Can Dogs Eat Greek Yoghurt? Is Greek Yoghurt Bad for Dogs?

I’m a big fan of Greek yoghurt. I like nothing more on my fancy bircher breakfast than a good scoop of Greek yoghurt. Since I always have Greek yoghurt at home, it means there’s always an opportunity for my Whippet to snaffle some! But is this bad for dogs? Can dogs eat Greek yoghurt?

in this article I’m going to take a look at Greek yogurt and explain the risks / benefits to dogs should they eat it. I’ll be exploring the following topics:

Can Dogs Eat Greek Yoghurt?

To answer this question immediately and put any doubts to bed… yes, dogs can eat Greek yoghurt. Greek yoghurt is not a food that’s toxic to dogs so it’s not a food you must avoid to prevent your dog becoming ill if it eats some.

However, just because a particluar food is not toxic to dogs, it doesn’t necessarily mean you should just let loose and allow them to eat it whenever they want. Let’s not forget that most dogs will eat almost anything if its available!

So let’s look at the potential benefits and drawbacks of giving your dog Greek yoghurt.

Is Greek Yoghurt Good for Dogs?

Most types of yoghurt contain high amounts of calcium and protein as you’d expect from dairy products. Obviously dogs need both protein and calcium in their diet to support their muscles, bones and nervous system.

Greek yoghurt also contains live cultures that result in lower levels of lactose than regular style yoghurts.

Greek yoghurt also contains probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria that help to support a healthy digestive system, which is important for all animals just as much as it is for us humans.

The probiotics in Greek yogurt can be especially helpful for dogs undergoing antibiotic treatment. While antibiotics obviously serve an important function in curing infection, antibiotics can kill some of the good bacteria that live in a dog’s digestive system.

Additionally, probiotics can help to combat yeast infections in dogs: yeast infection may be the root cause of recurring ear or skin infections.

The Nutritional Benefits of Greek Yoghurt

I’ve mentioned already that Greek yoghurt is a good source of protein and calcium and  However, Greek yoghurt is also rich in important vitamins and minerals such as vitamins B12 and A, zinc, magnesium and potassium:

Here are some of the key nutritional details for Greek yoghurt as listed on the USDA website.

Is Greek Yoghurt Bad for Dogs?

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I’ve stated that dogs can eat Greek yoghurt and that it can be a healthy food for them. However, this doesn’t mean that Greek yoghurt can’t be bad for dogs.

Since Greek yoghurt is a diary product, it can be high in fat. Too much fat in a dog’s diet can cause stomach upsets, but worse still is it can contribute to canine obesity, which leads to a variety of serious health issues such as pancreatitis. 

But it’s not only a high fat content that might cause digestive problems. While Greek yoghurt may contain less lactose than other types of yogurt, it isn’t lactose-free. Adult dogs can struggle to digest lactose and it can lead to stomach digestive problems such as gas, diarrhoea and vomiting.

Finally, if you’re going to give your dog Greek yoghurt as a treat, make sure it’s unsweetened.

Some yoghurts contain added sugars that will increase the calorie count and contribute to undesirable health issues such as tooth decay. Keeping your dog’s teeth healthy is extremely important.

Other yoghurts may contain sweeteners that can actually be harmful to your dog. Substances such as xylitol are used commonly as sweeteners in many human foods but they’re extremely  toxic to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol fed to a dog can cause hypoglycaemia, liver failure, seizures and in worse cases it can cause death.

Avoid feeding your dogxylitol at all costs!

How to Add Greek Yoghurt into Your Dog’s Diet

As with any treat, it’s important to recognise that treats should not form the main bulk of a dog’s diet. It’s advised that treats should not make up more than 10% of a dog’s recommended daily caloric intake.

If you want to feed your dog Greek yoghurt, see how your dog reacts to it by giving it a small amount. If your dog doesn’t appear to be unsettled by it, you can probably feed your dog small amounts of greek yoghurt once in a while as a treat.

You could serve your dog a littleGreek yoghurt on its own in a bowl or mix a little into its dried food. Or perhaps in the summer you might freeze some Greek yoghurt in an ice cube tray to give your dog a tasty cooling snack!

Fancy giving your dog a tasty homemade treat? Try my chickpea and peanut butter dog biscuit recipe!

Summary

Dogs can eat Greek yogurt, indeed it can be a tasty way to introduce a nutritional treat into a dog’s diet. However, as with any treat, it should never be used as a substitute for proper nutritionally balanced dog food.

If you have a Whippet, I’d recommend Wellness Core Ocean dog food… it’s grain-free and protein rich. We’ve used this dry dog food for many years based upon our vet’s recommendation and my Whippet has never once turned her nose up at it or experienced any digestive problems!

Always remember, if you’re going to feed your dogGreek yoghurt, or anything that’s made for humans to consume, make sure it doesn’t contain added sugars or sweeteners like xylitol. Xylitol is very dangerous for dogs.

Finally, be careful not to give too muchGreek yoghurt to your dog to avoid potential stomach upsets and overfeeding.

Remember… a little can go a long way!

Related Posts:

• Can Dogs Eat Nectarines?
• What Foods Can Dogs Eat?
• Can Dogs Eat Persimmon?
• Why Does My Dog Eat Poop?
• Can Dogs Eat Pepperoni?
• 17 Foods That All Dogs Should Avoid
• Can Dogs Eat Carrots?

Have you fed Greek yoghurt to your dog? Perhaps you have a recipe for a dog treat that includes Greek yoghurt? Let me know in the comments section at the bottom of the page.