# Would you give your dog alcohol ?



## Bubbles (Aug 31, 2012)

I know it's not good for anyone (including dogs) health wise. My uncle drinks Jaegermiester and let's his sister's pit bull drink out of his glass. When he starts drinking with the dog they normally drink and play until they pass out on or near each other. They have fun but I find this strange but a little amusing BC both start acting goofy.

Have you ever let your dog drink? I'm not judging any one I was curious to see if anyone else does this...


----------



## Jenna&Me (Sep 27, 2012)

Never and never will


----------



## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

No, never


----------



## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

No.


----------



## Bubbles (Aug 31, 2012)

I wouldn't either.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

There is no reason a dog should be allowed to drink liquor...it is about equal to letting a 5 yr old kid sip from a glass. It is abuse, to put it mildly if it gets to the point of 'passing out'.


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

No. Resounding NO.

And even when I used to drink, if anyone would have tried to give a dog or cat of mine alcohol or other drugs, I'd freak completely out and throw them out (nobody ever did).

That pit bull will die of liver failure, I am sure


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

No.


----------



## PatchonGSD (Jun 27, 2012)

um.....let me think........*NO.*

Is your uncle under the impression that the dog _enjoys_ getting drunk or does your uncle just not have any friends?


----------



## Bubbles (Aug 31, 2012)

I don't know why he does it. He only does that when he see's his sister. That's not very often. I thought this was strange.

Plus, I always hear about people in my college giving their dogs alcohol. I don't drink at all so I don't understand this behaviour. I just find it bizarre.


----------



## Bubbles (Aug 31, 2012)

onyx'girl said:


> There is no reason a dog should be allowed to drink liquor...it is about equal to letting a 5 yr old kid sip from a glass. It is abuse, to put it mildly if it gets to the point of 'passing out'.


I guess it could be abuse but some animals in the wild get drunk on their own, lol.


----------



## WhiteSpirit (Sep 17, 2012)

My old Akita use to steel sips from peoples beers from time to time (sneaky dog) But I never let her drink. It's not good for them. It's much harder for them to process toxins than us. And as of yet I don't think they do liver transplants for dogs. So best to just say no for the sake of your dog.


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Not daily. Not even weekly. Or monthly. 
I can't think of any who would do it on a regular basis at all.


----------



## m1953 (May 7, 2012)

No, personally I think it's animal cruelty.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

> I guess it could be abuse but some animals in the wild get drunk on their own, lol.


Birds eat berries and fall to the ground drunk on them....is it good for them? I can't imagine the hangover.....


----------



## Bubbles (Aug 31, 2012)

Is alcohol good for anyone? lol.

NOTE: I am not responsible for the health of wild animals getting drunk. Including birds...


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

There is a difference; Humans can make the choice to harm themselves with alcohol, overeating, or whatever. Dogs cannot. They eat what is given them, and drink what is given them.
You could feed them antifreeze. They'd happily lap it up and die after an agonizing illness of kidney failure. Is it _right_ to give them antifreeze? 
No more so than booze.


----------



## briantw (Oct 1, 2012)

I give my dogs one beer a year on their birthdays. Is it healthy? Nope. Will one beer a year have any long-term adverse effects on a dog? Nope. Would I give them alcohol regularly? Nope. 

For the record, my Boxer drank a Flying Dog Doggie Style on his birthday. My Shepherd drank a Great Lakes Burning River. They're microbrew dogs.


----------



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

I don't much care for alcohol but my husband drinks beer and if a beer gets spilled we will let the dogs clean it up.


----------



## Bubbles (Aug 31, 2012)

briantw- lol well, thanks for your honesty . Do your dogs get tipsy ?  .


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

I'm curious if any of you believe dogs enjoy beer more than they'd enjoy a nice meaty bone, or a carrotcake cupcake?
When a meaty bone or carrotcake cupcake would harm them far less than beer?

Dogs would happily drink/eat anything they can, so why give them harmful substances as opposed to healthy ones?


----------



## briantw (Oct 1, 2012)

Bubbles said:


> briantw- lol well, thanks for your honesty . Do your dogs get tipsy ?  .


Off of one beer? Not that I could tell. Like I said, it's once a year and it's a bottle of beer (or a pint this year since I took each of them to a bar where dogs are welcome). My dogs are 68 and 90+ pounds respectively. One beer probably isn't going to do much for them other than taste good.

