Have you ever thought about whether dogs can consume cashews? It’s a common query among pet owners who are careful about what they feed their four-legged companions. The answer is yes, dogs can consume cashews without any ill effects. However, I would strongly advise against this – or any other type of nuts – as a major component of your pet’s diet.
Even though dogs have a reputation for their food obsession and consuming almost anything, it is important to note that not all foods are suitable for their consumption.
Why Shouldn’t Dogs Eat Cashews?
Cashew nuts, a famous snack among humans, are not a preferred treat for my dogs, despite my personal fondness for these delectable tropical nuts.
Undoubtedly, cashews are packed with nutritional goodness as they are abundant in beneficial fats, protein, magnesium, zinc, and other vitamins and minerals. They pose no harm to dogs due to their non-toxic nature. Nevertheless, as far as a healthy diet for pups is concerned, cashews may not be the most ideal choice. This is due to the following reasons:
Cashews contain a significant amount of fat.
Cashews are not advisable for dogs primarily due to their high-fat content. Although dogs require some fat in their diet, excessive fat intake can result in weight gain and various health problems. Moreover, cashews are quite calorific, and overfeeding them may lead to weight gain.
Avoid feeding cashews or any high-calorie nuts to your overweight dog, as it will ruin their diet. However, if you plan to give nuts to your dog who is not overweight occasionally, feeding them cashews is acceptable.
Consuming cashews can lead to gastrointestinal problems.
My worry regarding cashews is that they can disrupt the digestive system of your dog and lead to gastrointestinal problems. Dogs may experience stomach discomfort, throwing up, and diarrhea due to the poor digestibility of cashews. This particularly holds for dogs who have not consumed nuts in the past, or when they are given a high amount of nuts simultaneously.
Aflatoxins might be present in cashews.
Besides the aforementioned worries, cashews pose a potential threat of containing aflatoxin, a poisonous substance generated by specific types of fungi. Aflatoxin pollution can impact multiple types of nuts, including cashews.
Cashew nuts have a lower risk of being contaminated with aflatoxin compared to other types of nuts, but the risk is still present and can be easily avoided.
To clarify, the cashews available for purchase have a maximum of 4 pbb of aflatoxin per kilogram. However, it is important to note that the US Food and Drug Administration allows a maximum of 20 pbb of aflatoxin in any food. Thus, the 4 pbb amount in the cashews is relatively low.
You can feed your dog cashews if you wish because a small amount of aflatoxins may not cause your dog any harm, but take care not to do it frequently or in large amounts. It’s best to limit the amount of cashews that a dog consumes to be on the safe side.
Overfeeding your dog with cashews can result in pancreatitis.
The consumption of nuts by dogs can be hazardous due to their high fat and oil content. Consistent intake of high-fat meals may cause pancreatitis, a severe medical condition.
The pancreas, an essential organ in producing hormones and enzymes for digestion, is susceptible to inflammation and dysfunction as a result of a high-fat diet in dogs. This condition is known as pancreatitis.
Exhibiting symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, and discomfort in the stomach can result from this. At its worst, this illness can have fatal consequences.
5. Feeding your dog cashews may lead to choking.
Similar to other small and hard foods, cashews pose as a risk for choking. Dogs tend to ingest food whole and as cashews are hard and dense, it may pose as a challenge for them to properly chew and digest. As a result, this may lead to blockages in their airway which can be hazardous and sometimes lethal.
Providing cashews to your dog can cause an allergic response.
Canine allergies to cashews are unlikely as nut allergies are not common among dogs; however, it is crucial to note that even a small quantity can trigger a severe allergic reaction.
It is important to be cautious when introducing new food to your pet and be on the lookout for signs of food allergies, including swelling, hives, and itching.
Consuming cashews could potentially result in the formation of bladder stones.
If you frequently give your dog cashews, it could result in severe health problems in the future. Although cashews contain good amounts of phosphorus, overfeeding them regularly can lead to kidney damage and dysfunction in dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Cashews?
Is it safe for dogs to consume cashews? Yes, if given in small amounts (just roasted cashews, never raw!), but there are better and healthier options available. Despite their non-toxic nature, cashews are not recommended for a nutritious canine diet. In case you wish to offer your furry friend a treat, there are plenty of more appropriate and wholesome choices.
Apart from cashews, there exist several other kinds of nuts that dogs can consume without harm (yet in moderation!). However, it is important to note that nuts remain a potential threat to your furry friend due to their choking hazard, even though they are non-toxic.
It is crucial to keep in mind that although cashews can provide protein, beneficial fats, and other essential nutrients, they should not constitute a significant part of a dog’s nutrition. Dogs are primarily meat-eaters, and thus their food should mainly consist of meat.
When feeding your pet nuts like cashews, it is important to provide them in small quantities and in pieces rather than whole. Additionally, choose unsalted and unseasoned options when feeding your dog.
