Bread, a food rich in carbohydrates
The main ingredient of bread is flour, which makes it a food rich in starch, a complex carbohydrate that the dog has trouble digesting when it is brought in large quantities in its food ration. And, due to its high carbohydrate content, bread is also quite high in calories. Count about 280 Kcal for only 100g of white bread.
Bread, a food not recommended for dogs
To the question “can I give bread to my dog? the answer is therefore “no”. If it is better to avoid bread, there are two reasons:
- bread can cause digestive disorders in dogs, if their ration is already rich enough in starch (which is the case for most dogs fed with kibble),
- bread is a high-calorie "treat" for the dog which, if given too often and/or in too large quantities, can make it fat.
Please note, however, that bread (in the absence of ingredients toxic to dogs such as raisins or chocolate) is in no way toxic to your dog. It is only not recommended to give it to him. So it's nothing serious if you give him small amounts from time to time or if your dog has stolen or found a piece of bread during a walk!
The case of raw bread dough
While classic baked bread is not toxic to dogs, raw bread dough is not. The alcohol present in raw dough, formed by the action of yeasts which ferment the sugars in the dough into alcohol and carbon dioxide, is toxic to dogs.It can cause alcohol poisoning in the dog. So be careful not to leave your homemade bread dough, your brioche or pizza dough within reach of truffles.
What candy to replace the bread with?
If you are used to giving hard bread to your dog to "teeth him" , know that there are much he althier alternatives for your pet and which will satisfy his chewing needs in a much better way. efficient than a piece of hard bread. You can swap his bread for a raw fleshy bone adapted to the size of his jaw or, why not, for raw carrots.
Fresh bread can be advantageously replaced by small cubes of poultry or ham or even by a small piece of fruit such as an apple, whose sweet taste is generally well appreciated by the dogs.
Whatever the treat given to your dog, take this into account in his food rations so as not to unbalance your dog's intake.all you have to do is give him his favorite treat by slightly reducing his ration of croquettes (or other) at the next meal!