Neither has ever thrown up or gotten sick as a result of their beer either. Loki actually kind of nursed his this year, so I'm thinking maybe I got him one he didn't really care for. Sandor crushed his, but he had just turned one and will pretty much eat/drink anything, so I wasn't terribly surprised.

Like I said, giving a dog one beer a year isn't really a big deal. It's no worse than giving them table scraps (which I don't do aside from occasional bits of cheese). Chances are good that muddy water your dog drinks at the dog park is much worse for them than a few sips of beer.


----------



## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

Never ever, nada, no chance. This one friend always trys to push the limits, constantly over treating him when I say enough...he'll do it again until I get P.O.'d...I get the ah, come on, no big deal. Is to me when I have to get up at 3am for an emerg. bathroom run. I take my stance, My dog, My choice. NO.

If I ever caught anybody giving my dog anything noxious or foods w/o my approval...well...I'd them up


----------



## Packen (Sep 14, 2008)

My pup is a sucker for red wine, we have to be very careful or he will tip the glass and drink it all :shocked:


----------



## briantw (Oct 1, 2012)

That beer was empty when I offered it to him, but Loki loves to lick the bottles.


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Packen said:


> My pup is a sucker for red wine, we have to be very careful or he will tip the glass and drink it all :shocked:


Cassidy had a thing for a nice Colheita Port. She'd tip a glass over and drink it off the table, and when we rushed to get something to clean it up with, she'd find another glass and do the same thing, little stinker!


----------



## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

I have a few dogs lap up alcohol when the glass was left unattended on the table or floor,but none of them were intentionally given alcohol.


----------



## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

No, I wouldn't ever allow my dogs to have alcohol. I personally dislike alcohol, anyway. Besides, aren't hops deadly?


----------



## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

Wild Wolf said:


> No, I wouldn't ever allow my dogs to have alcohol. I personally dislike alcohol, anyway. Besides, aren't hops deadly?


 
Alcoholic beverages pose much the same temptation and hazard to dogs as to humans. But dogs are far more sensitive to alcohol than humans are [34][35]. A drunk dog displays behavior analogous to that of an intoxicated person. (However, beer presents another problem; see below.)
Hops, a plant used in making beer, can cause malignant hyperthermia in dogs, usually with fatal results. Certain breeds, such as Greyhounds, seem particularly sensitive to hop toxicity, but hops should be kept away from all dogs. Even small amounts of hops can trigger a potentially deadly reaction, even if the hops are "spent" after use in brewing.[36]


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Yes, hops are toxic to dogs. In fact a forum member's dog died last month from eating hops. 
His temperature soared to over 107 (I think up to 109 but I'd have to go back and look it up) and he passed away.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

No, I would not give my dogs alcohol.


----------



## Piper'sgrl (Apr 20, 2012)

would never give it to my dogs but beer in moderation (once a month) is actually good for a horses coat. Usuaully open the beer and let it get a bit flat first. I've never done that either but i know a lot of horse people who have.


----------



## TimberGSD2 (Nov 8, 2011)

We had a daschund come into the clinic after knocking over and drinking the owners 7&7. The dog slipped into a coma and it was touch and go for hours. Alcohol is not good for dogs and they do not process it like humans do.


----------



## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

I went to the washroom once to return and catch Jazz lapping up my wine out of the glass. It was my favourite wine too. A nice Italian vintage Moscato D'Asti. Now I put it on a high counter whenever I leave the room


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I'm not sure that eating hops and drinking a beer are comparable as far as toxins. 

I don't give my dogs beer because I don't drink it myself but I would probably think it funny/cute if my DH shared one on the dog's birthday like briantw. We gave Coke a Coke once and I don't think he liked it, or at least he didn't like the fizz in his nose while he was trying to drink it.



> Loki actually kind of nursed his this year, so I'm thinking maybe I got him one he didn't really care for.


haha


----------



## briantw (Oct 1, 2012)

TimberGSD2 said:


> We had a daschund come into the clinic after knocking over and drinking the owners 7&7. The dog slipped into a coma and it was touch and go for hours. Alcohol is not good for dogs and they do not process it like humans do.


