Top 5 Best Human Foods to Give your Dog

We all love spoiling our dogs, don't we?  Though a lot of human foods are not healthy for our dogs to eat, some actually make great snacks, (and great ingredients in Smart Cookie Dog Treats).  So, how do you know what some of the best human foods are to give your dog?  We've summarized our favorites below...

Top 5 Best Human Foods to Feed your Dog: (and no, these aren't necessarily rank ordered, they are all healthy and nutritious for different reasons!)

5. Oats/Oatmeal
Oats are a great alternative for dogs allergic to wheat, which is one reason it is our favorite pick in the carbohydrate category for Smart Cookies!  Next time you cook yourself up a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, you should share some with your pooch (just skip the additives and flavorings).  Oats are loaded with soluble fiber which aid in digestion, and keep your dog's poo-piles looking normal.  Gross, but true.  Oats also have anti-inflammatory properties, so they are a great choice for dogs with arthritis or stiff joints.

4. Pumpkin
It's not Halloween for nearly 2 1/2 more months, but pumpkin is a good human food to feed your dog year-round.  Dogs tend to favor pureed pumpkins - no sugar or spices needed!  Pumpkins aid your dog's health in a few ways: digestion (pumpkins are high in fiber which keeps "things" moving), urinary function (the flesh and seeds contain oils that aid the kidneys), and weight loss (because of the fiber contained in pumpkin, this gourd will help your dog feel fuller, longer).  You never know, there may be a seasonal Smart Cookie Dog Treat in the fall - you'll just have to check back to find out!

3. Blueberries
We first learned that Sam, our Chief Tasting Officer, loved blueberries when a container of them broke open and blueberries went flying! They were swiftly cleaned with her devilishly fast tongue, and we decided to offer them as one of the fruit options for Smart Cookies.  Whole Foods even deems the blueberry "the worlds healthiest food."  Besides being delicious, blueberries have one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits!  They are virtually non-fat, have lots of dietary fiber (which helps keep you and your dog regular), contain Vitamin C to keep your immune system strong, and manganese which plays a role in bone development, so they are great for puppies!

2. Peanut Butter
Ever give your dog a bit of peanut butter and then watch what happens?  Lots of lip-smacking goodness.  Another great idea to keep them entertained for hours is stuffing a hollow rubber chew toy with their favorite treat (which is Smart Cookies, of course, right?) along with some peanut butter.  But peanut butter is great, not just because it provides hours of entertainment.  It is also a good plant-based protein, in addition to containing unsaturated fats.  These "good fats" can decrease risk of heart disease, and aid in blood-sugar control.

1.  Carrots
Move aside bunnies - carrots aren't just for you guys anymore.  Dogs love carrots too, and they're good for them! Carrots contain a compound, aptly named: Carotene.  They are packed with this compound, commonly known as beta-carotene, which is quickly converted into Vitamin A when digested in the body.  Vitamin A plays an important role in growth and development, maintaining the immune system, and vision health.  Cool fact about carrots: Beta-Carotene is what gives carrots their orange color.  You want to know what else is cool about Carotenes?  They posses antioxidants which are the good-guy molecules that remove the bad-guy free radicals from the body.  Free radicals are essentially by-products of cells oxidizing, which causes cell death... and no one wants that.  Go Carotenes!

Before tossing your dog any human food, be sure to research to make sure it's ok for them to eat. Consult with your veterinarian if you have any concerns or questions about your dog's diet.