When it comes to dogs, there is a long list of food items that are harmful to their health.
Is beef one of them? Read more to find out!
Imagine it’s summer barbeque season and you’ve bought the best steaks for grilling. Your dog looks at you with pleading eyes and you wonder if you can give it a bite or two to eat. Sharing our favorite foods with our furry friends is an amazing way to bond and enjoy special moments together but you’re probably wondering, can my dog eat beef meat?
The simple answer is yes. Beef is an excellent source of protein that provides your dog with the energy that it requires to perform day-to-day tasks.
However, there are different types of beef and different recipes altogether so how does one know which one to feed their dog? This article is here to help you find out.
Yes, beef is totally safe for dogs to consume. Apart from being a good source of protein, beef is an excellent source of nutrients like iron, zinc and selenium. It is also rich in vitamins B3, B6 and B12. As such, beef is very good for dogs to eat.
Make sure that you pair it with vegetables such as spinach, kale, and other leafy greens along with whole grains to cater to all the nutritional needs of your precious pet.
If you’re wondering, can dogs eat raw beef? the answer is yes! Not only can your canine companion eat raw beef but it very well should.
It offers benefits from tip to tail, and dogs are made to eat animal proteins in their raw form. That’s because dogs share the same DNA as the grey wolf, and even though dogs are now domesticated (unlike wolves), their nutritional needs remain the same.
Want to help your dog gain weight? Raw beef is the way to go. Raw beef is rich in nutrients such as protein and it helps in building your dog’s muscles.
It also helps in developing their ligaments and skin, and in cell maintenance. Of course, they’re a great source of energy as well.
Raw beef offers essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 and 6 which help in nourishing and hydrating the skin and hair of your dog.
It also helps in strengthening the blood flow, improving the functioning of the heart and the immune system. You can use raw beef as a topping to their meal or feed it as a treat.
Many pet parents wonder, can dogs eat cooked beef? , and the answer is an emphatic yes. When beef is cooked properly and served in moderation, it can be great for your dog’s health.
However, you should keep in mind to never serve beef as a whole meal. A dog needs a balanced diet to grow and while that is provided in its dog food, a little variety could do it some good.
You can serve cooked beef to it, either as a treat or occasionally as something that would make your pet happy. Keep in mind to never let beef comprise more than 10% of your pet’s diet.
Also Read: Can My Dog Eat Turkey
While raw meat is nutritious, it doesn’t contain all the nutrients that your dog needs. Plus, your dog may get a bacterial infection by eating raw meat as it is likely to contain dangerous bacteria like salmonella, listeria, and E. coli.
If you’re worried about giving your dog raw beef, we suggest you give it cooked beef instead.
Peel and chop the potatoes, apples, carrots, and kale. Add the beef into a crockpot followed by all the chopped vegetables and fruits and mix well.
Let it cook till the meat turns brown. It will roughly take 3-5 hours if cooked on high flame, and 5-7 hours if cooked on low flame.
If you want to include some extra fiber, you can add some rice, and we guarantee that your dog is going to love this tasty treat.
Preheat your oven to 350.
Add three cups of ground beef to a bowl, followed by two eggs (along with their shells), half a cup of cottage cheese, half a cup of oats, and chopped carrots and celery.
You can add any vegetables of your choice as long as they do not pose a threat to your pooch’s health.
Mix it together and put the mixture in a pan and place it in the oven to cook.
When you’re a pet parent, there are a lot of responsibilities that you have to manage. You have to take care of your dog’s health and safety. Plus, you need to ensure that no matter how playful they are, they don’t end up hurting themselves. Being a pet parent comes with its own set of challenges, especially when you’re trying to figure out the right type of diet and nutrition for your pet.
If you’re still unsure about the best meats to feed your dog, here’s some more information to consider:
Just like humans, dogs can eat any kind of beef. Whether it’s raw or cooked. Both come with their own pros and cons (as mentioned above) so as long as you feed beef to your dog in moderation, there is nothing to worry about.
Meats with high-fat content such as bacon and ham should be avoided by your canine companions.
They not only contain too much salt, which can cause an upset stomach, but they might also cause your dog to drink too much water resulting in bloating.
Moreover, some meat trimmings can lead to pancreatitis in your pooch as well. Another thing to remember is that raw meat can also contain bacteria like salmonella and e coli.
Also Read: Can My Dog Eat Salt
To sum it up, as long as you give beef to your dog in limited quantities and do not let it be the entire meal but only 10% of it, you’re golden. A balanced meal for your dog is a mix of proteins, fiber, and carbohydrates.
We hope that this article has helped answer a pertinent question – can my dog eat beef meat? The next time you wish to treat your dog to something delicious, do not forget to refer to the recipes mentioned above and do not hesitate to include beef in their diet.
A digital marketing expert by profession, Andrews is a gifted writer and animal lover at heart. A self-confessed "pawrent", Andrews is well-versed in all things dogs. He uses his years of experience of raising puppies into show-quality dogs to help guide first-time pet parents. He believes in spreading the joy that comes with being a dog dad and advocates more families to adopt pets.
