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What Human Food Can Pugs Eat?

Black pug looking at a frozen dessert with strawberries on top

It is a never-ending worry when you bring home your new Pug, and finding the right food to feed him or her is a concern. Yes, you start with puppy food but the great odors from your home-cooked meals will tantalize the Pug’s nose and get them interested in your food.

However, you just cannot feed a Pug everything you eat. There are a few, if not a lot, of human foods that will harm your pet if they eat too much of it. To find out what foods you can or cannot feed your little Pug, just continue reading our article.

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What Can Pugs Eat Besides Dog Food?

Pug trying to eat a green squash

Before we get to the list of human food that is okay for your Pug to eat, you may be surprised to find out that some cat food is okay for your pug to eat as well. There are nutritional differences but Pugs should be able to eat cat food without any harm being done to them.

Of course, if you were to feed him or her cat food, you would have to slowly introduce it to your Pug so their stomachs do not get upset. There are no toxins in cat food harmful to your pet but this option may be more of an emergency food supply than a standard daily diet.

The list of human food they can eat is fairly long but not every item in each food group is good for a pug to eat.

  1. Fruits– These include apples, bananas, and berries. The items to stay away from are grapes and peach pits, cherry pits, and plum pits. You should also avoid mushrooms, avocados, and green tomatoes due to the chemicals inside these items.
  2. Vegetables– The list includes but is not limited to cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, and spinach. Of course, not every pug is going to like the same vegetables or fruit options and you may have to try it on a trial-and-error basis or talk to your vet.
  3. Meat & Fish– Turkey, chicken, pork, beef, and salmon are all good for your young Pug to eat. The key to feeding them this meat is to make sure you leave out the spices, onions, & garlic, and do not salt them either.
  4. Dairy– Cheese and raw yogurt are the best items to feed your Pug. But like anything else in this list, you should feed it to them in moderation as too much of a good thing is not healthy for them

You want to make sure your Pug gets a balanced diet so they grow big and strong. Also, watch out for the fat. Trim that off and throw it away as fat is not good for Pugs nor is it good for you.

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What Homemade Food Can Pugs Eat?

cast iron skillet full of chicken, rice and vegetables on a wooden background

While we are talking about homemade food, we are not talking about your 8-course gourmet dinners you serve family and friends. We are talking about homemade dog food and there is a long list of ingredients you can use to make your own dog food.

One reason you do this is that commercially made dog food can contain triggers for allergies. If you want to protect your pet, you may want to consider making your own dog food. Keep in mind that puppy Pugs should only eat 50 calories of food per pound per day.

Here is a list of food ingredients you can put in your recipes for your dog:

  1. Meat– A good source of protein but stay away from processed foods like hams and salted meats. Here is a list of meat items you can add to your dog food- chicken, turkey, duck, pork, lamb, beef, sardines, and cooked fish.
  2. Non-Meat Animal Protein– Cottage cheese, peanut butter, eggs, and dairy products except milk.
  3. Fats– Fish oil, canola oil, flaxseed oil, and peanut butter are good for your pet in moderation. But butter, nuts, and actual fat from beef, etc., are not good.
  4. Carbohydrates– Barley, brown rice, chia seeds, and sweet potatoes, while oatmeal and pasta are okay with the last two better in small doses. Bread, cereal, quinoa, tortillas, chips, granola, and pretzels are not okay to feed your Pug.
  5. Fruits And Vegetables– The good ones are- apples, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, celery, kiwi, melon, papaya, pear, peppers, pineapple, pumpkin, raspberries, squash, watermelon, zucchini.

Do not feed your Pug grapes, grapefruit, jalapenos, lemons, onions, pickles, or wild mushrooms.

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Some Final Words

Pug eating from a metal dogfood bowl full of vegetables.

There are a lot of good ingredients to choose from when you are thinking of making your own homemade dog food. If you are still in doubt, talk to your vet to make sure you get a complete list of foods your Pug can and cannot eat.

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