When caring for a puppy, one of the most important things to manage is your dog’s diet. It’s crucial to ensure that they are eating healthy food that’s beneficial to their health.
And as much as we try to check all the ingredients of our dog’s food and even make their meals ourselves, dogs are curious creatures, and there’s a high chance that they’ll end up eating something in your pantry.
While this might sound cute, you should never allow your dog in your pantry. If you’re thinking of adopting a dog, one of the first things you need to prepare in your house is your pantry and ensure it’s out of your dog’s reach.
Remember that foods that may be good for humans may not be good for dogs. In fact, at times, some of the foods we eat every day are actually toxic for dogs.
In this article, we’ll be going through the reasons you should keep your dog away from your pantry, how you can do that, as well as a couple of specific pantry items that you should keep away from your pet at all costs.
Why Should I Keep My Dog Away From My Pantry?
There are many items in the pantry that can be poisonous or at least not indicated for your buddies’ tummy. They might have items that he or she is allergic or that are actually lethal for canines. And we all know how curious dogs can be.
Here are a couple of the main reasons you should try your best to keep your dog away from your pantry. Check them out below.
Human Foods Can Be Toxic To Dogs
The biggest reason to keep your dog away from your pantry is to protect them from accidental poisoning. Remember, there are tons of human foods that are bad for dogs. Onions are very toxic to dogs, and they are commonplace in most pantries. On top of onions, there are tons of ingredients you may have in your pantry that can cause severe consequences if your dog eats them.
As you probably already know by now, chocolate, grapes, raisins, and sugar are all toxic to dogs. Since there are found in most household pantries, it’s always a good idea to keep these items in higher shelves or sealed for dogs to not be tempted into chewing it.
And since dogs are animals, they will eat whatever food they come across that tastes good in their palette, and if they get into the pantry, they could eat something they shouldn’t.
They Can Cause a Mess
On top of eating the wrong types of food, if your dog gets into your pantry, they could leave a huge mess. Anyone who’s adopted a puppy before knows how big of a mess dogs can make, especially when they get to places they shouldn’t.
Since pantries are loaded with food, there’s a high chance your dog will make a big mess if they get inside. This can result in a huge headache for you as a dog owner and an unnecessary hassle that could have been completely avoided.
How to Dog-Proof Your Pantry
One of the best ways to keep your dog out of your pantry is to make sure it’s always closed. If you have an open-type pantry, it can be hard to do this and you might have to make some significant changes. However, remember that when you adopt a dog you take responsibility for it, and sometimes, that can mean making some adjustments in your life.
On top of making sure your pantry closes properly, you could also install child-proof safety locks. Dogs are crafty and intelligent animals, and some of them will be able to open closed doors, especially if there’s no one watching. But if you install child-proof locks on them, there’s no way your dog can open up the pantry and raid all the supplies you have inside.
What Pantry Items Are Toxic to Dogs?
Keep in mind that there are tons of different foods and ingredients that can be very toxic to dogs. While they might be fine for human consumption, dogs have a different body and system that will react differently to certain ingredients.
Here are some common household ingredients that may be in your pantry that are toxic for dogs;
Onions
Onions, along with all members of the allium family such as garlic and shallots are highly toxic to dogs. This is because they contain a toxin that thins their blood and affects their red blood cells.
All parts of the onion plant are toxic to dogs, so if you’re growing some in your garden, make sure to keep your dog away from them as well. When dogs ingest members of the allium family, they may experience weakness, lethargy, and other issues such as vomiting.
And in the worst cases, they might even develop hemolytic anemia, which is a very serious condition. You can read more about why onions are toxic for dogs in this article from Spot & Tango: https://whatthepup.spotandtango.com/can-dogs-have-onions/
Sugar & Sweeteners
Sugar and other sweeteners are commonplace in the pantry. These are very dangerous for dogs to eat as they could cause obesity and oral health problems. On top of that, certain artificial sweeteners such as Splenda contain ingredients that are highly toxic and dangerous for dogs.
Conclusion
So, that’s why you should keep your dog away from your pantry. You can do this by keeping everything closed, making sure it’s locked, and limiting your dog’s access to that area of the house.
If your dog is sniffing around your pantry it might be also because of boredom, so take them for a walk or simply engage in healthy playing. You can also give them a healthy snack, like apples, carrots or pumpkin slices, since these are all dog friendly. Check here in PetMD some friendly-fruits for your pup.
In the event your dog makes it to the pantry and eats potentially toxic foods, make sure to contact your vet as soon as possible.
