Waffles dripping with smooth butter and maple syrup are my favorite breakfast for the weekend. So, this Sunday, as I was enjoying my waffles, my dog came and sat beside me. She was eating waffle scraps that dropped from my hand. Seems she also loves waffles. But I was skeptical about whether waffles are good for my dog or not. Before offering another bite to her, I researched the matter.
So, can dogs eat waffles? Here’s the answer:
Yes, dogs can eat waffles. They aren’t toxic to your pet dog. But waffles aren’t a healthy treat option for your dog as they contain a large number of calories. Waffles that are topped with syrups and fruits should be given after carefully analyzing the nature of toppings. Chocolate topped waffles can literally kill a dog as chocolate is highly toxic to them.
What are waffles made of?
Waffles are eaten throughout the world. They come in many different forms, and are available with various toppings. You can also have a waffle with butter only. Just a simple waffle can also be enjoyed with your morning coffee.
A classic waffle is made up of flour, sugar, some salt, baking soda, eggs, milk, and oil or butter.
As you can see from the ingredients, waffles are full of carbohydrates and fat. They are a good option for breakfast, as you need the energy to get up and fulfill your daily life tasks. Waffles are also great for those who want to gain weight, as they are high in calories.
No matter what, everybody wants to eat waffles at least once in a while. But what about your dog? Let’s find out if you can share a waffle with your pooch or not.
Can dogs eat waffles?
Yes, dogs cab eat waffles. The ingredients mentioned above are safe for dogs, except for the milk, if your dog has lactose intolerance. You can also skip milk altogether. Besides moll, every ingredient is safe for your dog.
Having said that, safe doesn’t mean its healthy for your dog. Waffles aren’t toxic, but they are unhealthy treats for your dog either. The ingredients in waffles make them high in calories. Waffles are also too sweet for your dog. Dogs don’t need this much sugar and calories.
So, if you’ve given your dog a bite of waffle, and are not going to offer waffles every day, then it’s totally fine. Waffles do nothing to a dog, unless, waffles are topped with something not suitable for your dog’s health. Further, waffles are not a healthy treat, which can be offered on daily basis.
Dog Demanding Waffles (Video)
Ingredients in a waffle that make it an unhealthy snack for a dog:
Let’s breakdown every ingredient in the waffles to know if they’re good for your pet dog or not.
Flour:
If you have used whole wheat flour, then it’s a healthy option. Whole wheat flour is good for your dog’s digestive system. Refined flour isn’t good, as it doesn’t contain any fibers.
Sugar:
Refined sugar or brown sugar isn’t good for your dog. Again, sugar isn’t toxic for them, but too much sugar consumption isn’t good for dogs.
Sugar consumption can cause high blood sugar levels, and even diabetes. Also, if your dog is already diabetic, then too much sugar intake can make him seriously ill.
Waffles contain too much sugar. And if it’s topped with syrups (made of sugar), then it’s particularly unhealthy for your dog.
Salt:
Salt is good for dogs, if given in a moderate amount. Waffles contain only a pinch of salt. So, salt in the waffles doesn’t cause any harm.
Eggs:
Dogs can eat eggs, unless, they aren’t allergic. You have to check with a vet before offering meals containing eggs in them.
Waffles contain one or two eggs, that are safe for a dog, unless, he doesn’t have any allergy.
Milk:
Milk isn’t good for a dog if he is lactose intolerant. Waffles contain very less amount of milk. So, there’s nothing to worry about.
Butter or oil:
Butter or oil are pure fats. Dogs need some oil or butter, but not too much.
Waffles contain butter or oil much more than required for a dog. If waffles aren’t topped with butter, then it’s safe for a dog.
Again, safe but not healthy. Too much calorie intake can cause hypertension and heart diseases in your dog.
The total calorie count in a waffle:
A waffle made from scratch at home has almost 500 calories. It’s much more than a frozen waffle bought from the market. Its calorie count is almost 290 calories.
So, which waffle is good for your dog? Let’s find out.
Which waffles are better for a dog- homemade or store-bought?
You can compare the calories of both the waffles mentioned above. So, apparently, store-bought is much better than homemade for a dog?
Well, store-bought frozen waffles are low in calories but they contain additives and preservatives. These chemicals are harmful to a dog. So, don’t take risk of feeding your dog frozen waffles.
Homemade waffles are high in calories, but they are made from safe ingredients at least. There are no preservatives and additives in them. Also, you can use ingredients of your choice that are healthy for your dog as well.
So, homemade waffles are high in calories as compared to store-bought frozen waffles, but homemade waffles don’t contain harmful additives and preservatives.
What should you expect if your dog eats waffles on a daily basis?
As a pet parent, you should know about what you’re feeding to your pet. If something is not poisonous but unhealthy, then you should avoid it. You should also know the long-term effects of feeding an unhealthy treat to your pup.
Waffles are one of those treats. You can offer a bite or two to your pup in weeks, but what if someone feeds their lovely pet waffles daily? Are there any long-term effects on your dog’s health? Yes, daily intake of waffles can make your dog experience long-term illnesses.
- As waffles are high in calories and sugar, your dog might experience hyperactivity. He can hit others or himself as well. Too much sugar intake makes a dog hyperactive.
- Daily waffle intake can increase the blood sugar level of your dog. After years, he might suffer from diabetes as well.
- Due to calories, your dog might go through certain heart diseases and hypertension.
All these effects are severe, and show up only after you’ve fed a good amount of waffles to your dog on a daily basis.
