Gingersnaps have many benefits for doggies. However, it still has a downside as its calories, and salt content is too high as a treat. Hence, it is necessary to consider its safety and find out if dogs can eat gingersnaps.
Yes, doggies can eat gingersnaps. They are a good source of energy snacks for our furry friends while taking them on a road trip or a vacation. Nevertheless, the calorie content of gingersnaps is high, and its salt content. Consequently, gingersnaps can cause lifestyle and health problems in dogs, such as obesity and heart diseases.
This article will explain in detail about safely giving your dogs gingersnaps. We will also state how much of a gingersnap cookie to give your doggie and provide you with directions on how to make one. Before we do that, let’s see if dogs can have gingersnap cookies and the ingredients used to make them.
Can Dogs Eat Gingersnaps?
Yes, dogs can eat gingersnaps. Gingersnaps provide your furry friend with calories, protein, sugar, iron, and calcium that play different roles in supporting your furry friend’s health.
It doesn’t contain canine-restricted substances like chocolate, raisins, or onions that are unsuitable for your furry friend to eat.
All you have to do, like other healthy treats for dogs, is to feed it gingersnaps in moderation. This is the best way for doggies to have gingersnaps.
What Are Gingersnaps Made Of?
Just like all cookies, gingersnaps cookies are made of flour, leavening agents, and ingredients used to improve taste and nutrition.
It consists of unbleached wheat flour as its primary ingredient, baking soda and calcium phosphate as leavening agents, and sulfite as preservatives.
It also contains canola oil, salt, sugar, cane syrup, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and soy lecithin. These ingredients enhance the taste and make it taste good.
Finally, it contains iron, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B9, all of which fortify the nutritional content of gingersnap cookies.
Are Gingersnaps Cookies Safe For Dogs?
Yes, gingersnap cookies are safe for doggies and will not hurt them. You only need to give them the recommended amount of it.
Serving the appropriate amount of gingersnaps eliminates the negative consequences of high calories and sodium in them. In addition, the gluten from the wheat flour and the sulfite preservative at this level will not cause toxicity or allergies.
How To Make Homemade Ginger Cookies For Dogs
Sometimes, we need to give our furry friends homemade cookies instead of the ones commercially sold in stores. This is because the store-bought cookies are heavily loaded with salt and contain preservatives that are not good for doggies over time.
Hence, there is a need to make homemade cookies for our pooches that contain only healthy ingredients in the right proportion.
To do this, you will need an oven, mixer, kneading matching or tool, a roller, and a cutter. The ingredients required are flour, honey, ginger, cinnamon, molasses, olive oil, and water.
Here is a direction on how to make homemade gingersnap cookies for doggies.
- Firstly, preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Then mix the flour, honey, ginger, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Subsequently, add the molasses, olive oil, and water.
- Then knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes stiff.
- Subsequently, roll the dough on a flat surface covered with a little bit of flour until It is about ¼ thick.
- Using the cookie cutter, cut the dough into the size that you want.
- Finally, bake them in the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Once done, allow the biscuits to cool down and preserve them in an airtight container.
How Much Gingersnap Cookie Should A Dog Have?
As gingersnap cookies are heavily salted, the amount of it we can give to our furry friends should be small. This quantity should only have the appropriate calories and sodium that they need.
A safe treat should have no more than 10% of the nutrients required from major foods. The maximum recommended sodium intake for all-sized doggies is 200 mg per day. Also, doggies only need an average of 200 calories for every pound of body weight.
Based on the 10% recommendation, the sodium intake per treat should be no more than 20 mg for all-sized doggies. And the calorie intake should not be more than 20 calories per 10 pounds weight of doggies.
A piece of gingersnap cookie weighs 7 g and contains 30 calories and 47.5 mg of sodium. Hence, about ¼ of a gingersnap cookie can only be given to our furry friends. This is specifically because its sodium content is significantly higher than the recommended levels.
For puppies weighing less than 10 lbs, they should not be given more than a ¼ of a non-homemade gingersnap cookie.
For pooches weighing more than 10 lbs, they should not have more than ⅓ of a non-homemade gingersnap cookie.
For homemade ginger snap cookies, doggies of all sizes can have ½ to 1 piece of a gingersnap cookie or biscuit. This is about 3.5 g to 7 g of homemade ginger snap cookies.
Will Gingersnaps Hurt Dogs?
No, gingersnaps do not hurt dogs. Dogs usually get hurt with food having high salt content, capsicum, chocolate, xylitol, and sugars.
However, gingersnaps do not have capsicum, chocolate, or xylitol. Serving it in moderate amounts reduces the impact of salt and sugars. Hence, it’s unlikely that it will affect your canine buddy.
Are Gingersnaps Healthy For Dogs?
Yes, gingersnaps are healthy for our doggies. A gingersnap cookie has nutrients that help many body functions and support good health.
Another good thing about them is that they are a good source of calories. They are suitable for doggies feeling lethargic or after a playful exercise with your furry friend.
Also, gingersnaps have no saturated fats or cholesterol in them. Hence, they are a treat good for heart health as well.
Other nutrients gingersnaps provide for your furry friends are protein, calcium, and iron. These nutrients help with growth, maintaining cell membrane permeability, and the formation of red blood cells, among many other functions.
Nevertheless, one gingersnaps cookie has 47.5 mg of sodium. As a treat, this amount is high for our canine companion. Hence, for the sake of the health of your canine buddy, you should give them only the recommended amount.
Benefits Of Dogs Eating Gingersnap
The ginger contained in gingersnaps helps with several body functions that ultimately improve the health of your furry companion. Here are some of the benefits of gingersnaps cookies for doggies.
Gingersnaps Help With Motion Sickness
When traveling or in a car with your dear Fido, a gingersnap can help prevent motion sickness in dogs. Motion sickness is a feeling of nausea or the general sensation of sickness when in a moving vehicle. When motion sickness happens, vomiting usually occurs.
Gingersnaps suppress vomiting in dogs. By suppressing the vomiting, your pooch stays relaxed and continues the journey.
Gingersnap Is A Good Antioxidant For Your Pooch
Gingersnap is an ideal source of antioxidants for your pooch. Antioxidants help with eliminating toxins in your pooch’s body cells. These toxins are specifically called free radicals.
The gingerol found in gingersnaps combines with these free radicals and allows your doggie’s body cells to easily remove these radicals. This suppresses cancer and inflammatory diseases that can occur due to antioxidants.
It Can Help Treat Heartworm
Heartworm is a worm parasite disease that affects the heart, lungs, and organs in dogs.
In a previous research study, ginger was found to be effective in killing this parasite. And it can be good in preventing this disease.
Helpful For Immune System
Apart from its antioxidative properties, one of the other abilities of ginger is its antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral ability. Ginger can help fight off this microorganism and boost your pooch’s immune system.
