In many Asian households, dogs are commonly given table food—usually rice with leftovers from family meals. While this practice may seem practical or even affectionate, it can compromise your dog’s health over time.

Providing proper nutrition is one of the most meaningful ways we show care for our pets. Maxime believes that every meal is a chance to show our love,  with meals thoughtfully chosen to meet the unique needs of each companion. By recognizing the risks of feeding table food and understanding the benefits of a balanced diet, we can make better choices for the well-being of our furry family members.

1. Why Table Food Is Not Enough

Meals that are flavorful and satisfying for us, such as spaghetti, hamburger, or even fried chicken, often contain excessive amounts of salt, oil, or seasoning that are not suitable for dogs. Additionally, certain foods are also toxic to dogs, including grapes, raisins, chocolate, onions, garlic, avocado, and anything containing alcohol, xylitol, or MSG. These items can upset a dog’s digestion and potentially lead to serious health issues.

2. The Impact on Digestion and Appearance

A diet consisting solely of leftovers may not provide consistent nutrition, resulting in frequent stomach upsets, loose stool, excessive gas, or even a dull coat.

Dog food, such as Maxime, is formulated to meet these nutritional needs. With prebiotics for healthy digestion and high-quality proteins for strength and vitality, Maxime helps ensure your pet feels and looks their best each day.

3. Unhealthy Habits and Weight Gain

Feeding table scraps can also encourage begging behavior, making mealtimes more difficult to manage. Even small, frequent bites can contribute to weight gain, increasing the risk of conditions such as arthritis and diabetes.

Veterinary experts recommend that no more than 10% of a dog’s daily calories should come from treats or human food. A complete and balanced diet remains the most reliable way to protect their health.

4. The Value of Complete Nutrition

Although some people believe dog food costs more than home-cooked meals, the long-term expenses of poor nutrition—frequent illnesses or veterinary bills—are far greater.

With Maxime, every kibble is crafted to deliver precise nutrition. Ingredients such as omega-3 and 6, prebiotics, and antioxidants support overall health, while Yucca Schidigera helps reduce stool odor. This ensures your dog receives consistent nourishment every day.

5. Choosing What’s Best Is an Act of Love

Feeding a pet involves more than just providing food; it is about ensuring they thrive. With options tailored to every life stage, Maxime offers both variety and assurance. Selecting the right formula for your dog is one of the clearest ways to express love and responsibility.

Making the Transition

Transitioning your dog from table food to dog food takes patience. A gradual 7-day transition is recommended to help your dog’s digestive system to adjust comfortably. Guidance on this process is available on every Maxime bag. It’s important to monitor your dog’s response during this to ensure a smooth and healthy change.

Your dog deserves more than leftovers. Make the switch to better nutrition so you and your pet can #LiveTheBestLifeTogether. Discover Aboitiz Foods’ premium pet food brand, Maxime, by visiting their website at www.maxime.asia/ph 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is feeding table food to dogs a concern, and how common is this practice in Asia?
In many Asian households, dogs are commonly fed rice with family meal leftovers – a practice that may seem practical or affectionate but can compromise health over time. Human meals are seasoned and prepared for human taste and metabolism, not canine nutritional needs. Foods enjoyable to people, such as spaghetti, fried chicken, or hamburgers, often contain excessive salt, oil, and seasoning that are unsuitable for dogs. More critically, certain common ingredients – including onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, chocolate, avocado, xylitol, and MSG – are toxic to dogs and can cause serious harm.

What essential nutrients do dogs require that table food typically cannot provide?
Dogs have specific daily requirements for balanced proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals – at levels and ratios that casual table food cannot reliably deliver. A dog’s body needs consistent, correct proportions of nutrients to support muscle development, coat health, digestion, energy, and immune function. Feeding table scraps leaves these needs to chance, often resulting in imbalanced intake, deficiencies, or excess of the wrong macronutrients – all of which can contribute to long-term health problems including obesity, digestive issues, and organ strain.

What behavioral problems can develop from habitually feeding dogs table scraps?
Feeding table scraps regularly encourages begging behavior and can make mealtimes more difficult to manage. Dogs that are consistently rewarded with human food during family meals learn to associate the dining table with food access, which creates persistent begging and can disrupt household routines. Over time, this behavior can escalate and become harder to correct. Establishing clear feeding boundaries – using formulated dog food at designated meal times – supports better behavioral habits and a more structured relationship between pet and owner.

What are the advantages of formulated dog food over table food?
Formulated dog food is scientifically designed to meet a dog’s complete nutritional needs at every life stage. Products like Maxime include prebiotics for healthy digestion and high-quality proteins for strength and vitality – ingredients chosen for dogs, not humans. Unlike table food, formulated dog food delivers predictable, consistent nutrition with every meal, reducing the risk of deficiencies, toxic ingredient exposure, and health complications. While the upfront cost may appear higher, it reduces long-term veterinary expenses associated with diet-related illness.

How should a dog owner transition their pet from table food to proper dog food?
A gradual seven-day transition is recommended to allow a dog’s digestive system to adjust comfortably. Begin by mixing a small proportion of dog food into the dog’s usual meals, then progressively increase the dog food portion while reducing the table food share day by day. Rushing the transition can cause digestive upset, so patience and consistency are key. Once fully transitioned, maintaining a regular feeding schedule with properly formulated food supports both digestive stability and long-term health – and helps pets live their healthiest lives.