From the moment you bring a dog into your home, you fall in love with them. It’s an instant bond, and they quickly become your bestest friend in the world.
You’ll want to do everything together like going for walks, cuddling up on the sofa, and even heading out to grab morning coffees together. But, should your dog have a share in everything you eat?
You will have heard of a puppuccino before now if you’re a coffee lover. More and more coffee houses and establishments are offering our furry friends a dog friendly alternative to a coffee, and giving them puppuccinos.
A puppuccino or a pup cup is simply a little espresso cup filled with whipped cream. You can find these at places like Starbucks completely free of charge.
My dog absolutely loves puppuccinos, and it’s a welcome treat for her when she’s been on her best behavior. She gets so excited that now, I cannot even bring a takeaway coffee cup home without her assuming that it’s for her!
So, with the popularity of pup cups and puppuccinos rising, let’s find out how good these are for our canine companions and whether it is truly safe to give our dogs whipped cream.
Can Dogs Eat Whipped Cream?
Whipped cream looks harmless. It’s just sweet, oh so creamy, and has a light, airy texture that makes it a delicious treat to add to desserts, hot cocoa and yummy coffees. Whilst whipped cream is perfectly safe for humans to eat, is it necessarily a good idea to give it to your dog?
Well, the short answer is yes, dogs can eat whipped cream, but it is incredibly fattening and has no nutritional value, so it is best to give whipped cream to your dog responsibly, and only as a treat once in a while.
Is It Safe For Dogs To Have Whipped Cream?
For the most part, whipped cream is just made up of cream and sugar and is whipped to create the light, airy texture that we all love.
Whipped cream does however have a lot of calories and fat, with 76% of the calories being fat, 19% carbohydrates due to the sugars and very little nutritional benefit. It’s simply just a sweet treat that should be consumed in moderation.
Whipped cream is very rich, and will not offer your pooch any health benefits, unless you want your dog to gain weight quickly. However, it is delicious, and most dogs will go crazy for a lick of this tasty sweet treat.
If your dog is food motivated (as most are), then they will love a little bit of whipped cream.
Is Whipped Cream Bad For Dogs?
Studies by the American Kennel Club show that a lot of dogs are actually lactose intolerant, which means that they cannot handle the sugars found in dairy milk products, and will need to avoid these products for healthy digestion.
If a dog is lactose intolerant, then it may suffer from gastrointestinal problems such as bloating, gassiness and diarrhea after consuming products containing dairy and lactose.
If your dog is lactose intolerant, then whipped cream will be incredibly hard for them to digest, and could pose some issues for their digestive system.
In addition to this, whipped cream is rather high in fat, and is very sugary, which can easily make your dog overweight or obese if given in larger quantities.
This is why it is recommended that you do not give your dog whipped cream if it is lactose intolerant, but even if your dog is not lactose intolerant, it is a good idea to give whipped cream only in small amounts, and not very often.
Whipped cream as a treat every once in a while is completely fine, but it should not form a large part of your dog’s diet.
The Risks Of Whipped Cream For Dogs
As we’ve said already, a little bit of whipped cream as a treat, or for an occasion will not do your dog any harm, but you should be aware of the potential risks of giving your dog whipped cream often, so that you can understand why we say that moderation is so important.
Obesity
One of the main side effects of consuming a lot of whipped cream is rapid weight gain. Most whipped creams are made of lots of sugar and saturated fats, and so these can lead to weight gain and ultimately obesity in some dogs.
Saturated fats are the fastest way that your dog will pile on the pounds, and dogs can become obese very quickly if they are not exercised enough and if they have poor diets.
Heart Disease
Weight gain is just one of the concerns when it comes to whipped cream and dogs. If a dog eats a lot of whipped cream, and gains a lot of weight, then this also puts them at risk of developing heart disease that could seriously put your dog’s health at risk.
Diabetes
In addition to all of the saturated fats in the whipped cream, there is also a lot of sugar, which puts your dog in danger of developing diabetes. The high sugar content of whipped cream is what makes it taste so delicious, but this can also make your dog’s sugar levels spike, which can ultimately lead to diabetes.
This is a lifelong disease that can really impact your dog’s overall health and wellbeing, so you need to keep track of what your dog is eating.
Lactose Intolerance
Many dogs struggle when it comes to lactose in dairy products. They may suffer from digestive issues such as vomiting, diarrhea or stomach problems if they eat foods containing dairy such as cheese and cream.
If your dog is lactose intolerant, then whipped cream is not a good idea.
Bloating
Lactose intolerance can also lead to bloating, but some dogs can suffer from bloating after eating whipped cream even if they are not lactose intolerant. This is often due to the air inside of the cream, which gives it its light, whipped and fluffy texture.
