Hi everyone! 🤎
Yeoreum eats homemade meals along with his regular diet, so I spend a lot of time in the kitchen thinking about what goes into his bowl.
But I’ve learned that knowing what to leave out matters just as much.
Some everyday foods that are perfectly fine for us can make a dog seriously sick, sometimes even in small amounts. And at 10 years old, Yeoreum may not bounce back as easily as he used to.
So today I’m sharing the foods I never give Yeoreum, and what I would do if he ever ate one by accident.
💡 I’m not a veterinarian. This list is based on my own research, and it isn’t complete. If you’re unsure about any food, please ask your vet first.
Looking for what dogs can eat instead?
Here’s my post on 10 Vegetables Dogs Can Eat 🥕.
🚨 The Most Dangerous Ones
I treat these as an emergency. If Yeoreum ate any of them, I would call the vet right away.
🍫 1. Chocolate
Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which dogs break down much more slowly than we do.
The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. Baking chocolate and cocoa powder are the worst.
Watch for: vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, a racing heart, trembling.
🍇 2. Grapes and Raisins
Grapes, raisins, currants and sultanas can cause sudden kidney failure in some dogs.
There is no known “safe” amount, and some dogs get very sick from just a few. Researchers now suspect tartaric acid is the cause, but it isn’t fully settled.
I also check the labels on bread, cereal, granola and trail mix for raisins.
🧅 3. Onions, Garlic, Green Onions and Chives
Everything in the onion family can damage a dog’s red blood cells, whether it’s raw, cooked or powdered. Powders are even more concentrated.
Signs can show up a few days later, which makes this one easy to miss.
Watch for: weakness, tiredness, pale gums, reddish or brown urine.
This one matters a lot in our Korean kitchen. More on that below.
🍬 4. Xylitol (Birch Sugar)
Xylitol is a sugar substitute found in sugar-free gum, candy, some peanut butters, toothpaste and baked goods.
In dogs it can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and liver damage, and symptoms can start quickly.
Before I share peanut butter, I always check the label for “xylitol” or “birch sugar.”
🌰 5. Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia nuts can cause weakness (especially in the back legs), wobbliness, vomiting, tremors and fever, usually within about 12 hours.
🍺 6. Alcohol and Raw Yeast Dough
Even a small amount of alcohol is dangerous for a small dog.
Raw bread or pizza dough is a double risk: it keeps rising in the stomach, and the yeast produces alcohol as it ferments.
⚠️ Everyday Foods I Keep Away
These aren’t always an emergency, but they can still cause real problems, especially for a senior dog.
🧂 7. Salty Food and Soup Broth
Dogs don’t need the salt we add to our food. Too much can cause vomiting, diarrhea and excessive thirst, and in large amounts it can be dangerous.
When I cook for Yeoreum, I set his portion aside before adding any seasoning.
🥓 8. Fatty Scraps and Fried Food
Bacon, fatty meat trimmings, chicken skin and fried food can trigger pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas.
Watch for: vomiting, belly pain, a hunched back, not wanting to eat.
🍗 9. Cooked Bones
Cooked bones turn brittle and can splinter. Sharp pieces can cause choking or injure the mouth, throat or intestines.
☕ 10. Coffee, Tea and Energy Drinks
Caffeine affects dogs much like chocolate does: restlessness, a fast heartbeat, tremors.
I keep used coffee grounds and tea bags out of reach, too.
🍑 11. Fruit Pits, Seeds and Avocado
Peach, plum, cherry and apricot pits can cause choking or a blockage, and they contain compounds that can release cyanide when chewed.
I always remove the core and seeds before sharing apple slices.
With avocado, most of the risk for dogs comes from the big pit and the high fat, so I simply skip it.
🍞 12. Moldy Food and Compost
Moldy bread, spoiled leftovers and compost can contain toxins that cause tremors and even seizures.
Our food waste bin has a lid, and it stays where Yeoreum can’t reach it.
🥢 Our Korean Kitchen Checklist
A lot of everyday Korean food is built on garlic, green onion and salty seasoning. These are the ones I’m extra careful with:
- Soup and broth (guk, jjigae): usually made with onion, garlic or green onion, plus salt or soy sauce. I make Yeoreum’s broth separately, completely plain.
- Kimchi and side dishes (banchan): garlic, chili and plenty of salt.
- Jeotgal (salted seafood) and soy sauce: very salty.
- Spicy seasoning (gochujang, chili powder): not toxic the way onions are, but it can upset a dog’s stomach.
- Marinated meat (bulgogi, galbi): the marinade usually has garlic, onion and soy sauce.
- Tteok (rice cakes): sticky and chewy, so they’re a choking risk for a small dog.
🆘 If Your Dog Eats Something on This List
- Stay calm and move the rest of the food out of reach.
- Note what they ate, about how much, and when. Keep the packaging.
- Call your vet or an emergency animal hospital right away, even if your dog seems fine. Some problems, like those from grapes or onions, show up hours or days later.
- Don’t make your dog vomit at home unless a vet tells you to. Doing it the wrong way can cause more harm.
I keep our vet’s number and the nearest 24-hour animal hospital saved in my phone, just in case.
📝 Quick List for the Fridge
| Never | Why |
|---|---|
| Chocolate | Theobromine and caffeine |
| Grapes, raisins | Sudden kidney failure |
| Onion, garlic, green onion, chives | Damages red blood cells |
| Xylitol (birch sugar) | Low blood sugar, liver damage |
| Macadamia nuts | Weakness, tremors |
| Alcohol, raw yeast dough | Alcohol poisoning, bloating |
| Salty food and broth | Too much salt |
| Fatty scraps, fried food | Pancreatitis |
| Cooked bones | Splinters |
| Coffee, tea, energy drinks | Caffeine |
| Fruit pits, seeds, avocado | Choking, blockage |
| Moldy food, compost | Toxins, tremors |
🤎 A Safe Bowl Every Day
Saying no to those puppy eyes at the dinner table isn’t easy. 🥺
But keeping his bowl safe is one of the simplest ways I can take care of Yeoreum every single day.
Then, everypawdy, stay safe and have a happy Yeori Day 🐾🤎
A Little Note from Yeori Day
Yeoreum is a 10-year-old Shih Tzu, and this post is based on my own research and our experience. It is not veterinary advice, and it is not a complete list of foods that can harm dogs. How a dog reacts depends on its size, age, health and how much it ate.
If your dog eats something it shouldn’t, please contact your veterinarian or an emergency animal hospital right away.
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