Barking for Broccoli Why Dogs Love Organic Food
Can Dogs Eat Broccoli?
Yes, dogs can eat broccoli. Dogs can eat the vegetable both cooked and raw, as long as there are no seasonings or oils added. However, this vegetable should always be given in very small quantities, especially because the florets contain isothiocyanates, which can cause gastric irritation in dogs.
Benefits of Broccoli for Dogs
While dogs dont actually need large amounts of fruits and vegetables to live healthy lives, certain onesdo make suitable treats on occasion and can even provide health benefits.
Broccoli is high in fiber and vitamin C and low in fat. It is safe for dogs to eat, raw or cooked, as long as no seasonings are added.
Hazards of Broccoli for Dogs
However, AKC Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Jerry Klein, DVM, warns that broccoli also contains a potentially harmful ingredient. The florets of this vegetable contain isothiocyanates, which can cause mild-to-potentially-severe gastric irritation in some dogs.
Dr. Klein also states, Broccoli is considered safe in dogs if the total amount ingested is less than 10% of their daily intake; more than 25% is considered toxic.
In terms of the 10 percent rule (that treats should make up no more than that percentage of a dogs diet), we have to remember that the actual amount differs depending on the size of your dog. Furthermore, every animal is unique. Some pets might react more strongly to broccoli than others, so its very important to monitor individual dogs to see how they react to broccoli or any new food item, and also to talk to your vet.
Choking Hazard for Dogs
Also, broccoli stalks have been known to cause obstruction in the esophagus, especially in small dogs, says Dr. Klein. Therefore, make sure you cut up the broccoli into bite-size chunks to avoid choking; keep an eye on your dog as they eat.
Small bites also make it easier to measure the amount of broccoli your dog consumes. As with any new food, start with a very small piece of broccoli to make sure your dog has no negative reactions before feeding them more. Ask your vet if you have any questions about how much broccoli is safe for your dog or if broccoli is the right treat for your dogs health.
Learn more about which fruits and vegetables that dogs can and cant eat here.
Here at the AKC, we field many queries from anxious dog owners about what is and isnt safe for their canine companions to eat. Questions range from the obvious (Can dogs eat steak bones?) to the trendy (Can dogs eat quinoa?) Check out more Can dogs eat articles on AKC.org to see what foods could be harmful to your dog, includingcherries,avocados, andonions.
Excessive Dog Barking: Reasons & and How to Stop It
Barking is natural for dogs, but sometimes barking can be a thing of excess, which can lead to frustrated owners, and sometimes neighbors. Generally, excessive or nuisance dog barking involves a dog repeatedly barking for prolonged periods of time that interfere with neighbors engaging being able to enjoy their own property. Everyones definition of what excessive barking is will look different but if you have a dog who is barking excessively there are things you can do to bring peace to your dog and quiet to your home.
Why Dogs Bark So Much
If you are struggling with a dog who barks excessively, its important to try and understand what is causing the barking. Vocalizations are one way that dogs can communicate about how they are feeling and what they want. Dogs may bark to get attention, because they are alerting to something going on around them, because they are bored, anxious, frustrated, or feeling defensive of their homes or families.
Some barking is normal, but when barking becomes excessive not only is it frustrating for owners, but its also a sign your dog may be stressed, or their needs arent being met. Dogs use their barking as a means of communicating with us when they need things: to go outside, to play, because they are hungry, or because they are concerned about things. There is always a reason for the barking, and its our job to figure out what our dogs need.
A common reason for excessive barking is in response to things going on in your neighborhood. Historically, many breeds of dogs were kept guarding their owners homes and properties, or to alert owners about the presence of intruders. Although today many owners find alert barking frustrating, its important to remember that this behavior is natural for dogs.
Removing Distractions
If your dog is spending their day looking out the window and barking at people, dogs, and vehicles in your neighborhood a key step to stopping the barking is to remove the distraction. By managing your dogs environment and their access to distractions you may be able to reduce or even eliminate excessive barking.
Adding blinds, curtains, or adhesive privacy film (which comes in plain frosted or decorative patterns) to your windows can block the visual distractions from your dog. In addition to creating visual barriers from neighborhood distractions, it can be useful to use a white noise machine or to turn on a white noise playlist, radio, or television to help muffle distracting noises from outside your home.
