No, most dogs drink just about anything they can get their paws on but you should absolutely not let them consume beer, or any alcohol for that matter.
We all like to give our dogs the occasional tasty treat from the human world every now and then. Be honest, you do. That being said, however, there’s a lot of food and drink meant for human consumption that you absolutely should not let your dog have under any circumstances. One example is beer. Beer, of course, is alcoholic and alcohol is highly toxic for dogs. Even a small amount of beer can be hazardous. Yes, ever so tragically Turner and Hooch has mislead us all.
You may be wondering why exactly this is the case? I mean, if humans can have alcohol and not die immediately (most of the time anyway), why can’t dogs? Well the reason is is that dogs can’t metabolize alcohol. This essentially means it is not processed or accepted by a dog’s body and therefore is incredibly toxic for our poor pooches. Even very small amounts can lead to alcohol poisoning in canines so be warned; DO NOT LET DOGS DRINK BEER!
So, now that we’ve answered ‘can dogs drink beer’, the next logical question is what else can’t they drink? With so many drinks in the world it’s important to know which ones are suitable for dogs and which ones could have fatal consequences.
What can’t dogs drink?
To reiterate my point from the last section, all alcohol is off the table. Any alcoholic drink, whether it be wine, beer or spirits, is absolutely 100% bad for dogs and they should not be allowed to have any. Now that that idea is hopefully firmly cemented in your head, let’s move on to other drinks.
Starting off, we have Coca Cola, or any coke-esque drink for that case (think Pepsi, Dr Pepper, Rola Cola etc.). Dogs sadly can’t enjoy the refreshing taste of a cold coke on a hot day. This is because of the high caffeine content of the deliciously sugary drink. Dogs are much more sensitive to caffeine than humans and so they shouldn’t really consume it. Small amounts of caffeine can cause extreme hyperactivity in dogs and potential health risks, including potentially fatal ones. For this reason, you should avoid giving your furry friend any drinks containing caffeine. This includes coke, but also coffee, energy drinks and any most other fizzy drinks such as Sprite, Fanta or Tango.
Now what about orange juice? Orange juice is a delicious treat and a great way to get some nutrients in to your diet, if you are a human that is. For dogs, on the other hand, orange juice is not really an ideal beverage option. Orange juice is high in sugar and citric acid, both of which are not great for canine consumption and should therefore be avoided. So sadly, your dog enjoying a nice glass of OJ on the porch with you after a nice long walk is off the table.
In general, the best way to look after your dog and keep them hydrated is plenty of water. There’s no reason for your dog to be drinking beer, coke or orange juice; water does the trick!
Extra information
Animal-Club provides animal parties or animal handling workshops. You will be able to see, learn and interact with many wonderful animals with the help of our presenters. Our mobile zoo has many friendly animals such as rabbits, tarantulas, geckos, vinegaroons and more, perfect for an animal party. We can also come over to your school for an animal school visit or arrange for an animal workshop with us where the children can learn about looking after animals and animal behaviour, and have fun too.