Cheerios don’t contain chemicals that can harm your dog unless they have been flavored with chocolate. Original, Honey nut, multi-grain, and very berry Cheerios… there are so many of them. But seriously, can dogs eat Cheerios?
Well the truth is, your pup is going to be fine if we are talking tiny serving size. But there’s a bad part too. Your dog will have no health and nutrition advantages and, even worse, that allergy can develop over time because of eating the cereals.
Anytime your dogs would like to have a treat, think about your behavior in the same scenario if your child was involved. Most children would prefer a cotton candy to a broccoli sprout. And your pup might like something sweet like Cheerios too. However, it does not have many nutritional benefits as a protein treatment your pup must have instead. But let’s go into detail.
Are Cheerios good for dogs?
Not so much. While the American Heart Association claims that the cereal benefits the heart, it is in human, not in dogs. Minerals and vitamins containing in Cheerios may potentially have some minor positive effects on canines, but the big picture is that cereal is essentially a bunch of empty calories for your dog.
Some veterinarians suggest using Cheerios rather than mass-produced dog treatments if your dog is overweight. Cheerios seem to have enough taste to make your dog believe it gets the best nom-nom in the world, and they just have a low amount of calories to squeeze into a strict doggy diet. However, there are tons of low-cal delicious dog treats on the market that might be a better choice in this situation. For instance, Chewy treats from Cloud star are only 3 calories per treat. And dogs really seem to love it.
Some pets eat their treats as they have so much more taste than their regular dog food. To deal with this, you can offer them a little treat that is pretty bland, like Cheerios so that the pup will appreciate the variety and sweetness of that novelty, but still be interested in their food.
Are Cheerios bad for dogs?
Cheerios are pretty safe for pets, depending on their flavor. It used to come in only taste (Honey Nut), but in the past decade, the company has largely expanded its products range. So now, Cheerios can be found in yogurt, fruit-flavored or chocolate varieties. The safety of your dog depends on what flavor you’re offering. Be careful about the variations that contain nuts, particularly almonds. Doggy stomachs don’t digest almonds well, so, therefore, most dogs end up with diarrhea or vomiting.
Cheerios may be an absolute favorite in your house, but extra sugar can tear up the tummy of your dog. Chocolate Cheerios is entirely unacceptable for your dog. Your dog should avoid any chocolate at all costs. Even tiny amounts can be poisonous, especially for small pups. It may lead to some nasty belly upsets.
Last but not least, do not ever feed your dog with a mix of cereals and milk. Many dogs are intolerant to lactose. It is therefore not the right food choice because it can make the dog uncomfortable and sick later. All in all, your best option is to offer your dogs only the classic version of Cheerios. The more additives in the product, the more certainty in the fact that your dog will suffer from nasty side effects.
Can dogs eat Cheerios with Honey and Nuts?
The Honey Nut Cheerios are safe to your canine. You shouldn’t give them a piling bowl of it, but giving just a little bit of it as a rare treat is all right. 1 oz Cheerios contains 105 calories, 1.3 g of fats, 152 mg of sodium (100 mg per day is a recommended daily intake for dogs of medium size) and 9 g of sugar, which is somewhat excessive. So, all in all, it’s not the healthiest food option for your pup.
Cheerios and dogs. Summary
So can dogs eat Cheerios? Rule #1 don’t make it a staple of your dog’s diet. Dogs should get a significant part of their calories intake from carefully formulated dog food products and treats to supply them with all the nutrients, and minerals pets have to get, (e.g. chewy low cal treats) Don’t give your dog a human-sized serving of Cheerios. Even if cereal is relatively straightforward in nature, it will cause too much stomach upset. Breakfast cereals are designed for people’s dietary requirements. While Cheerios may be served for human’s breakfast and many will enjoy it, it is not a meal substitute for your pup. Keep utilizing Cheerios in VERY rare cases as yummy snacks or training treat. Thus you can make sure the pet will remain as healthy as long as possible.
Credits: thanks for the cover photo to Aline Ponce from Pixabay
