Because many barbecue sauce recipes contain onion, garlic and other unsafe seasonings for your dog; as well as excess sugar or high fructose corn syrup – you should not feed it to your dog.
What is barbecue sauce?
Barbecue sauce – the good old condiment we love and enjoy. Whether in our burgers, on our hot dogs, on top of our barbecued meat or in our marinades, it is one of the essential condiments we must have in our pantry (right next to ketchup or tomato sauce!).
Depending on who you speak to, or where you’re from, barbecue sauce recipes can differ. Some with more vinegar, some with mustard, or some with chili peppers – they all vary slightly. However, the barbecue sauces that we see on the store shelves are likely to be thick, brown, sweet and slightly tangy – the perfect accompaniment to meats and other dishes!
Can dogs have barbecue sauce?
The short answer is no – and this will be explained why below. We will be looking at some popular barbecue sauce brands in the market as an example.
Firstly, there are many ingredients and additives in the barbecue sauces you buy from the store. Dried garlic is one of the ingredients listed in Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce, which is toxic to dogs. Many other barbecue sauce brands also contain dried onion, such as Kraft’s Original Slow-Simmered Barbecue Sauce. Similarly, onion is also toxic to dogs. And that’s not to mention all the preservatives and additives in the ingredients list!
One of the reasons barbecue sauce is so tasty is because of the sugar and salt levels – there are 5.3g of sugar, and 97mg of salt, in just 10ml of Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce! So you can imagine that consuming enough of the sauce can contribute to weight gain and sugar related health issues for your dog, such as diabetes. The tartness, or acidity of the sauce can also cause problems for your dog’s tummy if they are sensitive.
If your dog has accidentally licked a tiny bit of barbecue sauce you’ve spilt on the floor, then chances are it’ll be OK. However if they eat enough, then they may get sick and you will need to take them to the vet!
Conclusion
There’s no denying that barbecue sauce is delicious – it must be one of the best things ever invented! However, just because we humans can safely enjoy it, doesn’t mean our pets can too. Due to the potentially harmful ingredients in many brands of barbecue sauce, as well as the high sugar, salt and acidity levels in the sauces, you should keep that bottle away from your canine friend!
