Can Dogs Eat Cheese?
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The fridge door opens. A packet gives the faintest crinkle. Your dog appears beside you as though summoned by some sort of dairy based bat (or rather pup) signal.
Cheese has a habit of getting your dog’s full and undivided attention. It’s strong smelling, wonderfully tasty and just the right size for slipping beneath the table when nobody is looking. But before you pay the cheese tax, can dogs actually eat cheese?
Yes! Most dogs can eat a very small amount of plain cheese occasionally, provided they can tolerate dairy.
However, cheese is often high in fat, salt and calories, so it’s best kept as a treat rather than a regular bowl addition. Blue cheese and cheese containing ingredients such as onion, garlic, chives or raisins should never be given to dogs.
Table of contents
Is cheese safe for dogs? Is cheese good for dogs? What cheese can dogs eat? What cheese can dogs not eat? Can dogs be lactose intolerant? How much cheese can your dog eat? Which dogs should avoid cheese? Can puppies eat cheese? Can you use cheese for dog training? Can I hide my dog’s medication in cheese? What should I do if my dog eats a lot of cheese?
Is cheese safe for dogs?
Most plain cheeses are not poisonous to dogs. If your pooch snaffles a small piece of cheddar from the kitchen floor, there is usually no reason to panic.
That does not mean every cheese is a good choice, though. The type of cheese, portion size and your dog’s individual digestion all matter. Some dogs can polish off a little piece without so much as a burp. For others, even a small amount can bring on wind, bloating or a desperately needed garden visit…
Cheese is also surprisingly calorie dense.
What looks like a tiny treat to you can take up a sizeable chunk of a small dog’s daily calorie needs, particularly if it joins a busy snack schedule of biscuits, chews and toast crusts.
Think of cheese as an occasional extra, not one of the building blocks of your dog’s diet.
Is cheese good for dogs?
Cheese contains protein, calcium, vitamin A, B vitamins and fatty acids. All useful nutrients, certainly, but that does not turn the contents of your cheeseboard into a canine health food.
If your dog eats a complete and balanced dog food, they should already receive the protein, vitamins and minerals they need from their everyday meals. There is no nutritional need to add cheese to their bowl.
That said, where cheese can be particularly useful is as a high value reward.
Its smell and taste can make it useful for recall training, introducing a new skill or keeping your dog’s attention when the outside world is being particularly distracting.
The trick is to keep each reward tiny. Your dog does not know whether they have been handed a generous cube or a crumb the size of a pea. To them, cheese is cheese, and cheese is most excellent indeed!
What cheese can dogs eat?
If you want to share a little cheese with your dog, choose a plain variety that is relatively low in fat and salt. Check the ingredients first and avoid anything flavoured with non pup friendly additions.
Cottage cheese
Plain cottage cheese can be one of the more dog friendly cheese choices, particularly when you pick a variety with less fat and salt.
It provides protein and has a soft texture that works well as a tiny treat or occasional bowl topper. Some cottage cheeses also contain live cultures, which provide beneficial bacteria that may contribute to a healthy gut.
Check the label carefully, as not every variety contains live cultures, and avoid flavoured options. Cottage cheese still contains lactose, so introduce a small amount first and see how your dog’s tummy responds.
Mild cheddar
Plain mild cheddar can be given in tiny amounts, but it’s high in fat and calories so best keep it as a high value reward for your dog.
Mozzarella
Plain mozzarella may be lower in fat and salt than some harder cheeses, although this varies between products.
Goat's cheese
Plain goat’s cheese can be a tasty occasional treat, particularly for training. Its strong smell means a tiny crumb can earn plenty of attention, so a little goes a long way. Choose an unflavoured variety, keep portions small and check the salt content. Goat’s cheese still contains fat and lactose, but many dogs can enjoy a little without any tummy trouble.
Plain cream cheese
A small lick of plain cream cheese is unlikely to harm most healthy dogs, but it’s rich and frequently comes with added flavourings.
Parmesan
Parmesan is super, super salty, making other types of cheese more suitable for the occasional treat for your pup. That said, it isn't toxic for dogs and if they snaffled a little bit, they'd likely be ok.
