Goldfish As Treats?
 

I gave Ziggy a few multigrain Goldfish cheese crackers and he loved them...are these okay to give him as a treat? We're trying not to give him people food but it's so hard to resist those adorable pleading eyes. He even climbs up our legs at the dinner table. We never encouraged him in any way to beg at the table...honest!:eek: The vet said he could have a little cheese so I wondered if these would be okay.

Karen

Chachi and Jewels love goldfish too

Mini loves em

i would worry about the salt too. it could dehydrate them.

I know, I thought the cheese and multigrain ingredients would be okay but worried about the salt. The package says 250mg sodium for 6 goldfish.

they should be okay in moderation. i wouldn't feed them goldfish in the heat. i wander what a vet would say???:confused: :confused: some treats made for dogs like pup peroni seem high in sodium too.

Duh, I got it wrong!:confused: The package says 55 crackers per serving at 250mg of sodium...that sounds like a lot of crackers. I only give Ziggy a few but I'll bet he would eat 55 if I let him.:eek:

Karen -

My little Yorkie decided that he was going to sit beside me on the floor while I ate (at the table) - and bark at me to get food. I decided quickly that this was not something I wanted going on when I was try to eat. It was very annoying.

So - I got up - and with my feet and legs moved him about 8 feet away from the table and told him to "stay." I went back and sat down - and, of course, he started back toward the table --- but the minute he started, I got up and move him away again - and told him to "stay" again.

Everytime he even barely started to move toward me I told him to "stay" and got up and went toward him and moved him back if I had to.

After doing this 4 or 5 times - he turned around and went and jumped on his favorite chair and took a nap while I ate in peace.

****** I certainly need to remind him of this rule occasionally - and often before I even sit down - I move him to where he is supposed to be (about 8 feet away). He rarely comes near the table any more when I am eating.

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QUOTING YOU: "He even climbs up our legs at the dinner table. We never encouraged him in any way to beg at the table..."

You may not be "encouraging him to beg" - but you are "allowing" him to be at the table and bother you while you are trying to eat.

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I'm certainly not the best dog trainer in the world - but I have found training my pup to stay away from the table when I'm eating ---- and stay away from the door when people are coming or going - the easiest (and quickest) things I have ever done.

I stand up straight and move him back with my feet and legs - I don't talk at all - other than to tell him to stay when he's where I want him to be. And, I get right up and move him back again (immediately) as many times as I have to - He learned very quickly. Easy fix! Amazes me!

Carol Jean

PS: I'm sure an occasional "goldfish" is okay for your dog. But - never feed him anything from the table while you are eating. Remember - he is not even supposed to be near the table when you're eating.

The doggies had a few goldfish at my mom's house the other day too! :p They are always snorkeling up something they shouldn't when the kids are snacking! :p

I've had this same question, actually, about Wheat Thins. My puppy goes nuts when I'm eating them. I've been sucking the salt off the outside, and giving her probably two or less when I'm snacking. Surely that's ok?

Anyway, that's what I would do with the goldfish, too, personally....suck the salt off the outside first! :rolleyes:

You guys - think what you're doing.

You're eating the salt so the dog won't get it -- and you shouldn't have it anymore than the dog should. I try to restrict my own salt a little - so the last thing I'm going to do is eat it off the things I give my dog.....

And - I'm sure salt isn't especially bad for our dogs anyway. It isn't even bad for us if we don't have high blood pressure or other problems from it.

Don't think the doggy treats and dog food you give your pets don't have salt in them -- read the labels. I really don't think a few goldfish now and then will hurt them at all. I really don't. But, I do think keeping salty and other non-nutritional treats to a minimum for our dogs is a good thing to do.

****** I remember I had some leftover hamburger - and decided to make a meatloaf for my dogs. I made it with an egg - bread crumbs - hamburger - and not much else. I baked it - and then thought I was going to give my dogs a real treat.

They wouldn't even eat it --- they looked at me and said -"What's the deal here. There's something wrong with this. Where's the salt and pepper and mustard and catsup and stuff - we want it the way you usually make it!!!!!"

So - I put a little salt and pepper and catsup on it and heated it up - and they gobbled it up.

Carol Jean

Snowa, LOL, that's so funny about the meatloaf! Yorkies are too smart for their own good.:D

I will try your advice to stop Ziggy from begging at the table...sounds like a good idea...Thanks. :)