Keeping dogs with kids means they’ll occasionally get human food. As certain as the sun comes up each morning. In fact, I sometimes feed my pups random table scraps, too. But my 1-year-old twin boys are the best. It’s become kind of a game to call the dog over to them. When they offer a morsel of food from the side of their highchair, magically, a wet, eternally grateful puppy nose appears.
Lately, besides eggs, my dog’s favorite food is Cheerios, or more specifically, Honey Nut. Needless to say, my dogs sometimes eat cereal for breakfast, which raises the question: are Cheerios safe for dogs to eat?
Luckily, dogs can eat Cheerios, and most of the different flavors are not toxic to dogs. Although Cheerios aren’t exactly a healthy, balanced snack, dogs seem to love them, and in small amounts they’re not harmful.
How many Cheerios can a dog eat?
It’s OK for dogs to eat Cheerios in moderation. A few every now and then is fine, but you don’t want to fill your dog with just them. Treats of any type should not make up more than 10% of your dog’s diet. If you give your dog treats other than Cheerios (and you probably do), remember that you want to keep it under 10% total, not 10% of each type of treat.
There are plenty of other dog treats out there that are healthier than Cheerios, so ultimately it’s up to you to decide whether to give your dog Cheerios or choose a healthier treat.
Cheerios are high in fiber and low in sugar, but they don’t contain any of the protein or vitamins dogs actually need. They’re also very low in calories, about 0.2 calories per Cheerios “O,” which means 10% of a 10-pound dog’s diet would be about 100 “Os.”
Can dogs eat flavored Cheerios?
Cheerios come in 12 different flavors. In addition to the standard regular version, there’s Honey Nut, Berry, Frosted Cheerios, Pumpkin Spice, Apple Cinnamon, and the list goes on. While there are a ton of flavors, some of which are likely harmless to dogs, best practice is to stick to either regular Cheerios or Honey Nut Cheerios flavors.
The other flavors are higher in sugar and generally more likely to be unhealthy for dogs than these two flavors.
Other things to consider are ingredients added to create different flavors. Avoid any that contain chocolate or raisins, and make sure to check if they contain xylitol (a sugar substitute). These three ingredients are toxic to dogs, so they should be carefully avoided.
Can dogs drink milk with their cereal?
When we think of cereal, we usually think of a bowl of milk, but sharing that with your dog is not a good idea.
Almost all dogs are lactose intolerant and cannot digest the sugar in milk – this is actually a phenomenon common to all mammals – dogs can eat cheese because it has very little lactose in comparison.
In dogs, milk (or dairy products high in lactose) can cause diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, gas, various allergies, ear infections, and more.
If you feed your dog Cheerios: Drain the milk.
Can dogs with pancreatitis be mixed breed?
Finding treats to feed dogs with pancreatitis can be difficult. There isn’t much information on whether Cheerios will cause a reaction in dogs with chronic pancreatitis, so I asked my vet and he said not to feed them Cheerios at all. It’s best to be safe.
You should never feed cow’s milk to a dog with pancreatitis.
Instead, talk to your vet about what’s best for your dog, including treats made specifically for dogs with pancreatitis, and follow their advice.
The best cereal for dogs
There is no one cereal that can be called the “best cereal” for dogs because they are all grain-based and not manufactured with your dog’s diet in mind. Here are some better cereals to give as treats to your dog if they are happy to eat them:
- Cheerios
- Rice Krispies
- Brown rice flakes
- Kicks
- Corn flakes
Avoid sugary treats such as Fruit Loops, and always check to make sure they don’t contain ingredients that may be toxic to dogs.
What about oatmeal?
Many people, myself included, put oatmeal in the same category as cereal because they’re both common breakfast foods eaten with a spoon. The big difference for us is that oatmeal is actually good for dogs.
Oatmeal is a heart-healthy food that is packed with nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins that are truly beneficial for dogs.
Because it’s grain-based, it won’t replace your dog’s regular balanced diet, but it can be used as an additional supplement: “Half a cup (maximum) of cooked oatmeal once or twice a week is more than enough for most large breed dogs,” according to an article published by the Humane Society of the United States. AKC.
