Or, perhaps you want to use baby food as an ingredient in homemade dog treats or use it as a healthy kibble topper. Regardless, most baby food is safe for dogs. There are exceptions, as some baby foods are toxic to dogs, like grapes. Baby food contains limited ingredients, so you don’t typically have to worry about unsafe spices or added flavorings. In this article, we’ll talk about whether dogs can eat baby food, which flavors are safe, and which are toxic to dogs.
How Much Baby Food Can Dogs Eat?
Baby food is best when fed in small amounts, as a kibble topper, or off the baby’s bib! It’s perfectly safe for dogs so long as the ingredients themselves are dog-safe. For instance, banana and pumpkin baby food is not only okay, but healthy for dogs. But some citrus baby foods aren’t safe, because citrus can be toxic to dogs. If your baby is eating food that isn’t dog-safe, I suggest putting your dog in another room during mealtime and until you can clean up. Babies are notoriously messy eaters, so keeping it off the floor could be tough — especially if they enjoy feeding the dog and do so on purpose.
Benefits of Baby Food for Dogs
Limited Ingredients
Baby food contains limited ingredients, which helps introduce babies to new foods slowly and narrow down any allergic reactions. This is also good for dogs with allergies or other medical symptoms. And, you know exactly what’s in the food you’re feeding — which is always a good thing, and greatly decreases your risk of accidentally feeding your dog a toxic food.
Variety of Flavors
I’m a pet parent, not a human parent — so I was a little surprised to see that there are over 150 baby food flavors listed on Gerber’s website. And that’s just one company! With so many flavors to choose from, there’s bound to be safe baby food that your dog will enjoy. If you’re planning to freeze it for enrichment, use it as a kibble topper, or mix it into dog treats, you can provide your dog with variety. Or, you can at least be sure to find their favorite foods!
Easy on the Stomach
Due to the limited ingredients, baby food is easy on your dog’s stomach as well. It can be good for dogs who are having tummy problems or pancreatitis. Of course, always consult your veterinarian before adding anything new to your dog’s diet — especially if they have a medical condition such as pancreatitis.
Easy to Eat, Even with Mouth Pain
If your dog is having dental issues, baby food can be easy on their teeth and gums. This may be especially helpful if they’re recovering from a dental surgery and struggling to eat whole foods. As always, consult your veterinarian first if your dog is having trouble eating — but baby food might be a good option if your vet recommends soft foods.
Bonding with the Baby
This last one isn’t a health benefit, but it’s worth including. If your baby likes to share their food with the dog, this can promote a good bond between them. After all, what do dogs love more than food? It coming from the baby gives your pup a strong, positive association with them. Of course, you don’t want this to go too far — you don’t want the dog stealing baby’s food! You should also separate them at any time if the baby is getting too handsy or the dog shows signs of guarding or food aggression. But in most cases, if baby’s splattering food on the ground and your dog cleans it up, everyone’s going to be just fine and both may even benefit from the arrangement.
Risks of Baby Food for Dogs
The biggest risk of baby food for dogs is that there are a large variety of flavors, and some of them are made with ingredients that are toxic to dogs. It’s important to research the ingredients in the baby food before feeding it to your pup or letting them clean up after your baby. Otherwise, it’s a completely healthy treat. Remember, though, that treats should never make up more than 10% of your dog’s diet. Baby food isn’t a replacement for a high-quality dog food, as it doesn’t have the variety of nutrients needed to sustain your dog long-term.
Best Baby Foods for Dogs
Here are some of the best baby foods to feed your dog:
Toxic Baby Foods for Dogs
Below are a few baby food flavors to avoid for dogs. Keep in mind that this list isn’t exhaustive, and always research the ingredients before feeding baby food to your dog.
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