What if your dog has eaten too many waffles accidentally?
So, another scenario is that you know how unhealthy waffles are and you keep them away from your dog. But what if he raids on your freshly made waffles, and eats all of them?
It can be risky as well as safe, depends upon the toppings of waffles. In the case of plain waffles, nothing much would happen. Your dog might suffer from diarrhea, and that’s it. But if the toppings are of fruits and chocolate, then it’s very dangerous and you’ve to rush to the vet for proper treatment.
Let’s see what toppings do to your dog.
Are waffles with toppings healthy for your dog?
The toppings on waffles are generally sweet, adding to the sugar. The toppings can be anything from fruits, syrups to caramel Nutella, and chocolates.
So, you have to be very mindful before feeding a waffle with toppings. Analyze carefully and look for the ingredients of toppings. A pinch of anything that is toxic to a dog, can cause harm to your dog. The toppings that are rather healthy for your dog are:
- Strawberries. They are actually healthy for a dog. You can also make strawberry syrup without any sugar, as a topping for your dog’s waffle. A bite or two of waffle with strawberries would be a good snack idea.
- Apples. Fresh apples with maple syrup are not at all harmful for your dog. But maple syrup is too sugary. You can skip it or replace it with apple sauce made at home.
- Blueberries. A waffle topped with blueberries is healthy for your dog.
- Bananas. A waffle with banana slices is good for your dog.
All these fruit toppings are healthy, and you can feed your dog some waffle with these fruits, but as a treat. Don’t feed these waffles daily. If you can’t resist sharing your waffle, then top it with these fruits and give it to your dog. All these fruits are very low in calories and high in vitamins, minerals, and fibers.
Toppings that are toxic to your dog:
The toppings on the waffles that are particularly toxic and should be avoided whatsoever are:
Chocolate:
Chocolate in any form is dangerous for a dog. A single bite can be enough for a big dog to be poisoned.
Chocolates contain theobromine, that cannot be metabolized by a dog. Theobromine is so toxic that it can kill a dog. A bar of dark chocolate contains maximum theobromine. The same goes for Nutella and chocolate syrups as well.
So, avoid waffles that have chocolate chips, chocolate syrups, Nutella, or any other form of chocolate toppings.
Avocado:
Avocados can be really poisonous for dogs. They contain a chemical called persin that can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Some big dogs can eat a little amount of avocado but its recommended not to take the risk and avoid waffles containing avocado.
Grapes:
Grapes are also toxic to dogs. Although the reason and mechanism are still unknown, it is proven that grapes can cause sudden kidney failure in dogs.
So, keep away the waffles from your dog that are tossed with a few grapes.
Raisins:
Raisins, like grapes, are also highly toxic to dogs. A single raisin can poison it.
So, if you’ve made waffles, and topped with raisins, then make sure your dog is away from your meal.
Artificial sweeteners:
Some waffle syrups are made from artificial sweeteners to make them suitable for Diabetics.
Artificial sweeteners contain either sorbitol or xylitol. Sorbitol is not toxic but xylitol is very toxic for dogs.
You’ve to carefully read the ingredients of the artificial sweetener, if you’re planning to feed your dog waffle with artificially sweetened syrup.
Healthy waffle treat recipes for your dog:
If you still want to give a snack time to your canine with waffles, then try these awesome homemade “woofles”. Yes, woofles are dog-friendly waffles that are actually healthy for the dog.
There are many recipes of woofles on the internet. You can go for savory dog-friendly waffles as well.
Can’t wait to make it for your pooch? Here are two recipes of yummy plus nutritious woofles for your dog.
Pumpkin dog waffles:
This recipe includes pumpkin puree, apples, eggs, Oats, and coconut oil. All of these ingredients are great for your dog’s health. They are loaded with fibers, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. What else would your dog love?
So, here’s the recipe!
You’ll need:
- One and a half cup of ground oats
- One cup of pumpkin puree
- One grated apple
- Two eggs
- Quarter a cup of coconut oil
Mix all the ingredients and scoop some in the waffle mixer. Cool the waffle before serving it to your dog.
You can also store these waffles in the fridge for one week.
Don’t forget to remove all the seeds from pumpkin and apple, as seeds are toxic for dogs.
Chicken dog waffles:
These are savory dog waffles in case your dog isn’t a huge fan of sweet waffles.
It’s loaded with proteins, and you can modify it according to your dog’s preferences.
Check out the recipe below.
You’ll need:
- One cup of shredded chicken
- One and quarter a cup of milk
- One egg
- Some oil
Mix the ingredients well and scoop a bit in the waffle maker. Cool the waffle, and serve it to your dog.
It’s a very healthy waffle recipe that you can use as a proper meal for your dog.
The Bottom line:
If you like to have waffles in the breakfast, and are wondering whether it’s good for your dog’s health or not, then you’re at the right place.
Above is all the detail about waffles and dogs. Can a dog eat waffles? Yes, they can. Waffles aren’t poisonous for them but they’re unhealthy, as they contain large amounts of calories and sugar. The ingredients in the waffles can cause a long-term effect on your dog’s health.
But don’t worry. Above are two great dog-friendly waffle recipes. Just make them for your pet while you make one for yourself. This way you can enjoy your waffles while your pooch enjoys his “woofles”.
One of the best articles that I’ve read in a very long time! I Took notes and surely gonna implement and test bunch of stuff you talked about.
You’re a beast! Cheers, Ash
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