 Need an excuse to party with your dog? National Hamburger Day is May 28th. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? There’s nothing dogs love more than food, but before you treat Rover to that super-deluxe burger, consider that there are safe and not-so-safe ways to feed a hamburger to a dog. Here are some important things you should know, along with a gourmet burger recipe from chef Carmine Guglielmino that you and your dog can share. Toxic Ingredients Burgers commonly contain ingredients that can make your dog sick, and some ingredients, like onions, are flat-out toxic and should be avoided at all costs. Skip these:
The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers a searchable database of foods that are unsafe for dogs. You’ll also find a quick list here. Proceed with Caution Other common burger components may be used safely as long as you don’t overdo it. If you’re unsure how any of these foods may affect your pet, check with your vet. Burger Buns. They’re not exactly great for dogs because they offer lots of belly-filling bulk with minimal nutritional value. Also, buns typically contain salt and sugar which aren’t good for any living creature in great quantities. But for a treat, burger buns are fine for most dogs. Be mindful of the choking hazard when there’s too much bread in one bite. Sesame seeds are OK for most dogs in small quantities. Bacon. Mmmmm, did someone say “bacon burger”? What dog wouldn’t love it? Bacon is usually OK for dogs when used sparingly, but it can have detrimental health effects when eaten often – just like for humans. Cheese. Some dogs are lactose intolerant, which means that any kind of dairy product, including cheese, could cause gastrointestinal discomfort: belly pain, gas, diarrhea and vomiting. Talk to your vet about giving dairy to your dog. Most dogs do OK with dairy in limited quantities, and dairy products with lower fat tend to be better tolerated. Lettuce. A few small pieces of iceberg lettuce won’t hurt most dogs, and it can actually aid their digestion. Just steer clear of spinach, kale, and parsley, which can make your dog sick. Greenlight Ingredients The truth is, any dog would be thrilled if you just threw a meat patty on the floor. But where’s the fun in that? If you want to have some fun with your dog-friendly burger for National Hamburger Day, get creative with some of these ingredients:
Choking Hazard Sometimes it’s downright impressive how much food a dog can inhale in under three seconds. But when we consider how dangerous it can be, it’s not so cute. Dogs can choke to death, especially when it’s a toy poodle trying to scarf down a triple cheeseburger. If you’re going to feed your dog a burger, take the peril out of their pleasure. Break it up into smaller, more manageable pieces. It’ll taste just as good. Cooking Temperature Raw meat can contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that can be harmful to pets and people. Be sure to cook your burger meat well. To be sure it’s safe, use a meat thermometer. The inside of the patty should be cooked at a minimum of 165 degrees. Eating Out Cooking a burger can be fun, but America loves its fast food. Think twice about feeding your dog a fast food burger. They frequently contain toxic ingredients like onions and tomatoes. Even if you try to remove these ingredients from the burger, they may have been cooked into the meat. Fast food can also contain large amounts of fat, salt, vinegar and even sugar, which can give your dog diarrhea, belly pain, and other gastrointestinal distress. The same is true of common condiments like ketchup, mustard, mayo and barbecue sauce. This doesn’t mean that you and your pup can’t enjoy a treat on the road together. Some restaurants offer dog-friendly menu items. This will help you find some in the USA. A Gourmet Burger Recipe You Both Can Share Chef Carmine Guglielmo designed this gourmet lamb burger recipe that you and your dog can share on National Hamburger Day: RECIPE Greek Burgers with Sesame "Fries" (Makes 4 burgers) Ingredients For the burgers: 1 pound ground lamb 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 large egg 1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs 1/4 cup frozen peas, defrosted 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil 4 whole wheat pitas 2 cups bean sprouts For the sauce: 1 cup plain Greek or other low-sugar yogurt* 1 tablespoon chopped Dill 1/2 Cucumber, peeled and diced small * Examples of yogurt: Chobani Greek, plain nonfat (4 grams of sugar) Smari, plain, nonfat (5 grams) Stonyfield Organic, plain, nonfat (8 grams) For the "fries" 1 large carrot, 1 zucchini and 1 apple, cut into sticks to resemble French fries 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 teaspoons sesame seeds Instructions: First, make the sauce: combine all three ingredients and stir together in a bowl. If using Greek yogurt, you might want to thin the sauce out with a little bit of water. Add one tablespoon at a time until you've reached your desired consistency. Refrigerate until ready to use. For the burgers: combine the first 6 ingredients until fully incorporated. Divide into 4 patties and flatten to about 1/2 inch thickness. Set aside on a plate until ready to cook. Next, prepare the "fries": in a mixing bowl, toss all the fruit/veggie sticks with the oil just to coat. Place on a serving plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Humans may want to sprinkle on some parsley, but skip this for dogs, as some types of parsley can be toxic to animals. For the pita: Stack pitas on top of each other and wrap in a damp paper towel. Microwave them for a minute and let them hang out in the microwave to stay warm until you're ready to use them. Pre-heat a non-stick or cast-iron pan on medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles and disappears right away when you drop it on the pan, approximately 5 minutes. Brush olive oil on both sides of the burger patties and place them in the preheated pan. Make sure you hear that sizzle (if you don't, the pan isn't hot enough)! Cook 4-5 minutes on each side, or until the center of the meat registers 165° on a thermometer. To assemble: Take a pita and slice down the center so that you have two halves. Open up the inside of each pita and spread as much yogurt sauce as you like on both sides of the pita. Next, take a burger patty and either cut that in half or chop it up to put an even amount into each pita half. Stuff each pita half with about 1/4 cup of the sprouts, drizzle with a little more sauce, and cut each half in half, or even thirds! Continue to assemble the other 3 burgers. Serve with a side of "fries". Enjoy! Follow Chef Carmine Guglielmino on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. CONTENT WRITER, BARKTIQUE + MEOW
Kim BrittinghamKim Brittingham is a content writer for Barktique + Meow, animal lover, and history buff residing at the Jersey Shore. She is the author of Read My Hips (Three Rivers Press/Random House, 2011) and Write That Memoir Right Now (Blackstone, 2013). She's a willing servant to a rescued miniature poodle named Clarice.
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 A first pet is a magical part of childhood. First pets awaken our compassion for vulnerable creatures and introduce us to one of life’s sweetest forms of love. Bringing home a new pet also creates a hands-on opportunity for kids to learn responsibility. But how can you be sure that your child will take their caretaking role seriously? These tips will help ensure a mutually rewarding experience for your child and your pet. 1. Have a Pet Chat. Talk with your kids about the responsibilities of pet ownership before you welcome the new pet into your home. Introduce them to the idea that a pet is not a toy; it’s a living being, just like them. Ask them to reflect on what their own needs are throughout the day. Do they feel hungry? Thirsty? Sleepy? Do they yearn to go outdoors and play? Explain that pets feel the same way, and that the pet will depend on the child to meet its needs. 2. Assign Specific Responsibilities. Every child, regardless of age, will need some guidance in how to participate in the pet’s care. Establish routine responsibilities for the child, like feeding, walking, or cleaning up after the pet. 3. Explain Safety Issues. Pets can face dangers indoors and out. Make kids aware of these hazards and explain what must be done to protect the pet. Here are some common examples:
4. Demonstrate Kind Hands. Pets invite affection, but children may not realize how their touch can be uncomfortable and even painful to the animal. Demonstrate the correct and gentle way to pick up, hold, and caress a pet. 5. Perfect Their Walking Technique. Walking a dog requires skill – especially a dog with abundant energy. Show your child the right way to:
