By DR. LARRY BAKER

Millie, a 10-year-old kind-of-German Shepherd, and Bo, her playmate, a 7-year-old kind-of-Rottweiler, undoubtedly will have the opportunity to woof down some people food during the upcoming holiday season.

Have you noticed that when people give dogs or cats leftovers, or table food, they always do so with a smile? And they often look around to see if anyone else is watching. People who give their pets snacks usually do so because they enjoy seeing their pets eat. At least that’s true with Millie and Bo, the two dogs in my family.

Clients of mine do the same. And sometimes I see them after holidays.

“I don’t give him anything other than dog food,” says the husband the next day in my veterinary office.

“Oh you do, too,” counters his wife. “What about that leftover turkey you gave him yesterday?”

“That was just a bite or two – nothing substantial,” retorts the husband.

“Well, doc, that can cause him to get sick, can’t it?”

And I usually have to answer in some non-accusatory and noncommittal fashion, such as, “Well it could have, but most dogs or cats don’t get upset with a little table food as a treat. But we better give him something to settle his stomach since he’s obviously not feeling well.”

So, should you give your pet foods other than a good brand of pet food? We certainly did on the farm I grew up on. In fact, the dog, hogs and cats got all the leftovers – bones and all. But the answer from a veterinarian probably should be, “Just give him a good dog or cat food and nothing else.”

However, not all dog and cat foods are quality foods. I think you usually get what you pay for. And frankly, I believe pets that are on a poor-quality food probably can use a little extra nutrition.

The correct answer is that your pet will do fine on a high-quality pet food. Nothing else is needed. And some pets will begin to beg once they taste people food and then are such an annoyance at dinner time that their owners give in. Before long, the pet is addicted to table food.

Of course, the pet really isn’t addicted. Pets don’t open refrigerators. People do. And people become addicted to giving their begging pet table foods.

My general rule is this: Feed your pet no more than 10 percent of his diet in table food or treats, and then only if you promise yourself not to divert his entire food supply away from pet food. If you have a small pet, it seems easier to make the mistake of going the table food route entirely. And I think it’s because a little pet doesn’t need much to sustain his weight and health, and owners often feel they aren’t getting enough. A 5-pound pet usually only needs to consume 4 ounces of a good pet food daily to sustain weight and health; any more than that contributes to obesity and an unhealthy pet.

So, if you decide to reward your pet with people food this holiday season, just be careful. And please don’t ask me if I ever treat Millie and Bo to people food. I might be embarrassed.

Most of the health problems that dogs face these days are due to the lack of proper healthy food. Many pet owners think that by buying their pets good quality food they will waste money. It is not true, because the illness the dog gets from bad food will be much more expensive to treat.

The vets are always advising you on buying healthy, approved food. There are many commercial pet food manufacturers that are motivated to create the best food and they compete over the healthiest ingredients. Also, if you get a dog from the breeder, he will tell you which types of food you must buy and which you should avoid.

There are many breeds that have special food requirements. There are also many people that say a natural diet is the best: bones and meat. They also say that raw meat is preferred because some minerals will not get destroyed in the cooking process.

One of the reasons why commercial food is preferred by many people, besides the convenience aspect, is the fact that it has many nutrients that are excellent for your dog’s health. You can not have the same nutrients in a cooked or raw piece of meat. The manufacturers add minerals and vitamins into the food. There are many types of nutrient rich food and you can find it in supermarkets or pet shops.

It is highly recommended to mix some raw bones with dry food. Occasionally you can add some pasta and rice and even quality food.

There is almost no need to say how important the food is for a dog as it maintains its health and helps him perform. If the dog lacks vitamins and minerals he could get into serious health problems. Plus, good bones and dry food are also helping the dog clean its teeth and satisfy his impulsive need to chew on things.

Also, do not try to feed the dog only meet and bones. If you do not give him cereals or other source of carbohydrate, you could cause some severe deficiency and the dog can become sick, lethargic and sad.

You will say that in the wild, dogs eat only meat but that is not true. They also eat vegetables that they find in the nature. The vegetables help with the digestive track. Sometimes they also eat wild fruits and plants.

So, from time to time, give your dog some cereals, some vegetables and fruits. There are even dogs that like fruits as much as they like candy and they will eat them without problems. If you see that he doesn’t like it, you can start by feeding it small pieces of carrots and apples. In time, he will get used to it, as long as you persevere.

So keep in mind these simple advices and try to give your dog the best healthy meal that you can. The dog’s health depends on this food you are giving the dog every day. Consult specialists and do research online to see the best dog food you could get.