I'M NOT A DOG LOVER!!! I just love my dog...

I’m not a “dog lover” by any means, ask anybody that knows me and they will agree. My wife is quite the opposite (as with most subject matters) in fact she is the epitome of dog lovers. I do admit that I “like” Ginger very much and would probably cry if anything were to happen to her; which is far more loving towards any animal then I was just a few years ago.

I noticed a “Featured Headline” on the Yahoo home page: “Foods that harm pets… Giving table scraps to your pet can cause health and behavioral problems.” And: “Safe Thanksgiving for dogs”. I have to say I was most intrigued by these titles. This would explain Ginger’s heaviness and her abnormal behavior! So I began an exhausting 10 minutes of research about dogs and table scraps and learned a few things.

Ginger was a very “cute” puppy. I remember when she was very small; we decided when we bought her that we were not going to feed her “people” food. Well only a couple of cute looks and whimpers broke us of that idea. Now she isn’t so small. I told Deanna that we should take her back and get our money back because they said she was a miniature. Anyways I learned that feeding your dog table scraps leads to many problems.

By giving your dog table scraps you are setting yourself up for years of begging at the table.
When you decide enough is enough, the begging and cute tender looks in your direction become crying, whimpering, barking and other attention grabbers.
Very unhealthy; many human foods are not good for dogs and can harm them. Dogs will eat almost anything, but that doesn’t mean it is good for them.

Dogs are naturally pack animals. Dogs view you and your family as a pack. Packs have a hierarchy and it only has one leader (The Alpha). If you allow your dog to eat when you do or with you the dog feels as though it is moving up in rank. If this continues you dog will take on threatening behaviors such as growling and snapping. Dogs should always be fed last and not given any table scraps.

Toxic foods to avoid giving your dog…

Chocolate: Small amounts causes gastrointestinal problems including diarrhea; large amounts causes coma and death.

Grapes/Raisins: Even a small amount can severely damage the kidneys.

Garlic or Onions: Fresh, powdered or cooked lead to damage of red blood cells causing anemia.

Macadamia Nuts: More gastrointestinal upsets, lethargy, vomiting and muscle tumors.

Mushrooms: Can cause shock and death.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes of all kinds in the smallest portions can cause severe gastrointestinal upsets.

Raw Potatoes, Nutmeg, Turkey Skin and Caffeine are the remaining foods that are dangerous, they cause coma and death.

Hope this was a little helpful…