A few sessions of professional dog training can be a bonding experience between dog and child. 6. Respect Rest. Some pets are more social than others, but even the most gregarious pet needs wind-down time. When you bring home a new pet, kids will be excited and may inadvertently overtax the animal with attention. That could lead to a grumpy pet who’d rather avoid your children than bond with them. It helps to remind a child of how it feels to be sleepy, and that animals often need more rest than people. Encourage them to “let sleeping dogs lie”. To learn more about dog sleep patterns and cycles, check out Your Dog Advisor's recent post. Now it’s time to pat yourself on the back. You’ve made the decision to bring home a new pet to your kids, and it’s one that will enrich your child’s life in so many ways – with love, compassion, and by teaching important life skills like patience and responsibility. By laying that foundation of conscientiousness and care, you’re giving your child one of the greatest gifts to humankind: the loving connection that’s possible with an animal.  CONTENT WRITER, BARKTIQUE + MEOW
KIM BRITTINGHAMKim Brittingham is a content writer for Barktique + Meow, animal lover, and history buff residing at the Jersey Shore. She is the author of Read My Hips (Three Rivers Press/Random House, 2011) and Write That Memoir Right Now (Blackstone, 2013). She's a willing servant to a rescued miniature poodle named Clarice.  Congratulations on your decision to give a pet a safe and loving home! If you’re a first-time pet owner, you may not realize what potential dangers lurk in your home, especially for an insatiably curious puppy or kitten. Keep your new family member safe by puppy proofing or kitten proofing your home. Even experienced pet owners may need a refresher course when bringing home a new pet, especially if you’re accustomed to living with an older or ultra-chill pet with few exploratory urges. You may have forgotten what it’s like to be vigilant, and a pet in new surroundings will inevitably want to scout the terrain. To keep them safe, take these easy steps to cat proof or dog proof your home. Here’s what you need to know: Pet Toxins: Know ‘Em and Stow ‘Em The average home is full of things that can be toxic to pets. And we’re not just talking about the obvious substances like rodent poison and cleaning supplies. Commonplace foods and house plants can cause illness and even be deadly to animals. Eliminate or carefully store these items out of your pet’s reach: - Food and Drink Chocolate, grapes, onions, and many more common edibles can be poisonous to your pet. The ASPCA offers a list of these substances and how they can harm your cat or dog. - Drugs Drugs account for 22% of pet poisonings. Keep all prescription and over-the-counter medications safely stored. Always open medicines over a sink to prevent spills and wayward pills that pets could lick up. - Household Chemicals It probably goes without saying that safely storing household chemicals is a must for a pet-safe home. Here are some you might not have thought of:
- Plants It’s worthwhile scoping out your indoor and outdoor plants for varieties that can sicken or even be fatal to your pet. Here are some of the most common:
The Pet Poison Helpline offers a more in-depth list of plants that are unsafe for pets. Anything Can Be a Chew Toy – And That’s Not a Good Thing Pets like to nibble and gnaw, especially young ones testing their new choppers. But that can be bad news, for you and for them. It helps to stay tidy and keep all of your belongings stowed out of your pet’s reach or in pet-proof cabinets and drawers. Here are some things to be careful with:
Now is the time to live by the adage, “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” Border Control One of the simplest and best ways to keep a pet out of harm’s way is to cordon off danger zones and create safe spaces with fences and gates. For puppies in particular, it’s all too easy to bound recklessly into the street or tumble down stairs. The time and attention it takes to puppy proof or kitten proof your home isn’t much, and it’s worth it to create a safe haven. You brought them into your home to provide a better life. These simple pet-proofing measures will help ensure that their life is long, healthy, and happy. For any animal poison-related emergency, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) 24 hours a day, 365 days a week at 888-426-4435. A consultation fee may apply. CONTENT WRITER & CONTRIBUTOR, BARKTIQUE + MEOW
Kim BrittinghamKim Brittingham is a content writer for Barktique + Meow, an animal lover, and a history buff residing at the Jersey Shore. She is the author of Read My Hips (Three Rivers Press/Random House, 2011) and Write That Memoir Right Now (Blackstone, 2013). She's a willing servant to a rescued miniature poodle named Clarice. |
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