Graham crackers are a tasty summer snack for children and adults alike!
Most humans love the taste of graham crackers, but are they safe for our canine companions?
It is a good idea to check in with your vet before you feed your dog any type of human food.
In general, as long you do not go overboard, a few pieces of a graham cracker will be perfectly safe for most dogs.
If your dog has a wheat allergy or gluten intolerance, a graham cracker might cause an allergic reaction, but the vast majority of dogs can digest a small amount of a graham cracker with no adverse side effects.
Note- You probably do not want to feed your dog a graham cracker directly from the dining room table because that will encourage begging behavior. Put the piece of graham cracker in your dog’s food dish instead.
Are Graham Crackers Healthy for Dogs?
Graham crackers contain a lot of carbohydrates and sugar, so they are not exactly healthy for dogs.
However, a small amount of a graham cracker is fine as a treat. Graham crackers will not hurt your dog, as long as they are eaten in moderation.
Graham crackers should not make up a significant amount of your dog’s diet.
Too many graham crackers could upset your dog’s stomach and cause GI symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting.
Additionally, if your dog indulges in a lot of sugary carbohydrates over time, your dog could become overweight or even obese.
Can Dogs Have S’mores?
Graham crackers are a favorite ingredient in cookout classics such as s’mores.
While you can give your dog a few bites of your plain graham cracker, you cannot feed your dog s’mores.
S’mores contain chocolate and chocolate is toxic to dogs.
If you are having campfire snacks such as s’mores, be very careful that your dog does not accidentally get access to the chocolate.
If you are serving s’mores to children, it is probably a good idea to place your dog in a crate or in another room, so your dog does not have the chance to lick up a chocolately mess that accidentally drips on the floor. S’mores are fun but messy! Especially if kids are involved!
If your dog does inadvertently ingest chocolate, immediately call your veterinarian’s office for assistance.
What About Other Types of Crackers and Cookies?
It is very tempting to want to pamper our pooches with human snacks.
However, human crackers and cookies are not very healthy or nutritious for our dogs.
A few pieces of graham cracker or other type of bland cracker will not hurt, but you should avoid feeding your pet too many processed human snacks.
If you really want to feed your dog a human snack, try a healthier option such as little bit of apple, carrot, sweet potato or a blueberry!
Overindulging in cookies and crackers can lead your pet to become overweight or even obese.
There are many health risks associated with obesity including:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Hypertension
- Arthritis
- Mobility issues
- Difficulty Breathing
- Heat Intolerance
- Shortened Lifespan
Additionally, some human crackers and cookies contain ingredients that are toxic for dogs.
Make sure to check the ingredients on the package and avoid any cookies or crackers that contain:
- Chocolate
- Raisins
- Macadamia nuts
- Garlic
- Onion
- Chives
- Avocado
If your dog ingests these toxic ingredients, they can experience very serious symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, muscle weakness, seizures, organ failure and even death.
Call your vet or an animal poison control center if your pet ever accidentally ingests a toxic food.
In conclusion, you can give your dog a few bites of your graham cracker as a treat, but do not go overboard with the human snacks.
When in doubt, check with your vet or skip the human snack all together and give your dog a dog treat instead.
Calvin is the co-founder and one of the main contributors to dogtemperament.com. He has been an avid dog lover all his life. He enjoys researching and sharing great ideas on how you can avoid common pitfalls of dog ownership and build the most loving and enjoyable relationship with your dog.