaten food that is not in their bowl. Random times when they pick something up in their mouth that is not appropriate they are told to "drop it." (comes in handy if they catch a mouse or squirrel too!) You never know what falls off the table or plate that might harm your dog. And too many human foods can lead to pancreatitis once they start raiding a garbage can in search of those tasty morsels.

 

[Tater33]

Our dog is really good at leaving us alone while we are eating. She knows she'll always get a little treat from the plate after we are done, and runs over as soon as we get up from the table. Otherwise, she never begs or bothers us.
We started doing that as soon as we got her and it's stuck.

 

[crysania]

We're the lenient types. Frequently when we have a BBQ, we make the dogs their own burgers (no condiments, no spices, just plain old cooked hamburger) and they love it. But they also tend to get bits of what other people are eating. We always give the dogs bits of our food at the table if it's dog appropriate. Neither are obnoxious. They just sit next to the table and hope for the best.