There is nothing that does not go right with yogurt! From heavy meals to evening snacks and from savory treats to sweet desserts- yogurt adds taste to anything and everything! But wait- can dogs eat yogurt as well?
Congratulations – YES! Dogs can eat yogurt safely in moderation. But before feeding your dog yogurt, explore more about the consequences and safe ways!
Is Yogurt Good For Dogs?
If you want to give your dog yogurt, you should know if your dog is lactose intolerant or not! If so, yogurt is nothing but a recipe for disaster. However, if your dog can eat dairy safely, yogurt can benefit them in several ways, such as:
1. Improved digestion
Yogurt is best known for its probiotics! Be it for humans or dogs, probiotics help improve tummies and improve digestion by making good changes in the microbial populations and nutrient digestibility. (1, 2). So, if your dog often struggles with constipation or diarrhea, yogurt might be their way out!
2. Immunity booster
The probiotics also help to support your dog’s immune health. It has all the good bacteria that help your dog to get more power in their gut and fight against diseases. So, incorporating a small amount of yogurt into your dog’s diet can be very beneficial.
3. Nutrients
Yogurt has high nutritional value, making it an excellent treat for your dog! It is packed with vitamins and minerals like:
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B12
- Protein
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
Can Dogs Eat These Types of Yogurt?
Being a human food, yogurt comes with a variety of flavors to be more palatable! There are several types of yogurt that may or may not be safe for dogs. Here is what we are talking about:
1. Flavored yogurt
You should not feed your dog sweetened yogurt with added flavors. These, indeed, are super delicious and palatable but are unhealthy for dogs. These come in multiple flavors like strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, mango, etc. Too much sugar content can be a nightmare for your dog, especially if they have diabetes.
Also, most commercial sweet eateries include a sweetener called xylitol. Xylitol is a compound that is deadly to dogs and can even be harmful in small amounts (study). So, flavored and sweet yogurt can include this toxic ingredient!
2. Yogurt with honey
You can feed your dog small amounts of honey mixed with unsweetened yogurt. Please do not add honey to already sweetened yogurt! Dogs may not feel the sugar rush, but their sugar levels can surely spike! You should only add a few drops of honey for taste and not for complete sweetness.
3. Greek yogurt
Yes! Feeding your dog Greek yogurt in moderation is safe and will not cause any harm. The only catch is to give your dog the unsweetened version without flavors or sweeteners. As a responsible dog owner, you should always check the ingredients, as it may include xylitol.
4. Homemade yogurt
You can safely feed your dog plain and unsweetened homemade yogurt! This will be free of any preservatives or harmful additives. You can also make it at home with non-dairy alternatives, which will be suitable for lactose-intolerant dogs. All you have to do is make regular curd/ yogurt at home as you would do for yourself, but do not add any artificial flavors, sugar, or sweeteners to it.
Safe and Fun Ways to Feed Your Dog Yogurt
- You can mix a few tablespoons of yogurt in the kibbles. Or even top some as a fresh cream over their meals.
- Instead of sweetened or flavored yogurt, you can give your dog fruits dunked into unsweetened and xylitol-free yogurt. You can use any fruit like- banana, apple, watermelon, blueberries, cranberries, avocado, etc.
- The only safe way to feed your dog yogurt is to keep the consumption minimal. Even though it is nutritious, it should only be used as an occasional snack or training treat.
Conclusion
Our final thoughts on “Can dogs eat yogurt?” is a BIG YES! The only catch is to only give it to your dog in moderation. As a responsible dog owner, you should know that feeding your dog too much of any food can cause digestive problems.
Rest assured, we highly recommend making frozen yogurt treats with mixed fruits for your dog. You can use unsweetened yogurt and your dog’s favorite fruits!
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the overall diet of your dog. If you have a puppy or a small dog with minimal food consumption capacity, you should not feed them yogurt daily. However, if you have a medium to large or an adult dog, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of yogurt to their diet every day. Please make sure that your dog is not getting sick due to it. If so, you should consult a veterinarian and reduce the consumption.
You can feed your dog up to 2-3 tablespoons of yogurt. You can use it as a paste on their chew toys or mix it with kibbles. However, it would be best to keep the consumption in moderation as excess yogurt can cause digestive problems and diarrhea in dogs.
No such evidence proves that yogurt is good for dogs with kidney disease. Yogurt is high in protein and phosphorus, which may not suit the diet of a dog with kidney problems. Please consult your veterinarian before feeding your dog any food for medicinal purposes.
No! Feeding your dog treats like pretzels is super harmful to their health. You should not feed yogurt-covered pretzels or the two mixes. Yogurt is healthy for dogs and should be fed either with safe fruits or plain and unsweetened fruits.
You should avoid feeding your dog sweetened, flavored yogurt and yogurt that includes xylitol as an ingredient. These additions may make yogurt palatable for humans, but for dogs, they deteriorate the benefits of yogurt and make it not-safe.
