Does your dog insist on begging for everything you are eating? If you said yes, I feel your struggle as a pet owner because I know how hard that cute doggy face can look when your dog is begging? Can dogs eat cheez its? This article will explore this question and see if you can share that salty, cheesy cracker snack with your dog.
Can Dogs Eat Cheez Its?
Yes, dogs can eat cheez its but keep in mind this doesn’t mean that they should. While Cheez Its are not toxic to your dog, it won’t really benefit your dog nutritionally. If you want, you can share a couple with your dog while you are enjoying some.
You can also use these as a training treat. However, these are high in calories, so maybe switching the cheez its with another treat such as cheerios or ones specially made for training would work great. Whatever you give your dog should be given to it in moderation. Do not let your dog sit and indulge in cheez its because it is not good for dogs to eat a lot of factory-made human food.
Can Dogs Eat White Cheddar Cheez Its?
Yes, you can feed your dog white cheddar cheez its basically the same nutritional information as the regular cheez its. But, again, remember that these crackers have a lot of sodium, and too much can be a very bad thing. Moderation is the key, and a few white cheddar cheez its will be perfectly fine for your pooch.
Can Dogs Eat Spicy Flavored Cheez Its?
No, dogs actually shouldn’t eat food that have a lot of added spices or heat. This can make your dog excess thirsty and also irritate its stomach. So when you shop for spicy foods, the best option is to store it as far away from your dog as possible and keep those special treats just for you.
Are Cheez Its Nutritionally Benefical?
According to a 7-ounce box of cheez its you can eat 27 crackers for 150 calories. When you divide 150 by 27, you get 5.5 calories per cheez it. While cheez its do contain some calcium and protein, which is essential for your dog to stay healthy, it does have some cons with being sodium dense and high in fat.
In the next section below, let’s talk about some of the benefits your dog will gain eating cheez its and the negatives.
Benefits
- 30 mg of calcium can be found in a serving size of cheez its. Calcium is important because it promotes strong bone and teeth growth. It can also be important as it can help clot blood.
- 30 mg of potassium can improve your dog’s brain, heart, and muscle function.
- Small amount of protein in the crackers from the dairy.
Negatives
- High-calorie content can make it difficult to feed smaller dogs as they don’t need many calories throughout the day. This is basically an empty-calorie food.
- Sodium there is a high sodium content in these crackers to give them that salty taste. There is 230 mg of sodium in the serving size. Typically, your dog’s dog food will have a decent amount of sodium already in it. So, your dog shouldn’t eat too much human food with sodium in it.
- Cheez its are made out of flour. Flour can be a big allergen for most dog breeds and a reason why grain-free dog food is advertised.
- High-fat content can also pose an issue so keep that in mind if you give your dog a cheez its to not overdo it. Obesity can be an issue for smaller dogs because it is very easy to overfeed a small dog that doesn’t need a lot of calories.
Alternatives to Cheez Its for Dogs?
There are always alternatives to human food that you can feed your dog. If your dog loves to beg for food while you are eating, let your dog have a treat. Here are a few ideas that you can try when you’re eating your cheez its.
Make your own DIY Dog Friendly Cheez It
You can easily make your own DIY cheez it for your dog that is much healthier and less processed than the original ones made for humans. You can easily make your own by dehydrating your own cheese or making a healthy cracker.
To make this healthy cracker, you can use a whole wheat or gluten-free flour. You can use any type of sharp cheese that you prefer and combine that with some softened butter. Add the flour until your form a dough. If you need, you can add a little bit of water or milk to make sure everything gets combined easily.
Alternate Treats
If you are a dog owner, you should always have dog treats on hand. You can purchase treats at almost every superstore and grocery store. So when you are eating something your dog can not indulge in, you can pull out their favorite treats and give them a few of those.
Human Food Treats
There are always alternates to human food with other human food that will be more suitable for your dog to enjoy. Here are a few snacks I recommend giving to your dog:
- Banana chips
- Various vegetables
- Cheerios
- Various fruits
What Happens If My Dog Ate Cheez Its?
If your dog only had a few cheez its then it will not be an issue, but if your dog somehow gets into the entire box, this can pose an issue. I would closely monitor your dog as it could feel sick from the number of calories and sodium it consumed.
If you feel like your dog isn’t responding well, I suggest calling your local vet to see what they tell you to do. It is also important to watch out for signs of bloat. Bloat is a very serious condition when your dog eats too much or too fast, and the stomach actually twists, causing a blockage. It can be fatal if not taken to be seen by a vet.
Overall, your dog will likely be fine, but it is always important to monitor your dog for several hours to see if you see any changes.
Summary
So, can dogs eat cheez its? Yes, but they do not really do anything beneficial for your dog besides filling the void of not getting a treat from you. Remember, you can always give your dog an alternative treat that would provide it with some great nutrition. Has your dog ever eaten a cheez it? Let me know in the comments below.