Brie and Camembert
Brie and Camembert are not considered toxic in the same way as blue cheese (so technically they could eat it), but they are rich, fatty and calorie dense.
Too much may cause vomiting, diarrhoea or stomach discomfort, while fatty foods are particularly unsuitable for dogs with pancreatitis or those managing their weight. The soft rind does not offer your dog any useful nutritional benefit either.
A tiny piece of plain Brie or Camembert is unlikely to harm most healthy dogs, but there are leaner, more tummy friendly cheeses to choose for the occasional treat.
What cheese can dogs not eat?
Some cheeses are simply too rich or too salty and best left on your plate rather than sharing with your pup. Others present a more serious risk and need to stay completely out of paw’s reach:
Blue cheese
Dogs should not eat blue cheeses such as:
Stilton
Roquefort
Gorgonzola
Danish Blue
Cabrales
The mould used to make blue cheese can produce a substance called roquefortine C, which dogs can be particularly sensitive to. Eating it may cause vomiting, diarrhoea, a high temperature and tremors and, in more serious cases, seizures.
Experts advise keeping blue cheese away from dogs because, although severe reactions are uncommon, the possible consequences make it an unnecessary risk.
If your dog eats blue cheese, contact your vet for advice. Do not wait for symptoms to appear before making the call.
Can dogs be lactose intolerant?
Yes, some dogs struggle to digest lactose, the natural sugar found in milk and dairy products.
Lactose is broken down by an enzyme called lactase. Puppies produce lactase while nursing, but the amount generally decreases after weaning. This means some adult dogs cannot digest dairy comfortably, even though cheese usually contains less lactose than milk.
Signs that cheese has not agreed with your dog can include:
Loose stools or diarrhoea
Vomiting
Excessive wind
Bloating
Stomach discomfort
A reduced appetite
Tolerance varies from dog to dog. One may manage a tiny nibble of cheddar without a problem, while another gets a rumbly tummy from licking the wrapper.
If you are offering cheese for the first time, start with a very small piece and keep an eye on your dog afterwards. If dairy repeatedly causes digestive problems, take it off their snack list and speak to your vet if the symptoms continue.
How much cheese can your dog eat?
Treats and extras should generally make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories. The remaining 90% should come from complete and balanced food.
Cheese can burn through that treat allowance faster than you might expect. Fat content, calorie count and portion sizes vary enormously between varieties, so there is no universally useful number of cubes for every dog.
A better approach is to:
Cut or tear cheese into pieces no bigger than a pea
Use even smaller crumbs for little dogs and puppies
Break one piece into several training rewards
Introduce it gradually
Count it alongside every other treat your dog has that day
Keep it as an occasional reward rather than a daily habit
Your dog’s size, weight, health, activity and usual diet all affect how much room they have for extras. A piece that barely registers for a large, active dog may be a rather grand snack for a Chihuahua.
Which dogs should avoid cheese?
Cheese will not suit every pooch. Speak to your vet before offering it if your dog:
Has had pancreatitis
Has been prescribed a diet that is low in fat
Has kidney or heart disease
Is overweight or losing weight
Regularly experiences digestive problems
Has reacted badly to dairy before
Eats a prescription or medically managed diet
The high fat content of some cheeses is particularly important for dogs with a history of pancreatitis.
A stolen crumb does not automatically mean your dog will become ill, but deliberately offering cheese may not be worth the risk when there are plenty of leaner ways to deliver a treat.
Can puppies eat cheese?
Most puppies can have a tiny amount of suitable plain cheese if they tolerate dairy. It can be especially useful during training, when everything from sitting still to not eating your shoelaces deserves celebrating.
Keep each piece exceptionally small. Puppies need carefully balanced nutrition for healthy growth, so cheese should not begin elbowing complete puppy food out of their daily diet.
When introducing it:
Offer one tiny piece
Avoid introducing several new foods at once
Watch for vomiting, wind or loose stools
Include it within their daily treat allowance
Stop feeding it if their tummy objects
A puppy may have big opinions about cheese, but their portion should remain decidedly miniature.
Can you use cheese for dog training?
