Dogs love human food. As food-driven beings, dogs are easy to train, because they will do a trick if the reward is good enough.
The only issue with dogs and food is that they will try to snatch it even if the training process isn’t in order.
They just love food and the smells around it.
Dogs love to explore and different smells just put them into ‘adventure mode’ so if there is an opportunity to try a new flavor they will do so without thinking it twice.
This is the main reason why they love human food. Plus, if you are eating and they are not, it has to be something really good, right?
It’s no secret that dog owners share human food with their pets.
Experienced dog owners know that not every food should be shared with your Fido, as some items, such as human chocolate can lead to harmful outcomes.
Have you heard about xylitol?
This component is one of the most common ingredients in industrial human food, but only some know that xylitol is dangerous to dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Honey Nut Cheerios
Before you get a dog you should do throughout research on human foods that are safe for dogs and which should be kept out of their reach.
Dogs enjoy a variety of human food, but can they eat honey nut cheerios in general? Simply said, yes, dogs can have honey nut cheerios in their diet.
Important: Before you serve your dog any packed food, make sure that you read the ingredient list first.
The ingredient list is ultra important if your dog has some sort of allergies.
For example, honey nut cheerios are packed with nuts, so if your Fido is allergic to nuts, you should avoid them.
Also, serving nuts to your dog isn’t something that should be taken too lightly.
Before you serve any nuts to your dog, learn which nuts are highly toxic to dogs and which are fine to be served, in moderation.
Even when the nuts are safe for dogs they should be served in moderation because they are high in fat.
As ingredients that are high in fat, these food items can easily lead to obesity in dogs and various pancreatic issues.
This is why some dogs may have stomach issues after eating Honey nut Cheerios.
Good to know: Honey nut Cheerios have a higher sugar content than regular Cheerios.
Sugar is something that people can usually easily digest, while that’s not the case with dogs. Sugar can be toxic to dogs.
Does this mean that cereals can seriously harm a dog? Yes, too many cheerios can lead to digestive disorders in dogs, which is why any type of cereal your feed your dog should be served in moderation.
Honey Nut Cheerios are considered safe for dogs, but you should still know some things when it comes to serving Honey Nut Cheerios to your dog.
If you want the safest cereal option for your dog, you should serve plain Cheerios.
The original flavor is your best option when it comes to spicing up your dog’s menu a bit.
These cereals have the least amount of sugar and are packed with non-toxic components.
The Honey Nut variety is another option that is safe for your dog. It is chocolate-free which is something that is important when it comes to feeding your dog a healthy way.
Did you know that honey nut cheerios are lactose-free? However, when they are mixed with milk, it has lactose and as result may cause allergies, strong diarrhea, and vomiting in dogs that are lactose-intolerant.
Dogs who suffer from lactose are fighting many battles in their everyday diet.
As you may guess already, this may lead to many health-related issues in your dog.
To avoid any undesirable situation, you should serve Honey Nut Cheerios as a dry occasional snack.
Are Whole Grain Oats In Cheerios Good For Dogs?
All in all, cheerios are a safe occasional treat.
In general, whole grain can be a nice and healthy addition to a dog’s diet, unless your dog is sensitive to gluten.
Did you know that dogs may be allergic to gluten? If you suspect that your dog is gluten-sensitive make sure that you talk with your veterinarian.
If it turns out that your dog is gluten-sensitive, you might want to think about oats as a carbohydrate alternative.
Oats are packed with linoleic acid, which is known as an omega-6 fatty acid that can actually provide dogs with healthy and strong skin.
Before you serve anything to your dog, make sure that you prepare the whole grain oats before you serve them to your Fido.
Bear in mind that most veterinarians will say that whole grain isn’t a necessary part of a dog’s diet.
You should always aim to serve your dog food that is nutritional and beneficial to the dog’s overall health.
Food that isn’t rich in nutrients is usually heavy in calories.
For example, one cup of Cheerios which is commonly around 26 grams, contains 93.9 calories, which is a lot.
Nutritional Benefits Of Cheerios
To be honest, the health benefits of Cheerios for dogs are minimal.
Cheerios do contain vitamins and minerals, but they are present in traces, and that amount isn’t something that can actually benefit your dog’s overall health. Plus, there is sugar, the biggest downside of Cheerios.
No matter how much sugar there might be it will still affect a dog’s weight and even some dental issues.
Again: Honey Nut Cheerios should be served only as a treat, and never as a daily meal.
Whenever in doubt about certain food check what are the FDA views on products of a certain product.
Do you need more information on this product? If so, check the nutritional values of every Cheerios flavor on their website.
If you still want to see how your Fido reacts to Cheerio, make sure that you start with flavors that are safe for your dog, such as:
- Honey Nut Cheerios
- Plain Cheerios
- Banana Nut Cheerios
- Apple Cinnamon Cheerios
- Blueberry Cheerios
Even these ‘safe’ flavors should be treated as an occasional treat served in moderation.
