Can dogs eat beef?
Yes, plain cooked beef with the fat trimmed can be a healthy source of protein. Leave out salt, spices and toppings such as onion and garlic, never give cooked bones, and avoid raw beef, which can carry bacteria.
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Why
Unseasoned, cooked beef can be a healthy protein, cut into bite-sized pieces with the fat trimmed. Burgers and steaks often contain salt, spices and toppings that can be dangerous; onions and garlic are toxic to dogs. Raw steak or burger can carry Salmonella and E. coli, and cooked bones of any kind should never be given.
What to do
If your dog ate fatty or seasoned beef, watch for vomiting, diarrhoea or belly pain and call your vet if they appear. If it ate cooked bones or food with onion or garlic, call your vet straight away.
How to give it
Plain, unseasoned, fully cooked beef, fat trimmed, boneless, in bite-sized pieces.
Questions and answers
Can my dog have a bite of my burger?
Better not: burgers often contain salt, spices and toppings such as onion that can be dangerous. Plain cooked meat is the safer choice.
Related foods
All foods: What can dogs eat?Sources
- Can Dogs Eat Hamburgers? — American Kennel Club, AKC Staff (updated 2025-06-20)
- Hazardous Cookout Foods for Dogs — American Kennel Club, Harriet Meyers (updated 2025-03-14)
- Holiday hazards for dogs — Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Riney Canine Health Center (updated 2024-12)
- Dog has half of his intestines removed after swallowing deadly corn on the cob — PDSA (26 August 2016)
General information from the sources below, not reviewed by a vet and not a substitute for veterinary advice. When in doubt, call your vet.
How kids practise this in PetPrep
In PetPrep a child looks after a realistic dog: meals at the right times, water, walks and care. Knowing what is safe to share is part of being ready for a real pet.