After a discussion at brunch yesterday about a friend’s dog who likes to play with cherry tomatoes, I thought it would be good to write about people food you should avoid giving to your dog. Most people know chocolate is not good for them, but what about a grape, or a tomato, or a nice slice of chicken?

You can be super careful, but sometimes a piece of whatever you are cooking drops on the floor or a guest happens to slip a little treat to your pup. And, if your dog is anything like Toby, he or she, puts EVERYTHING in their mouth — so, when do you start to freak out that your dog may have eaten something toxic?

There are a host of foods out there that are great for you, but can be very toxic for your dog, these include, grapes, mushrooms, pits and seeds from certain fruits and macadamia nuts. Onions are very toxic to dogs, but I love putting them in all my food, so when I, or anyone else cuts onions in my house, I always get paranoid. Even when I’m grocery shopping, I make sure the onions get their own bag and the whole package goes right in the fridge.

Women, there are also hidden dangers in your purse. Xylitol, a popular sugar substitute found in everything from sugar-free gum and mints to cookies and other candy can be potentially dangerous to your dog. This is especially true of little dogs, experts day. Although this story from USA Today is about three years old, someone sent it to me when I got Toby, and it’s very though about the dangers. 

With the summer coming there are hidden toxins that could be right in your backyard. Have a garden? Tomatoes are pretty popular to plant, but make sure your dog doesn’t eat the leaves, they can be very dangerous to your pup!

A simple Google search will yield a variety of lists about foods your dog shouldn’t eat. But, I personally like the one on Doctors Foster and Smith’s pet education website. It’s a very complete list and tells you why it’s bad for them.

So what happens if your dog does swallow something that is harmful to them? If your vet isn’t around, you can the ASPCA has an Animal Poison control Center Hotline. You may reach them at 1-888-426-4435. The ASPCA also has a whole section of their website dedicated to toxic cleaners, plants and other common household items dangerous to your pets.