Can Dogs Eat Bread?

When you’re looking for a quick meal that will satisfy your hunger without taking up a lot of time, a sandwich is the way to go. Throw some lunch meat, cheese, and lettuce between two slices of bread and you’re good to go. You know, however, that as soon as you sit down to eat it, your dog is going to be there begging. It is safe to give him a bite?

In this article, we’ll talk about whether bread is safe for dogs and, if it is, what kinds you can feed your dog. You’ll also learn some simple tips for including bread in your dog’s diet.

Related: Can Dogs Eat Cheese?

The smell of freshly baked bread is a pleasure for your nose, so you can imagine how good it smells to a dog whose sense of smell is exponentially stronger than yours. Even a piece of plain white bread from a bag smells good to your dog, however. But is it safe to feed your dog bread?

Most experts agree that small amounts of plain wheat or white bread shouldn’t be harmful to your dog as long as he doesn’t have a wheat allergy. Keep in mind as well that bread is very high in carbohydrates and dogs do best with a diet high in protein with limited carbohydrate content. Their bodies simply are not designed to digest plant materials as efficiently as proteins, though bread is certainly not something difficult to digest in most cases.

Related: Can Dogs Eat Yogurt?

Bread may not be the healthiest treat for your dog, but it does have some benefits. Depending on the type of bread and the ingredients, it could be a source of supplemental fiber. Some dog owners also use plain white bread to calm their dog’s stomach when it is upset.

Again, bread is certainly not the healthiest choice when it comes to feeding your dog people food, but it isn’t the worst option either. As is true for any treat, bread should not make up more than 10% of your dog’s daily diet and you should pay attention to the calorie content to be safe.

Here are some safety tips to keep in mind when feeding your dog bread:

• Check the ingredients to make sure it doesn’t contain xylitol or other ingredients harmful to dogs.
• Never feed your dog raw dough because it can ferment in his stomach and cause bloating and other unpleasant side effects.
• Don’t feed your dog bread as part of a sandwich unless you’ve checked the other ingredients to make sure they’re all safe for dogs.
• If you feed your dog bread, stick to plain white or wheat bread and make it an occasional treat.

Though bread may technically be safe for dogs in most cases, there’s no good reason to make it a significant part of your dog’s diet. The occasional crust here and there won’t hurt, but if you’re looking for a treat to give your dog choose something more nutritious like veggies.