Keep Your Dog Safe: 11 Human Foods to Keep Out of Reach

Dogs are gluttonous and can quickly devour food. It's so easy for your dog to get a hold of something that's lying around. Trust me! I've been to the vet several times and learned the hard way. Everything turned out okay, but a sick dog, many hours of worry, and thousands of dollars in vet bills could have been avoided if I only knew this. So read this before bringing your little puppy home for the first time, and you'll spare your dog's health and avoid expensive vet visits.

Keep these away from your dog

Grapes and raisins. Grapes and raisins can seriously damage a dog's kidneys, even in small amounts, and symptoms can be life-threatening.
Chocolate and cocoa. The darker the chocolate, the worse it is. Can cause seizures and heart rhythm disturbances, which can be life-threatening.
Onions of all kinds. Affect a dog's red blood cells and can cause anemia. So keep your dog away from the kitchen when you're chopping onions and clean the floor thoroughly afterwards so no onion pieces fall on the floor.
Coffee, tea, and other caffeine drinks. Dogs are extremely sensitive to caffeine and can easily get caffeine poisoning. Causes heart palpitations, rapid breathing, and restlessness.
Avoid salt. Causes diarrhea, vomiting, and disrupts fluid balance, leading to health problems.
Strong spices, especially chili. Dogs are sensitive to spicy food. Causes vomiting and diarrhea and increases the risk of stomach ulcers.
Saffron is toxic to dogs.
Nuts or acorns. Many nuts and acorns are toxic to dogs, so be careful not to give your dog treats with nuts in them. Peanut butter without salt is okay to give in moderate amounts, as is peanut butter.
Unripe tomatoes and raw potatoes are toxic to dogs.
Alcohol and tobacco are toxic, even for humans. But dogs are extremely sensitive and can become very ill if they ingest alcohol or tobacco.
Xylitol. Xylitol can cause low blood sugar, seizures, and liver failure in dogs.