Yogurt for Your Pet's Gut Health

Abby - the senior rescue Lab mix has some Siberian husky friends in Blogville who love yogurt - so I decided to give her some when we first adopted her.  Although there are a number of "people" foods that are toxic to dogs, plain yogurt with a lot of additives or artificial sweeteners is not one of them.  You do want to avoid the ones without fruit or a lot of sugar or cheap additives - read the label, watch closely for Xylitol used in some low cal yogurts - it is toxic to dogs.  We loved the Oberweis yogurt - they no longer make their own but partner with a company that makes the same great quality sugar free Greek yogurt that we can get through their home delivery.

You’ll also need to avoid things that are yogurt “coated” or “flavored” as they aren’t real yogurt and don’t carry the benefits of yogurt. There are some yogurt infused treats out there which are likely just fine but I prefer to give her the actual food.

Yogurt is easy enough to introduce into your dog’s diet. If you have a super picky eater just add some plain yogurt in with his or her dog food each day.  Pretty soon they will view it as a treat and just gobble it up. Abby and Lorelei love it and if we don't give them a couple of Tablespoons of yogurt in a dish each night after we finish our supper they go into the kitchen and if we don't follow to get it we will hear a big WOOF! (No, NOT spoiled or anything)

Hey - where's my yogurt treat?

I remember these photos - that night due to severe storms in Chicagoland, Abby got her yogurt treat a couple of hours early so I could get her walked before we ate, as that was when the severe weather was due.

What's this Mom? 

It's not the right time but that looks familiar.

It's my Oberweis yogurt!  (yes, dogs can smile).

Why yogurt?

It’s not expensive and readily available in stores and from dairy companies.

It's a great source of protein that will help keep your pet feeling "full longer" -  important if you have a senior or inactive dog who is prone to put on weight.

It is a great source of calcium and zinc and probiotics. Probiotics help with digestion. They get rid of unhealthy bacteria in your pet’s digestive tract, replacing it with good bacteria. This is especially helpful if you have a dog that is fond of eating rabbit poop and other yard delicacies. (in the house we are careful with anything toxic for dogs such as garlic or onion -  we put that out in a special trash bin on the back porch that the dogs don't have access to and NOT in the kitchen trash.)

It can help alleviate such problems as gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, infections, inflamed bowels, bacterial overgrowth, or other absorption issues. Talk to your vet about adding some yogurt to your dog's diet when it is on medication or recovering from surgery.  

Whatever your reason for adding this tasty nutritious food to your pet's diet they will thank you for it.