Consuming this quickly and often can cause bloating, gas and stomach pains, which can make your dog very uncomfortable.
It is best to offer your dog whipped cream in very small amounts to avoid any digestive issues, and to ensure that they do not become bloated, sick or have any pains inside of their stomachs.
Dental Issues
Anything with a lot of sugar in it, whether it is food, drinks or chewing gum will have a negative impact on your teeth. The same goes for your canine’s teeth. The high sugar content in whipped cream is not very good for your dog’s teeth, so excessive amounts of whipped cream can be a problem, and can cause tooth decay.
Digestive Problems
Most dogs will manage fine with a little bit of dairy, and just a small amount of whipped cream. The majority of dogs do not have sensitive stomachs, and will be able to handle most foods.
However, if you notice any changes in your dog’s behavior or wellbeing, then it is best to avoid those foods altogether. If you’re unsure whether your dog should be having whipped cream, then try speaking to a veterinarian first for advice.
Should I Give My Dog Whipped Cream?
If your dog does not experience any bad reactions such as diarrhea or an upset stomach after eating dairy products, then giving your dog whipped cream every once in a while is not a problem.
That being said, we do recommend that it is only given as a treat for good behavior, and not something that is offered every day or every week.
Whipped cream is often a very delicious and desirable treat for food motivated dogs, so you could also use whipped cream for the purpose of training, and for positive reinforcement when training your dog.
Again, just make sure that your dog does not eat too much of it that it gives them a bad stomach.
How Much Whipped Cream Should I Give My Dog?
As mentioned above, whipped cream offers no nutritional value or dietary benefits for your dog. Instead, it can be used as a once in a while treat to keep your dog happy and motivated for training purposes.
Any foods that are ‘bad’ for you, or ones that offer no nutritional value for your dog should only be given to your dog very few and far between, and whipped cream is the same.
On average, we would recommend that a decent portion of whipped cream should be no larger than the size of your dog’s paws. This is enough for a dollop as a taste of whipped cream, but not too much that it could make them unwell.
This is because whipped cream is made up of a lot of fat, and can therefore cause your dog to gain weight rapidly, and can lead them to become obese.
For example, a medium sized dog breed of about 30 pounds in weight only needs about 14 grams of fat every day. With this in mind, one cup of pressurized whipped cream is about 13 grams of fat, which is pretty much your dog’s entire recommended fat intake for the day, just in one cup.
When you think about it this way, it is easy to see how lots of whipped cream given often can quickly make your dog fat, or overweight, which can pose a risk, and put them in greater danger of developing other health problems such as diabetes or heart disease. So, moderation is key!
What Whipped Cream Should I Feed My Dog?
Whilst whipped cream is not really good for your dog, there are some that are better for your dog than others.
For instance, you’ll want to avoid the ones with lots of chemicals and preservatives in the canned type of whipped cream, and you may want to instead make some whipped cream at home to ensure that you know exactly what is in it.
However, as you should only be feeding the whipped cream in very small amounts, whichever brand you buy will not affect your dog in any way.
Can I Take My Dog To Starbucks For A Puppaccino?
Yes, you can take your dog to Starbucks for a puppuccino. It’s usually free for a puppuccino, as it is only a small espresso cup with a little bit of whipped cream inside.
Of course, getting your dog a puppuccino from the drive-thru at Starbucks is no problem, but you may be wondering if you can take your furry friend inside of the Starbucks coffee house for a pup coffee date.
The good news is that dogs are far more accepted in public spaces, with more and more stores, cafes and coffee places having dog friendly policies in place.
So, you’ll have to ask your local Starbucks if your canine companion is allowed inside for you to enjoy a nice hot cappuccino, and so your dog can enjoy a yummy puppuccino.
If not, there’s no reason why you cannot sit outside with your dog and enjoy a cute coffee date together, or meet up with some friends and take your dogs with you!
Your furry friend will love being right by your side wherever you go, and you can reward them for their good behavior with a pup cup.
Summary
To summarize, whipped cream is a yummy, popular and delicious treat that goes great on top of desserts, drizzled on our hot cocoas or dolloped on top of pumpkin spice lattes and holiday specialty coffees. It’s not just us humans that love it, because our dogs absolutely love whipped cream too.
The only problem is that some dogs can be lactose intolerant, which means that they cannot eat whipped cream without having an upset stomach. In addition, whipped cream is full of fat and sugar that can make your dog overweight and does not give them any nutritional or health benefits.
That being said, it is fine to give your dog whipped cream as a once in a while treat, or for the holiday season, as long as it is given in moderation, and as long as your dog has no negative reactions to it.
If your dog has never had whipped cream, then maybe next time you’re at Starbucks, you can ask for a small puppuccino to reward your doggie for being well behaved, and the bestest friend you’ve ever had!
