Can Dogs Eat Biscuits?

Dogs always have a way of getting around us with those big, round eyes. They just pull that adorable puppy dog face, and we give in to all they want. Even if it means giving them extra treats such as biscuits! But as you surely know, dogs get all the nutrition they need from their daily diet.

So you may be wondering whether dogs can eat biscuits?

The answer to this question is yes, you can give your dog biscuits, but the key to this will be in moderation. This is because too many biscuits will be very bad for your dog, and can upset their digestive system. Your dog’s diet should only be made up of around 10% of treats. Anything more than this and you could put your dog’s health at risk.

Today, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about biscuits and whether you can feed them to your dog.

What are Biscuits?

Over the pond in the UK and Europe, the term biscuit is used to describe cookies. But over here in the US, biscuits of course refer to a tasty fluffy quick bread. This is often leavened with additional ingredients such as baking powder, and then served alongside butter, jelly, or gravy.

While these are highly tasty treats for us humans, they’re not the best for your little hound. When given to your dog in moderation this won’t be too much of a problem. However, if you were to give your dog biscuits in excessive amounts, this could lead to vomiting, an upset digestive system, an irritated immune system, diarrhea, and many other unpleasant health issues for your dog.

So it will be important to only give these to your dog in moderation.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that there are some biscuits that have been made with dogs in mind. These are perfectly safe to give to your dog, but similar to the human biscuits, these should also be only given as treats.

Can I Give my Dog Biscuits?

If you were to give your dog biscuits in moderation, this shouldn’t cause them too much distress or digestive upset. It could become problematic if you gave them to your dog in large quantities. Remember that your dog gets all the nutrition they need from their daily diet.

Dogs are carnivores, so they need a lot of high quality protein to support lean muscle. So while biscuits are okay as an occasional treat, this shouldn’t be relied on to fulfill your dog’s needs.

Another thing to bear in mind is that some dogs have gluten and wheat intolerance. So if you know that your dog is gluten or wheat intolerant, you should avoid giving them biscuits at all costs. These could upset their sensitive digestive systems and make them very poorly in the process.

How Many Biscuits Can I Give My Dog?

Even though your dog may ask for more treats, it will be important to remember to use moderation. This is because your dog will always be hungry, even when their belly is full. So you will have to consider your dog’s best interests and only give them a small bit at a time.

Biscuits should be only given to your dog as a treat. For example, if your dog has performed a trick or been a very good boy or girl. So it will be important to only give your dog between 1 to 2 treats in a day.

If you’re not sure how your dog’s size relates to how many treats they should have, you should use the general rule of thumb that smaller dogs weighing under 50 pounds should only have a single treat. If your dog weighs between 51 to 100 pounds, then they can have up to 2 biscuits in a day.

You should remember to only give them this small amount as a treat. This is because if you were to give your dog too many biscuits in one go, and on a regular basis, this could cause them to put on weight. You may think that you’re being cruel by not giving in to those puppy dog eyes, but you will be doing your dog and their health a favor in the long run.

Which Biscuits Can Dogs Eat?

When it comes to deciding which biscuits are okay for dogs, it will be important to think about the ingredients. This is because certain things are highly toxic to dogs, and you won’t want to poison them.

You should always avoid giving your dogs biscuits that have things like chocolate or excessive amounts of sugar in them. This is because chocolate is toxic for your dog, and could seriously harm their health. Your dog also won’t need the high intake of sugar that we might like to add to biscuits to sweeten them up.

It will also be important to avoid any biscuits that have included things like seasonings, garlic, and onions. These are incredibly toxic for dogs and could put your dog’s health in jeopardy.

Remember that if your dog suffers from a wheat or gluten intolerance, you should avoid giving them biscuits. These treats use flour as an ingredient, which could irritate your dog’s digestive system.

If in doubt, it will always be best to avoid giving your dog biscuits as a treat. Instead, you can opt for a dog friendly treat around your home that you know they love. It will be better to avoid giving your dog something that could potentially harm them just to make sure that they stay happy and healthy.

Can Dogs Eat Expired Biscuits?

As long as the biscuits are only a couple of weeks outside of their expiry date, there shouldn’t be too much of a problem in giving these to your dog. However, anything over this, and you could cause your dog to suffer from an upset stomach.

If in doubt, you shouldn’t give the expired biscuits to your dog. It will always be best to throw these away and maybe opt for a healthier option of treats that you have around the house instead.

Another factor to consider is whether the biscuits have any bacteria or mold on them. If you notice mold, you should never feed these biscuits to your dog. This is because these could then harm your dog and make them very ill in the process.

You can also opt for a biscuit treat that has been designed with dogs in mind. If you have opted for these types of dog biscuits, then they will typically have a shelf life from around 6 months up to a whopping 3 years. If these are only slightly outside of their expiry date, then it should be safe for your dogs to eat these.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it! Your dog can indeed eat biscuits, however, it will be important to exercise moderation. This is because too many biscuits could make your dog very poorly, and cause them to put on weight. Remember that your dog doesn’t necessarily need biscuits in their diet. They get all the nutrition that they need from their daily food.

If you wanted to give your dog biscuits as a treat, you should only give them 1 biscuit per day. Anything more than this and your dog could start to put on weight.