What Food Can Labradors Eat
As you go through this fairly large list of food that Labradors can eat, remember that it is always best to add something new to your dog’s diet slowly over a couple of days. This gives you a chance to monitor any changes in his behavior or patterns. If you notice any negative results, then take that food off your dog’s menu even if it is on this list of “What Food Can Labradors Eat.”
Every dog is an individual, and his diet may have unique needs because of those individual circumstances.
I also think it is important to only add one food at a time to your dog’s diet. This way, if you do notice some going wrong, you know what food is causing the problem and you can eliminate it from the menu.
Apples
Apples are a great treat for your retriever. But you do have to be careful. You can’t just hand your dog a full apple.
While apples have lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, the seeds contain cyanide. In large amounts, cyanide is poisonous.
Bananas
There are old wive’s tales about the benefits of bananas. Some people speculate that mashed bananas help cure a doggy tummy ache. This is never been proven, so take it for what it is worth.
On the other hand, there are some things that we can say for sure. Bananas have a considerable amount of fiber. Fiber to a point can help your retriever’s digestive system. Too much fiber, however, can be a problem for your dog. Excessive amounts of fiber will actually cause constipation in dogs.
Blackberries
Labradors can eat these delicious fruits either fresh or frozen. They are full of vitamins and antioxidants. They have a lot of fiber, so make sure that you don’t overdo it. Too much fiber can cause a problem with your dog’s digestive tract.
Blueberries
These are an excellent choice for a doggy treat. Unlike the apples or watermelons, there is no special preparation required with these treats. Just give a handful to your hunting buddy.
In addition to serious amounts of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, blueberries are also low in calories. This makes them an excellent treat for your Labrador or Golden Retriever.
Carrots
Dogs can eat carrots cooked or raw. It is a good idea to cut them up into small pieces to avoid choking issues. Like the blueberries, they are very low in calories.
Cheese
Cheese is high in fat and calories but is usually okay in small amounts from time to time. Not all cheeses are created equal, however, and you should know which ones to avoid and which ones make for good training incentives if need be.
Eggs
Raw eggs are not so good for your pup. If eggs are not cooked, they can give your dog salmonella poisoning and make him really sick.
Cooked eggs, on the other hand, are really good for your dog. They have lots of protein as well. This should help to maintain your dog’s muscle mass.
Fish
Fish is good for your dog, but there is some extra prep that you need to go through to remove all of the little bones. Unless you are using sardines. Sardines are great because their soft bones actually dissolve in your dog’s stomach and give an increased amount of calcium.
Also, you should fully cook all fish before feeding it to your Lab. Uncooked fish can give your dog a parasite that can be fatal.
So, if you are going to give your retriever fish, ALWAYS cook it first and let it cool.
Honey
Some people believe that a little bit of honey can actually help if your dog struggles with allergies. The theory holds that this natural sweetener gives your dog’s immune system a boost because of the pollen it contains.
In addition to an allergy cure (maybe or maybe not), it does contain a ton of nutrients including vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, potassium, calcium, and antioxidants.
Honey can also be used as a topical treatment for burns and minor, superficial cuts.
Oranges
Lady likes oranges, but it took me a while to get her to try them. At first, she just ignored them. Oranges are perfectly safe for your dog. In fact, they are filled with liquid and make them a great treat for keeping your dog hydrated.
Peaches
Many dogs love peaches. There is nothing wrong with the flesh of the fruit, but you should not let your retriever eat the pit or the seed. It is can be a serious choking risk for your dog.
Peanuts
Unlike other nuts, peanuts are a good snack for Labradors. Like peanut butter (for obvious reasons), peanuts have loads of heart-healthy fats. It is best to avoid salted peanuts to help keep your dog’s sodium intake to a minimum.
Also, extra levels of fat can cause pancreas problems down the road.
Popcorn
Popcorn is fine for dogs to eat.
Air-popped corn is probably the best for your dog. Anything you do in the microwave will have other added ingredients like butter and oil. These have excess fats and calories that you should help your dog avoid.
You need to make sure that all of the kernels get popped so that your dog does not end up choking on its snack.
Potatoes
If your dog eats cooked potatoes, he will be fine. Because of potatoes have a lot of carbs, they will lead to your dog gaining weight. So, this is another food that is on the list because your dog won’t die if he eats it, not because I think that it is something you should feed your dog.
Rice
This is another common ingredient in dry dog food. Dogs can eat rice plain or cooked; brown or white. They digest rice very easily and rice is rumored to calm upset stomachs.
You can give it to them plain, or add some cooked chicken or turkey for a protein boost at the end of a hunt test.
Shrimp
Shrimp is one of those foods that your dog can eat, if you are willing to put in a little extra prep. Before you give your dog shrimp, you need to remove the tail, legs, shell, and it has to be completely cooked because raw shrimp can make your dog sick.
Once you have cooked the shrimp and removed the shell, tail, and legs, it is a great, protein-rich treat that your dog will probably love.
Tuna
I would avoid giving your dog a lot of canned tuna because it has sodium and mercury in it. Both of which, at high levels, can be toxic to dogs. Every now and then is probably not a problem, but avoid doing it on a regular basis.
Cooked tuna is a great treat for your dog that provides omega-3 fatty acids which are good for your Labrador’s heart. Make sure, if you are preparing tuna for your dog, that you do not add any spices. Many of the spices we cook with will make your dog sick.
Yogurt
I have already mentioned that dogs may or may not be “lactose intolerant” as we describe some people. We do know that dogs have trouble digesting some dairy (notice that there is not any ice cream on this list of what food Labradors can eat).
Some dogs don’t seem to have a problem with digesting small servings plain yogurt.
If your dog is one of those that can digest it without problems, there are some benefits to the digestive tract because of the active bacteria present in yogurt.
Skip yogurts that have added sugars or sweeteners.
Why I Supplement My Labrador’s Diet
There are lots of reasons to give your dog a little something special after a day of training. Sometimes, if I have the right kind of fruit (watermelon or orange) it is a great way to fight off dehydration and replenish some of the essential things that exercise depletes.
It also gives me a special treat to encourage compliance with new skills at the beginning of a training session.
Other times, I am not really trying to supplement the diet. It usually just happens that I have some of the food on my plate, and I wonder if Lady can have some. I am not sure how you will use this list of foods, but if you would like, you can click here to get a pdf file so you always know what food can Labradors eat.
Author : Brian Ricks
Source: https://www.easyretrievertraining.com/what-food-can-labradors-eat/
