Husky diet

Can your dog eat oatmeal?

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Nowadays many of us eat oatmeal for breakfast. We do that because oatmeal gives us the energy that we need in the morning. High fiber content and nutrients, antioxidants and minerals, oatmeal is a great way to start your day. But can your dog eat oatmeal? The answer is yes. Dogs can eat a small amount of cooked oatmeal. There are some guidelines on how much oatmeal can your dog eat and how you should feed it to your dog. You’ll find all that you need to know in this article.

Why oatmeal? Oatmeal is a good source of fiber, making it great for dogs with bowel irregularity issues. It’s also safe for dogs to eat oatmeal if they have gluten allergies. Before feeding oatmeal to your pet, cook the oatmeal and don’t add any sugar.

husky can eat oatmeal and peanut butter
Loki can’t wait for his treat

Is oatmeal good for your dog?

Oatmeal is good for your dog in moderate amounts. Oats have anti-inflammatory, calming, and healing benefits. Therefore, the high level of minerals found in the oats may help your dog with skin healing. It contains linoleic acid that helps maintain your dog’s skin healthy and vitamin B that helps your furry buddy maintain a beautiful and healthy coat. The soluble fiber of the oatmeal can regulate glucose levels. Oatmeal also helps dogs that have irregular bowel movements. Also, oatmeal keeps your dog’s circulatory system in check.

There are plenty of beneficial effects but the best thing about oats is that oats are not grown using GMOs. Also, when you’re browsing for oats try to buy organic oatmeal – organic oatmeal is richer in nutrients than the non-organic oatmeal.

Can your dog eat raw oatmeal?

Raw oatmeal is ok for humans to eat it. But we usually soak them first. But can your dog eat raw oats? You shouldn’t feed your dog raw oatmeal because is hard for your dog to digest it.

Instant oatmeal is bad for your dog

The instant meal is faster to be prepared but is also very processed. It loses its nutritional value when is processed so much. Usually, in the instant meal case, the oats are cut into small pieces and pre-cooked by steaming. Also, many instant oatmeal packages have salt or artificial flavors. Some brands also add coloring and sugar. You need to carefully read the ingredients and see if the oatmeal contains artificial sweeteners. It may contain xylitol or other artificial sweeteners that can be lethal for your dog.

No flavored store-bought oatmeal for your dog

There are so many flavored types of oatmeal but these are not a good choice for your dog. Avoid any kind of flavored oatmeal when you’re thinking to feed it to your dog. The store-bought flavored oatmeal usually has added sugar, salt, artificial flavors, and artificial sweeteners. You should never give your dog something that contains artificial sweeteners. Xylitol is one of these artificial sweeteners and is extremely toxic to dogs. The safest and the healthiest oatmeal for dogs is plain oatmeal.

How to prepare oatmeal for your dog

Feed your dog only plain oatmeal. Prepare the oatmeal for dogs only with water. Don’t use milk. Doing so, you will have no problem with dogs that are lactose intolerant. If your dog is lactose intolerant or if you don’t know how his body will deal with milk, don’t take any risk and prepare the oatmeal with water. Dogs that are lactose intolerant can’t eat oatmeal with milk. Milk can cause digestive discomfort, such as diarrhea, gas or upset tummy if the dog is lactose intolerant.

Cooking oats for dogs – first method

  • 1 cut oats
  • 2 cups of water

Directions:

  • Boil water
  • Put the oats
  • Don’t add any salt or sugar
  • Stir occasionally
  • Cook about 5 minutes over medium heat
  • Let it cool off

Cooking oats for dogs – Microwave – Fast method

  • Use a microwave-safe bowl
  • Combine oats with water
  • Put in microwave for 3 minutes at high temperature
  • Stir before serving
  • Let it cool off
  • Don’t add any salt or sugar

Add natural ingredients to your dog’s oatmeal

Do you think plain oatmeal is too boring for your puppy? Add healthy ingredients such as vegetables or fruits. Put some carrots, broccoli, apples, bananas, or berries for extra taste. Remember to remove the core, seeds, and skin if it’s the case. Cut the fruits or vegetables in small cubes so there will be no choking hazard. You can steam the vegetables if you think that your puppy will not be able to eat them properly. You can add some peanut butter – that doesn’t contain sugar or artificial sweeteners, such as xylitol. If your dog is not lactose intolerant you can put ontop the oatmeal some plain greek yogurt or some cottage cheese.

peanut butter yogurt oatmeal for dogs
Oatmeal, yogurt, and peanut butter for Loki

Can I feed my dog oatmeal every day?

Your dog should not eat oatmeal every day. He needs a balanced diet. If you want to know more about feeding your puppy you can take a look at Husky Puppy – Feeding Guide. It’s perfectly safe to give your dog cooked oatmeal from time to time, but this should not be his regular meal. I use cooked oatmeal to fill KONGS. I give them these types of treats when they run a lot. Siberian huskies are active dogs and they need their fuel too. My huskies tend to be fussy divas when it comes to food, so oatmeal helps a lot as it’s something new and different.

As I said before, oatmeal is an addition to my huskies’ meals. But I don’t go overboard with it. Even though oatmeal is healthy for dogs, it also adds calories to their diet. Moderation is the key. If you feed your dog too much oatmeal or too much of anything, it can and it will lead to obesity.

How much oatmeal can I feed my dog?

From a half cup of oats to one cup of oats a day, as an addition to his regular meals, it’s enough. The quantity depends on the age, diet, exercise, and size of your dog. If your dog was extra active or if you want to give him a tasty treat, fill his KONG with a tablespoon of oatmeal and add some peanut butter or fruits in there too. It will be messy for your floor, but again, every KONG is.

dogs can eat oatmeal
My huskies are crazy about oatmeal, peanut butter, and yogurt

If it’s the first time when you’re feeding your dog oatmeal, then you can give him one tablespoon of cooked oatmeal for every 20 pounds of his weight or for approximately 9 kg of his weight. One or two times per week is more than enough at first. Check how his body reacts to it – keep an eye on him after eating it. Don’t overfeed your dog. Obesity is a real and serious problem for dogs. Even though it’s advised to replace the potatoes and other carbohydrates with oats if your dog is obese, due to the high content of fiber found oatmeal, moderation is a must.

Can I mix oatmeal with dog food?

Yes, you can also mix your dog wet food with cooked oatmeal. When you’re mixing the oatmeal with dog food you need to pay attention to the nutritional values. Oats are carbohydrates rich in fiber, but your dog also needs protein, vitamins, calcium and many more. Your dog needs a balanced diet in order to have a healthy and happy life.

Feed oatmeal to your dog in moderation

It is safe for dogs to eat plain and cooked oatmeal in moderation. Use oatmeal as an occasional treat to add more fiber, nutrients, antioxidants, and minerals to your dog’s diet. It’s also tasty so that makes it a fun treat. Your dog will appreciate oatmeal and will probably want more.

Dog and Siberian husky lover. I love training, exercising and playing around with my two huskies. Always trying new foods, recipes and striving to give them the best possible dog life.

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