BONUS: Dog training 101 — How to set realistic goals and where to get started
Essentially, there exist two tiers of dog training. In case you desire skill training or fundamental etiquette like coaching your dog to sit, remain, and recline, then that falls under the domain of a dog trainer. If your dog suffers from behavioral issues like anxiety, aggressiveness, or fearfulness, then what you require is a dog behavioral consultant like Brianna Dick from Pack Leader Help.
“The way that I approach dog training is behavioral psychology based,” says Dick, who is a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals. “We’re not looking at just the physical behaviors of dogs. We’re looking at their emotions and the relationship they have with their humans.”
If you require training in both skills and behavior, it’s best to begin with the more challenging one, which is behavior training. A dog behavior consultant is capable of teaching your dog to sit as well, whereas a dog trainer lacks the adequate ability to address separation anxiety in pets.
Be realistic.
Fratt emphasizes that not all dogs will enjoy going to the dog park, similarly to how not every human will develop a love for attending raves.
As an applied ethologist and family dog mediator, Kim Brophey operates The Dog Door Behavior Center and authored “Meet Your Dog: The Game Changing Guide To Understanding Your Dog’s Behavior.” To explain dog behavior, Brophey utilizes a framework known as L.E.G.S (learning, environment, genetics, self). For instance, if your dog barks at your visitors.
According to Brophey, that breed of dog could have been specifically bred for centuries to guard against intruders at the front door. Since the natural instinct of a German shepherd to protect its turf cannot be eliminated through training, it may be necessary to modify your assumptions.
Decide how you’d like to train your dog.
Regarding training techniques, there are several choices available: group classes, individualized training, board and train, day training, and self-paced training are among the most prevalent. While group classes are less costly, they provide fewer personalized coaching opportunities. As per Fratt, board and train services are more costly and have more potential drawbacks.
“If the trainer spends all this time training the dog in this really specific context and then basically just hands you the leash, takes your check and walks away, there’s a very good chance you’re not actually going to be able to implement those new strategies and skills … successfully in your home.”
Your training goals and budget will determine the most suitable option for you. For instance, if your dog displays aggressive behavior towards another dog at home, it would not be practical to engage in training activities outside your home.
It should be noted that you will need to participate in your dog’s training, but it doesn’t have to consume a significant amount of your time. Fratt reveals that she dedicates roughly five minutes every day for training. The assignments provided by trainers are often enjoyable and can be effortlessly integrated into your daily routine.
Our experts recommend utilizing the free or inexpensive resources available online for dog training if you wish to avoid spending a significant amount of money.
- Kikopup on Youtube and Instagram
- Fenzi Dog Sports Academy
- K9 of Mine
On her website, Dick has gathered various resources that are free, while Fratt offers a collection of lessons titled Training Tuesday that are also free.
Understand the methodologies.
The field of dog training has no regulations, allowing anyone with an online presence or physical location to assert themselves as a dog trainer. This lack of guidelines also results in a disagreement among trainers regarding which training techniques to apply. Nonetheless, most trainers can be categorized into two distinct groups.
The first is positive reinforcement trainers like Fratt. Positive reinforcement means giving your dog something good — like a treat — when they do something good, so they repeat the behavior. Or giving your dog something good so they associate something (they think is) scary with having a positive experience.
Balanced trainers such as Brianna Dick, utilize positive reinforcement approaches but are also open to integrating corrective methods like e-collars in their coaching.
Dick explains that E-collar training uses a collar that emits a correctional stimulus, such as a shock, sound or citronella spray, which you control remotely. The dog training community has differing opinions on E-collars, particularly those that give a shock.
According to Dick, one should be cautious of trainers who rely on e-collars for every dog as this approach lacks personalization and produces unsatisfactory outcomes. He suggests seeking a trainer who takes the time to understand your unique circumstances, including your bond and lifestyle with your furry friend.
Find a good trainer.
To find a reliable roster of positive reinforcement trainers or balanced trainers in your vicinity, professional associations compile multiple lists that serve as a good initial point of reference. Such lists come in abundance, such as:
- International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
- Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)
- The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT)
- Karen Pryor Academy (KPA)
- Pet Professional Guild
- The Academy for Dog Trainers
- Pat Miller Certified Trainers
Afterwards, conduct interviews by contacting previous customers to determine which trainer you feel most at ease with and ensure that they are capable of clarifying their training techniques.
Don’t rule out medication.
Changing your dog’s brain chemistry may cause apprehension, but when your canine is feeling fear, anxiety, panic, or aggression that training alone cannot address, it is essential to acknowledge it as a medical condition that requires treatment.
Dr. Andrea Y. Tu, a veterinary behaviorist and medical director at NYC Behavior Vets, likens it to caring for a patient with diabetes. With a dog who has diabetes, insulin is necessary to regulate the hormone levels and maintain a healthy body.
“At the end of the day, this is a chemical imbalance. And it needs to be treated.”
