Can Dogs Eat Pizza Crust? How Safe Is It?

Most dogs aren’t picky eaters and would eat just about anything you give them, even your pizza leftovers. If you’re not a fan of pizza crusts and leave them uneaten every time you order out, it’s probably been your furry best friend’s job to finish it for you. But is it right to feed your pup pizza crusts? Is it safe?  

A dog won’t experience any negative reaction from eating a small piece of cooked pizza crust. However, pizza crusts don’t have much nutritional value, and thus, aren’t recommended for dogs to eat. Be reminded that a dog can only eat a pinch of pizza crust while too much won’t do well for its health. Additionally, there’s no part of pizza that can benefit a dog aside from the crust, hence, feeding your dog pizza may not be the best idea and can lead to a few side effects. 

Is Pizza Crust Safe for Dogs? 

A pizza crust and a pizza base are actually the same thing, it’s both made out of a certain ratio of yeast, flour, eggs, salt, water, and olive oil. As you can see, these ingredients, when put together, have zero benefits except that tasty flavor your dog is after. So, it’s probably not best to get your dog a couple of bites on your crust no matter how much it likes it. 

To simply put it, yes, your dog can eat pizza crusts but it’s unsafe for it to consume excessively. The amount of salt and oil used to make pizza can be toxic for your dog, and the whole dough is all but empty calories too. If your dog continues to eat pizza crusts, it’ll either become prone to obesity or experience digestive problems right after consuming. 

How Much Pizza Crust is Too Much on Dogs? 

A good advice is that, it’s not a matter of what your dog “can or can’t” eat, human food isn’t meant for dogs to consume and can negatively affect their overall health if poor feeding habits aren’t discontinued. But if they say ‘a bit’ is not so bad, then how much pizza crust is allowable for you dog to eat? It’s most probably about a small slice or less, best if none at all. 

A crumb of pizza crust won’t affect your dog in any way, but don’t make it a habit to throw small pieces of leftovers under the table for your pup to eat – once it gets used to it, it’ll start demanding a taste of your food every meal time. If it’s already a current problem, begin to ignore your dog’s begging and make sure to feed it complete and healthy meals to prevent cravings any more food. 

To sum it up, pizza crusts are definitely a big no, and shouldn’t be included in a dog’s diet. Your dog might feel full and content, but it’s only for the meantime until health problems occur. 

Observe your dog when it has eaten pizza crusts, if it shows signs of trouble, act fast and rush it to the vet. The effects of your dog consuming crusts may vary, and it’s possible for it to experience discomfort right after eating or develop serious illness in the long run. 

Why Dogs Should Only Eat Pizza Crust?

Ironically, it’s not recommended that you feed your dog pizza crusts, but it’s also the only part of pizza it ‘can’ eat. Dogs can only eat the crust since other ingredients in pizza, including toppings, can be toxic to their system; with that, it’s important that you’re aware of each one to avoid negligent feeding.

Harmful ingredients in pizza 

Pizza Sauce 

Most dogs love the sweet tomato taste of pizza sauce, but it’s not exactly good for them. Pizza sauce is usually made out of canned tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, with a little mix of olive oil, which can be difficult to digest for dogs. 

Onions and Garlic 

Onions and garlic are one of the basic ingredients that gives pizza richer flavor, and while we humans love the extra taste it does to food, it’s highly toxic to canines. Feeding your dog pizza with a garlic-y bread including toppings such as onions is extremely dangerous since it can poison your dog.

Cheese 

We all crave a freshly baked pizza with oozing melted cheese – you’re sure your dog would love a bit of taste too; however, dogs can only eat small amounts of cheese. It’s good to note that most dogs are lactose intolerant and it’s possible for them to experience gas, diarrhea, and vomiting if they’re given too much. 

Salt 

Pizza contains a great amount of sodium, and simply because the ingredients needed to make pizza contains salt as well. If your dog eats salty foods other than pizza, it’s possible to develop a damaged kidney that can be fatal when left untreated. 

Processed Meat

May it be bacon, ham, or pepperoni topped on your pizza, there’s no safer processed meat you can choose to feed your dog. Most pizzas are topped with processed meats that are fatty and high in sodium; it may be too much for your dog’s stomach to handle. Dogs may be meat-lovers like we humans are, but they have more limits than we do; unprocessed, lean, and cooked meat is better fed in moderation.

Pineapple 

The exotic and popular taste of Hawaiian pizza is not for everybody to love, and if it so happens you’ve made a mistake ordering one, should you take out the pineapple toppings and feed it to your pup? It depends. Although pineapples aren’t harmful to dogs, too much of it can cause discomfort to their stomach too.  Be mindful of how much pineapple bits you’re giving or else your dog may experience vomiting and diarrhea afterwards. 