As mentioned earlier, avoid flavors that are whole grain, frosted, or chocolate. The biggest no-no when it comes to these flavors is the chocolate option, even though the chocolate amount is extremely low.
Don’t forget that real chocolate is really dangerous to dogs.
Even if the chocolate amount is low, feeding them to your dog could lead to one if not many of the following health issues:
- Diarrhea
- Excessive thirst
- Vomiting
- Panting
- Seizures
- Excessive urination
- Hyperactivity
- Possible death
If you notice any of the following symptoms make sure that you contact your veterinarian.
1. Fiber
When you want to keep your dog’s health optimal and his gut healthy, you need to think about fiber.
To keep everything running smoothly inside the fiber is mandatory. One serving of Cheerios has around 4 grams of fiber and 1 gram of soluble fiber.
If your dog bothers with heavy food that often leads to consumption, think about a small amount of Cheerios as a nice treat to push things through.
It’s important to note that too much fiber can also lead to various issues.
Although fiber is necessary to keep your dog’s diet in balance, you should be careful not to serve food that is too rich in fiber.
Dogs’ bodies have difficulties absorbing vital minerals which will lead to fiber imbalance.
As result, your dog may experience some of the following symptoms, such as:
- Diarrhea
- Frequent toilet breaks
- Defecating inside the house
When trained and socialized properly dogs won’t do their business inside the house, they will always do it outside and most commonly on the grass.
However, when they have stomach disturbances or stomach itchiness, or simply when they can’t hold it any longer they will defecate on the spot.
2. Vitamins
There are some vitamins in Cheerios that dogs may experience, but these vitamins are not enough for them to thrive from.
Some of the vitamins that are present in Cheerios include A, B1, B12, B6, E, zinc, thiamin, magnesium, folic acid, and vitamin D3.
In dogs, these vitamins work similarly to what they do in humans.
As such these vitamins can assist with healthy blood cells, and support healthy skin and eyes in dogs.
As a general rule, you should check the dog’s eye on a daily level for any sign of eye discharge.
Just like in humans, the eyes are a big indicator of overall health.
If eye discharge becomes an everyday thing and liquid is of unusual structure or density, make sure that you contact your veterinarian.
3. Calcium
Calcium supports building and maintaining strong bones. Dogs, especially large size dogs, are prone to joint-*related issues and regular calcium consumption, next with regular exercise, should keep their joints strong. Not only that proper vitamin balance can keep a dog’s joints strong, but it will also support a strong heart, muscles, and nerves. All in all, calcium supports these organs to function properly. Did you know that dogs need 6% of the calcium in their daily diet? This doesn’t mean that serving only Cheerios to your dog is enough to make provide calcium a boost. If you have doubts about calcium in your dog’s nutrition, make sure that you talk with your veterinarian.
4. Iron
As for iron, dogs need around 20 to 60 milligrams of iron per kilogram of body weight.
Just like in humans, a lack of iron in and dog’s organism can lead to many distributes and even lead to depression and anorexia. the best way to boost iron in your dog is to mind his diet.
Next to occasional treats like Cheerieous you need to focus on serving food that is packed with iron, such as green vegetables and raw eggs.
Bear in mind that dogs do not need iron as humans do, but they still cannot function properly without an average amount of iron in their system.
Can Dogs Eat Honey Nut Cheerios Every Day?
As mentioned earlier, Honey Nut Cheerios should be served to your dog as an occasional treat.
Do not make it an everyday occurrence, because there simply arent enough nutritional benefits to your dog from this food. This applies to any Cheerios flavor, and not only Honey Nut Cheerios.
This food item is low in nutritional benefits and has very high when it comes to sugar levels.
All in all, if you force your dog to eat Honey Nut Cheerios frequently you may see your dog gaining more and more weight.
When it comes to dog treats you should always opt for those that are specially designed for dogs.
Luckily, the dog market is packed with different treats that are more than enough to keep your dog’s sensitive gut in balance.
You don’t have to exclude Honey Nut Cheerios forever, but just keep them as an occasional reward.
If you want to serve more cereals to your dog as an occasional treat, you can explore cereals that are promoted as dog-friendly:
- Rice Chex
- Grits
- Special K
Before you opt for any of the listed cereals make sure that you check their ingredient list and talk with your veterinarian for a final ok.
If you love baking and you want to know exactly what your dog is ingesting through every bite, you might want to think about homemade treats.
This is a great way to cook for your dog, try the different homemade dog treats and discover first-hand what your dog thinks about your cooking skills.
For example, as a great summer treat you could mix cucumber with a bit of water, freeze it and serve throughout the day.
The Bottom Line
Hopefully, this article has answered all of your Honey Nut Cheerios-related questions.
So far you should know that Honey Nut Cheerios are OK to serve to your dog in minimal amounts and as an occasional treat.
Serve it from time to time as a reward. When serving, do your best to choose the flavor with the lower amount of sugar.
If you know that your dog finds it difficult to digest Honey Nut Cheerios do not force him to eat them.
If you have any concerns about your dog’s feeding style, eating habits, and general health condition, make sure that you talk with your veterinarian.