Develop Alternative Behaviors
In addition to managing your space to reduce your dogs engagement with triggers that cause them to bark, its helpful to teach alternative behaviors for your dog to do instead of barking.
If you know your dog barks excessively when a package is delivered, you can teach your dog that when the doorbell rings they should run to another area of your home to get rewarded (instead of your dog rehearsing the barking behavior at the door.)
To start teaching this new behavior, have a friend or family member ring your doorbell (or use a doorbell recording online), and when the doorbell rings, get your dogs attention with a high-value treat and rush quickly with a lot of verbal encouragement to the area you want them to go. When you get to that area, jackpot your dog with lots of high-value treats. Repeat this interaction multiple times over several practice sessions. With practice, your dog will shift their behavior and anticipate running to that area of your home away from the front door to get treats instead of barking when packages are delivered.
Increasing Enrichment
Excessive barking can be a sign that your dog is bored. When dogs dont have enough enrichment in their day, they may develop destructive habits including too much barking.
In addition to making sure your dog gets enough physical exercise by walks, and active playtime if youre struggling with excessive barking, its helpful to increase the amount of mental and enrichment your dog gets during the day. If you know your dog barks while home alone, make sure to spend quality time with your dog before you leave and provide stimulating activities like a stuffed KONG for your dog to solve and eat while youre away.
Providing brain games for your dog can help alleviate boredom barking. If youre going for extended periods of time, its helpful to have a friend, family member, or professional dog walker come and visit your dog midday to get exercise and break up the alone time.
Barking At You
When frustrated or bored, some dogs will bark at their owners for attention. This is known as demand barking. Generally, this behavior is a result of your dog trying to get attention or another need met. If your dog is barking at you excessively, ignore your dogs barking and reward what you do want the quiet moments between barking, engaging with toys etc. When your dog stops barking, praise and reward your dog. While your dog is quiet, engage your dog in play or practice a trick. The idea is to give your dog engagement and attention while they arent barking.
Dont Punish
Having a dog barking too much can be stressful. The frustration can also be heightened if you have neighbors complaining about your dog. When youre stressed, it can be tempting to get loud yourself. However, getting into a yelling match with your dog doesnt solve the barking problem. The louder you yell, the louder your dog barks and generally ends up just escalating your dog instead of calming them down.
Instead of getting frustrated, try to recognize that your dog isnt actively barking to make you mad, rather they are communicating a need or desire in the only way that they know. Punishing your dog for barking through yelling or using an electronic (shock) bark collar, citronella collars, or ultrasonic machines that produce unpleasant sounds doesnt address the underlying issue of why your dog is barking excessively. In addition, being aversive doesnt help your dog learn anything it just punishes behavior without giving an alternative.
Breed Considerations
All dogs are individuals, and some will bark more than others. How much a dog barks can have a variety of causes including a dogs socialization and training. In addition, some dog breeds are naturally more vocal than others. Some breeds tend to bark more because of the jobs (like guarding) that they were bred to do.
Additionally, because of their size, some dogs will have larger and louder barks than other dogs. If you are sensitive to barking or live in an apartment, its important to keep in mind how large a dogs bark is, as well breed characteristics, before getting a dog. If you have a breed that is naturally very vocal, youll need to be especially attentive to supporting your dog to avoid issues with your neighbors.
Regardless of what type of dog you have, the key to changing your dogs behavior is recognizing and addressing the underlying cause for the barking. Once you know why your dog is barking, you can make lifestyle changes to prevent barking and you can teach alternative behaviors.
5 Best Organic Dog Foods (2024)
How to Choose the Best Organic Food for Dogs
When it come to the best organic dog foods, it is important to know that not all diets are created equally. The word organic itself has become somewhat of a buzzword as companies realize pet owners interests in feeding their dogs food that they believe to be the best for them.
Organic and natural dog foods typically are the best for dogs to consume since great care is taken to source ingredients that have been raised in the ideal conditions and that are free from pesticides and other harmful agents. However, there is a difference between what is defined as an organic food and a natural food, and it is important for families to understand this to make the best selection for their dog.