Cheese can be a brilliant high value reward for training because it smells interesting and can be divided into tiny pieces. Save it for moments when you need a little extra focus, such as practising recall, working around distractions or teaching a particularly tricky skill.
You can also mix a few crumbs of cheese with your dog’s usual rewards. The scent transfers through the treat pouch, making everything inside considerably more exciting without requiring every mouthful to be cheese.
For longer sessions, use some of your dog’s normal food allowance as rewards. This helps prevent training from quietly turning into a second dinner.
Can I hide my dog’s medication in cheese?
A small amount of plain cheese can disguise some tablets remarkably well. To your dog, it’s a delicious surprise. To you, it’s a successful medication delivery system that did not involve retrieving a suspiciously clean tablet from the carpet five minutes later.
However, not every medicine should be given with dairy. Calcium can affect the absorption of certain medications, while other tablets need to be taken on an empty stomach.
Check the medication instructions or ask your vet before wrapping a tablet in cheese. If cheese is suitable, use the smallest amount needed to conceal it.
What should I do if my dog eats a lot of cheese?
A small piece of suitable cheese is unlikely to cause problems for most healthy dogs. A whole block, flavoured cheeseboard or wheel of Stilton is a different matter.
If your dog has staged a cheese heist:
Remove any remaining cheese and packaging.
Check exactly what type they ate.
Read the ingredients for toxic additions like raisins or alcohol.
Estimate how much is missing and note when it happened.
Contact your vet if it was blue, mouldy or contained a toxic ingredient.
Monitor your dog closely for any signs of illness.
Call your vet if your dog develops vomiting, diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain, lethargy, tremors, a high temperature or seizures. Seek urgent help for tremors, seizures, breathing difficulties, collapse or severe pain.
Remember to check the wrapping too. Wax, foil, plastic film, cocktail sticks and chunks of packaging can create a separate choking or intestinal blockage risk.
Never try to make your dog vomit unless your vet specifically instructs you to do so.
Final thoughts
For many healthy dogs, a tiny piece of plain cheese now and then is perfectly fine. Keep portions small, choose a suitable variety and watch how your dog’s stomach responds.
Blue cheese, mouldy cheese and varieties containing toxic ingredients are always off the menu. Rich or salty cheeses are better left with the humans too, no matter how intensely your dog attempts to negotiate.
Ultimately, cheese is a treat rather than a nutritional necessity. Your dog’s everyday goodness should come from complete, balanced meals portioned for their needs. Then there is room for the occasional cheesy crumb when they finally nail that recall, ignore the abandoned sandwich or simply deploy a particularly convincing pair of eyes.
FAQs
What is the safest cheese to give your dog?
If your dog tolerates dairy, plain mozzarella, cottage cheese or goat’s cheese can make a suitable occasional treat. Choose a variety with less fat and salt, check for added ingredients and start with a tiny amount. No cheese suits every dog, so watch for wind, bloating or loose stools afterwards.
How much cheese can your dog eat?
There is no single portion that suits every dog because size, weight, activity and usual diet all affect their calorie needs. Treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories, with cheese accounting for only part of that allowance. For training, divide one small piece into several crumbs no bigger than a pea.
Can cheese give your dog diarrhoea?
Yes. Some dogs produce too little lactase to digest the lactose in dairy comfortably. Cheese can also be rich in fat, which may cause wind, stomach discomfort, vomiting or diarrhoea when eaten in larger amounts. Stop offering cheese if it repeatedly upsets your dog’s tummy and speak to your vet if their symptoms continue.
How quickly can blue cheese make your dog ill?
Signs may begin within a few hours, although this depends on the amount eaten, your dog’s size and the concentration of roquefortine C in the cheese. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhoea, agitation, tremors, a high temperature and seizures. Contact your vet immediately if your dog eats blue cheese rather than waiting for them to become unwell.
Can dogs with pancreatitis eat cheese?
Cheese is generally unsuitable for dogs with pancreatitis because many varieties contain high levels of fat. Fatty foods can place additional demands on the pancreas and may cause further digestive problems in susceptible dogs. If your dog has pancreatitis or has experienced it previously, only offer foods and treats approved by your vet.
