Most owners have pondered tossing their dog an unwanted toast crust since it saves us from wasting food, and your dog gets to enjoy a tasty treat. If you want to know if dogs can eat toast, you’ve come to the right place to sniff out an answer.
We’re here to tell you if your pooch can have toast, if the toppings on your breakfast could be a hidden danger, and whether or not your pooch can eat bread too.
Can dogs eat toast?
Most dogs can eat toast, and many pooches enjoy a bit of crunchy crust as a treat. As long as your dog doesn’t have a wheat allergy or a gluten sensitivity, it’s paw-fectly safe for your pup to eat a bit of toast. It’s tasty, crunchy, and pretty plain so many dogs love it as a treat.
Although dogs can eat toast safely and it’s unlikely to harm your pooch, it won’t help them to stay healthy either. Toast is a filler food after all, and it’s mostly a source of carbohydrates, which dogs don’t necessarily need in their diet. Carbs aren’t inherently bad for dogs, but eating too many can make your pooch prone to weight gain.
Toast is generally not very nutritious, so it isn’t “good” food for Fido. It does mean there are healthier human snacks you could share with your pup. To put it simply, toast isn’t “good” for dogs, but it isn’t “bad” either.
If your toast has been made using seedy bread or any sort of flavoured bread, don’t feed it to Fido. It could contain an ingredient that is toxic to dogs, like onions, or irritants like chilli that can upset their stomachs.
Some dogs can't have toast
Not every dog can eat toast though. Some Border Terriers shouldn’t eat toast or bread because the breed is prone to a condition called paroxysmal gluten-sensitive dyskinesia, which can cause loss of movement. Irish Setters can also suffer from gluten sensitivity similar to celiacs.
However, individual dogs from other breeds can develop intolerances or allergies towards wheat or gluten. You should always speak to your vet about whether a new food is safe for your furry friend to try.
Generally, toast is paw-fectly safe for your dog to eat and most pups think it’s a satisfyingly crunchy, tasty treat. Feel free to toss a toast crust to your pooch as a treat as long as they’re also getting plenty of exercise and a healthy diet.
Can dogs eat toast crust?
Toast crusts are paw-fectly safe for dogs to eat, as long as it is from either white or brown bread. If you’ve got a kid (or an adult) that isn’t keen on crusts, your pooch can step in as chief crust cruncher and make sure it doesn’t go to waste. Just don’t give them every single crust and don’t feed it to them every day. A big dog can probably eat the whole crust and be fine, but a teeny pup like a Yorkie should probably only have a little piece about the size of your thumb.
It’s best to avoid feeding your dog any sort of seeded or flavoured bread, just in case any of the seeds are toxic to dogs or irritates their gut.
Are dogs allowed toast with butter?
Butter is mostly fat so it isn’t healthy for your dog to eat in large quantities, but a little bit of buttered toast is safe for your pooch to eat and shouldn’t cause them any immediate harm. But just because it’s safe doesn’t mean your pooch can scoff a whole slice of buttered toast! As with any food, moderation is key to keeping your pup happy and healthy.
If your dog has suffered from pancreatitis in the past or requires a low fat or a low salt diet, then it might be best to avoid having any butter on their toasted treat. It’s always better to be safe than sorry after all, and the rule for most human foods for dogs is to keep it plain and simple in order for it to be safe for canine consumption.
Can dogs eat toast with jam?
Dogs can eat the toast, but whether or not they can eat the jam really depends on the ingredients inside it. You’ll need to make sure there’s nothing toxic to dogs lurking in the jar, such as Xylitol which is a common sweetener but highly poisonous to dogs.
Jam is also very sugary, which isn’t good for your dog, but eating a little bit shouldn’t hurt them. Just remember to brush your dog’s teeth regularly to stop them from getting bad breath and cavities. If your dog has diabetes they shouldn’t eat jam because of the high amounts of sugar. But most dogs can enjoy a splodge of jam on their toast and be paw-fectly fine.
Can dogs eat Marmite toast?
Marmite is safe for healthy dogs to eat but it is very salty. Too much salt is bad for dogs, and some pooches might have underlying health conditions which require a low-salt diet to manage. Many dogs can enjoy a little lick of Marmite paw-fectly safely, so your pooch can have a little bit on toast as a special treat. It’s best to be kept as a very occasional treat though, and must always be fed in moderation.
Can dogs eat bread?
Dogs can eat plain white or brown bread, and it’s neither healthy nor harmful for your furry friend. As long as your dog doesn’t have any allergies, bread and toast are safe for your pooch to munch in moderation. Just don’t give them a whole slice because overfeeding them such a carby treat can lead to weight gain.
If you’ve got seeded or flavoured bread don’t feed it to your dog, just in case any of the ingredients are harmful. Don’t let your dog eat bread dough either because it can cause bloat and intoxication. These are classed as medical emergencies and very dangerous for dogs as they can endanger their lives.
Is toast good for dogs with an upset stomach?
Although we humans find toast bland and a great soother for an unsettled stomach, you shouldn’t offer your pooch a slice of toast if they have a pup-set stomach.
The best paws-ible food for a dog with an upset or sensitive stomach is plain, boiled white rice and some boiled chicken breast. These foods are very bland but su-paw easy for a dog to digest, so it helps to settle their stomach and give them all the energy and protein they need to feel better and get back onto their normal food.
Is it ok for dogs to eat toast?
It’s ok for dogs to eat toast in small amounts as an occasional treat. You might have toast every day for breakfast, but your pooch definitely shouldn’t. The best breakfast for your dog is a natural dog food that provides them with complete nutrition. A slither of bread and toast should just be a special treat.
But, every dog is individual and some might have allergies or sensitivities to either gluten or wheat which would mean toast is off the table as a treat.
Additionally, moderation is key when feeding your furry friend toast. It contains a lot of calories and carbs without any other nutrition, so it is just “empty” calories that could put your pup at risk of weight gain if they’re eating too much or not exercising enough.
Additionally, toast is toast because it undergoes the Maillard Reaction. This reaction is what gives your toast that brown hue, but when it is really dark brown or burned black it can be a problem because there are more carcinogens, which are cancer-causing compounds. Limiting the amount of burnt food and dark brown food that your dog eats means they ingest less of these compounds which build up in their body over their lifetime. (And yes, kibble food is brown because it’s undergone the Maillard Reaction. Yuck!)
How much toast can dogs eat?
They shouldn’t eat a whole slice that’s for sure, and your pooch shouldn’t eat toast every day. However, there’s no hard and fast rule about how much toast dogs can eat. Your best bet is to follow the 10% rule. Up to 10% of your dog’s daily recommended calories can come from treats, including toast, but most of their calories and nutritional needs must come from main meals made up of healthy dog food.
Recap: Can dogs have toast?
Yes, dogs can eat toast as long as they aren’t intolerant or allergic to wheat or gluten. If they are sensitive, it’s best not to give them toast just to make sure it doesn’t pup-set their stomach.
Dogs can also eat toast with some sort of spread on, provided it doesn’t contain any ingredients that are toxic to dogs. That means a little blob of strawberry jam, Marmite, or peanut butter is perfectly fine for your pooch to enjoy on a toast crust. If you really want to spoil your pooch, you could get a bit of toast and top it with some Pure!
Pure is complete and balanced nutrition, providing your dog with every nutrient, vitamin and mineral they require in every single bite, so your dog can enjoy honest, wholesome goodness with every meal. It's also super tasty too, leaving bowls licked clean and tails wagging.