Under the regulations established by the Association of American Feed Control Offices (AAFCO), natural is defined as a feed or feed ingredient derived solely from plant, animal, or mined sourcesnot having been produced by or subject to a chemically synthetic process and not containing any additives or processing aids that are chemically synthetic.
What this typically means in terms of dog foods which are often filled with items that would seemingly defy this description is that a natural food must be free from corn, wheat, soy, and artificial colors to be designated as natural. It is also important to note that currently there are no specific rules that companies must adhere to to market their diets as natural dog foods.
Organic foods are bound by a far more stringent set of guidelines. For a dog food to receive the designation of certified organic, all plants included in the food must have been cultivated without the use of any pesticides, artificial fertilizers, genetic modification, irradiation, or sewer sludge.
Any proteins included in organic diets are also required to be taken from animals which were fed organic materials, provided with the opportunity to roam outdoors, and to have never been subjected to treatment by antibiotics or hormones.
Receiving certification as an organic dog food is a lengthy process with many hoops to be jumped through to accomplish. Regulations surrounding the privilege of labeling a dog food as organic are very strict. As a result, sourcing ingredients of this quality as well as achieving certification is an extremely lengthy and expensive task, meaning the dog food itself is more costly for the consumer as a whole.
Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for Organic Dog Foods
Organic dog foods are made from the best available ingredients thus meaning their quality is exceptional. Ingredients are most often included in their whole form, and as a result, the food is nutritionally dense. This means that though a food may come with a higher price tag less of it will need to be fed on a daily basis to achieve the same results as a lesser quality food. So though the initial financial output may be high, savings are realized through fewer health issues and a food that lasts longer.
The amount of the best organic food for dogs each dog will need will depend on a number of factors. Among the biggest considerations are age, weight, activity level, breed, and the type of food itself. As a general guideline, it is a good idea to follow the suggested serving sizes printed on the bag of food. These can be adjusted until the correct portion size is determined.
As with all foods, a dogs weight and appetite can help families to assess whether meal sizes should be increased or decreased.
Dietary Requirements for Organic Dog Foods
Even within organic dog foods, some differences do exist. It is important for owners to take the time to understand what is in any food they are considering purchasing for their dog.
One of the key distinctions in organic dog foods today is labeling. Some organic foods will be marketed as containing organic ingredients while others declare themselves to be all-organic. When a food is labeled USDA Organic, this means that the food was certified to contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients as defined by the USDA. Foods that are simply made with some organic ingredients have a lower requirement imposed on them with only 70 percent of their ingredients required to be certified as organic.
It is also important to select a food that specifically labels its proteins. If an organic food simply lists things such as meats or animal fats, these diets are best avoided.
Within the United States, the FDA is responsible for ensuring a food is suitable for animal consumption. This authority is also regulated by the Department of Agriculture in each individual state. It is important to note that though inspections of food manufacturing plants do occur regularly, notices to comply are not always adhered to, and regulations are not always enforced. This means that not all dog foods that proclaim themselves to be organic truly are.
Always look for the title certified organic on any food that proclaims to be an organic diet. Many companies try to avoid this by stating they include certain ingredients that have received the designation of being a USDA organic product. These may contain one item that has been certified as USDA organic while the food as whole is not certified.
As with all dog foods, it is important that the first ingredient in any organic dog food be a meat with whole meats preferable. Carbohydrates may be from whole grains or fruits and vegetables with their main goal being providing excellent amounts of dietary fiber and antioxidants. Lastly, healthy fats provide dogs with the energy they need and are also a vital help in maintaining good skin and coat quality and promoting healthy joints.
Any food suited for the need of an adult dog should contain a minimum of 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat. Use this criteria as a basic rule of thumb when considering which diet is the best organic dog food.
Things to Look for in the Best Organic Food for Dogs
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in an organic dog food:
- Whole meat or meat meal proteins heading up the ingredients list
- Prepared without the addition of chemicals, flavorings, fillers, or mystery ingredients
- Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
- Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
- Has been certified organic and bears this designation on its label