Spices

Pizzas with toppings coated with spices are plain toxic to your furry friend. Indeed, feeding your dog a pinch of hot spicy pizza is unsafe and may lead your dog to experience a burning sensation in the mouth, excessive thirst, stomach pain, and gas. 

Oil

Pizzas can contain lots of grease and is indeed bad for you or your dog’s health. Oil is basically excess fat, and it’s almost difficult for a canine’s system to digest it. Eating too much pizza crusts can make your pet feel sick and bloated while overtime, it can lead to serious illnesses connected to obesity, like diabetes, hypertension, or joint pain. 

If you wish to treat or reward your dog with food, the best options are always fresh, natural, and guaranteed dog-friendly food. Human food may not be good for canines and it’s always the owners’ responsibility to monitor what their dogs eat, as well as providing foods that are truly intended for dogs.

What about bread crusts?

It’s a known habit that a lot of people cut off bread crusts and only eat the remainder of their bread. If you have a dog, you might’ve thought of giving the crusts instead of putting it to waste. But, it’s always a priority to know whether or not the food is safe to consume by dogs, right? So, can dogs eat bread crusts? 

Yes, dogs can eat bread crust; but they’re only allowed to eat it in moderation. If you’re thinking about the safest bread your dog can eat, it’s most probably white or whole wheat bread (unless your dog is allergic).

Other types of bread your dog can’t eat

It’s not just pizza crust your dog shouldn’t be eating, there’s a number of bread canines can’t consume as well that are listed below for your perusal:

Sweet Biscuits

Sweet biscuits are not only sugary, but they’re also high in carbohydrates while low in fiber. Your dog might enjoy eating them, but it would also lead to unhealthy weight gain if fed frequently. 

Cinnamon Rolls 

Cinnamon rolls are usually glazed with creamy frosting that can be too rich and fatty, hence, should only be fed to your dog occasionally and in very small portions. 

Raisin Bread 

Bread with raisins in them shouldn’t be fed to your pet dog. Raisins are known to cause kidney failure in canines, with that, it’s expected that undried grapes are as harmful too. 

Chocolate Cake 

Chocolate is a major threat to dogs’ health; it possesses a molecule called ‘theobromine’ which is hard for dogs to process and is poisonous in a certain amount. Cakes or any sweets that contain chocolate shouldn’t be fed to dogs. 

Sourdough bread 

Sourdough bread is unhealthy for your pup especially if it’s eaten raw; experts say that sourdough can possibly cause dogs to bloat in their gastrointestinal tract. 

Pretzels 

Like chips, pretzels are usually coated with a ton of salt and if your dog eats too much of it, it would result in serious thirst or worse, sodium ion poisoning.

Healthier foods to include in dogs’ diet 

It’s normal for every dog parent to feel concerned about their dog’s diet. Many types of food that we humans eat aren’t good sustenance for dogs, so it’s ideal to know which foods can positively benefit our beloved pets, below are the following:

Eggs 

Cooked eggs can have positive impacts to your pup’s nutrition; it’s high in protein and contains a couple of vitamins and minerals. Whether it’s boiled or scrambled, eggs make great dietary supplements for your dog to enjoy. 

Non-fat yoghurt 

Instead of purchasing rich and sugary tasting yoghurt, plain would mean best for your dog’s health. Plus, yoghurt contains probiotics that’ll help maintain your dog’s body well-nourished and strong. 

Sardines 

Fish, in general, is known to be a great source of omega-3 fatty acids; thus, sardines can benefit your dog and can be a great addition to its diet. 

Carrots 

Raw or cooked carrots can be a healthy snack for dogs; it’s low in calories, high in fiber and a source of vitamin A. Its crunchiness can also make it enjoyable for your dog to eat. 

Chicken breast

Well-cooked chicken meat is high in protein and will provide your dog energy throughout the day. It also contains essential fatty acids that can help sustain your dog’s skin and coat. 

Summary 

Oftentimes owners tend to give their leftover crusts to their dogs; and if you’re one who’s guilty about it too, it’s about time you cut the habit despite all the whining and barking your dog would probably make. Let your dog get used to eating on its own bowl with nutritious and full meals to avoid it from begging and craving more food. 

Truly, pizza crusts are relatively safer compared to other human food but it doesn’t make it any good too.  Pizza crusts’ health content are mainly carbohydrates and sodium that wouldn’t really give much benefit to your dog except a full stomach. Consuming too much pizza crust would only lead your dog to experience stomach aches, gas, vomiting or diarrhea so it’s a must to give attention to what and how much your dog is eating.  

There are far too many potential dangers when feeding your dog other parts of pizza aside from the crusts, hence, it’s better to find a better alternative to food to feed your dog. Perhaps, food designed mainly to fit the nutrients dogs need, like top-quality kibble or homemade dog food, would be best.