At the same time, there's a big difference between a fifteen-pound dachshund drinking a drink that is probably 50% hard liquor and a seventy to eighty-pound dog drinking a beer that is probably 6% alcohol or less. In the same way you wouldn't give a toddler a couple of shots of whiskey, but you might give your fifteen-year-old son a beer during a holiday party. Body size matters a lot when you're dealing with alcohol.


----------



## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

> Body size matters a lot when you're dealing with alcohol.


Body size isn't everything. The ability to metabolize alcohol must be taken into account and there's plenty of research that indicates dogs cannot metabolize alcohol the way humans can.
Dogs are not, in fact, humans with fur. Many things (like hops, xylitol, grapes, chocolate, onions) are toxic to dogs when they are not toxic to humans. 

My question is...why even risk it? Your dog would love a bone or a bully stick as much or more than a beer, and consider themselves, at that moment, the most lucky dog on the planet


----------



## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Why would anyone want to give their dogs alcohol? What purpose does this service?? Their own stupid amusement?


----------



## empem90 (May 6, 2012)

No I wouldnt give my dog any kind of alcohol. I dont see the point in doing it personally.



msvette2u said:


> Body size isn't everything. The ability to metabolize alcohol must be taken into account and there's plenty of research that indicates dogs cannot metabolize alcohol the way humans can.
> Dogs are not, in fact, humans with fur. Many things (like hops, xylitol, grapes, chocolate, onions) are toxic to dogs when they are not toxic to humans.
> 
> My question is...why even risk it? Your dog would love a bone or a bully stick as much or more than a beer, and consider themselves, at that moment, the most lucky dog on the planet


msvette,
just wanted to say we as humans actually can get poinsoned from chocolate, its just we have a lot higher tolerance to the alkaloid theombromine, which is found in chocolate.


----------



## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

Lucy Dog said:


> Why would anyone want to give their dogs alcohol? What purpose does this service?? Their own stupid amusement?





msvette2u said:


> Body size isn't everything. The ability to metabolize alcohol must be taken into account and there's plenty of research that indicates dogs cannot metabolize alcohol the way humans can.


 
:thumbup: :thumbup:


----------



## FlyAway (Jul 17, 2012)

I would also think that alcohol would dehydrate a dog when he is hot and thirsty. Very dangerous.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/health-issues/189267-help-dog-overheating-non-gsd.html

I somehow missed that thread. How sad. Why would we want to give a dog something that has even a fraction of something toxic to them in it?


----------



## Stella's Mom (Mar 8, 2011)

No, of course not. We already spend enough supplying the humans in the house.


----------



## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Stella's Mom said:


> No, of course not. We already spend enough supplying the humans in the house.


No kidding! I already get into trouble with; "Honey? Where's the cheese I just bought?" & "Honey? Didn't we just buy chicken?" 

If he went into the fridge and found his beer missing, somehow I don't think the first word of his first sentence would be 'Honey'!


----------



## TimberGSD2 (Nov 8, 2011)

msvette2u said:


> Body size isn't everything.


This. 

I probably shouldn't admit this but I'm not a big person, 5'5" and 130ishlbs. I can out drink many people twice my size. So I don't always agree with the size matters issue, at least in this instance. Dogs are individuals just as people are. Any amount of alcohol could be dangerous to any dog of any size.


----------



## The Packman (Jan 31, 2011)

Bubbles said:


> Have you ever let your dog drink? I'm not judging any one I was curious to see if anyone else does this...


I had a mutt that loved a bowl of wine.


----------



## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I have a dog who likes booze No I do not give it to her but found out by accident.

At a picnic a few years ago, Masi on leash, I wasn't paying attention and I turn around and she is slurping down this drunk guys cup of beer I pull her off the guy, who is sitting on the ground with his cup letting her go to town, and was like "WHAT the heck are you doing?" Yeah the guy thought it was funny, I didn't find it 'that' funny.

I noticed something about Masi ever since, that dog is attracted to drunks, if you have booze on your breath or smell like booze, she is all over them like a big lush. Now this is a girl who honestly doesn't give two hoots about ANYONE and would rather just "be",,but get the smell of booze involved and all bets are off.. If your drunk on the ground, she is on top of you licking your face to death..

It honestly shocks me because she is ordinarily, soooooooo aloof, and just ignores everyone, we don't drink, but yeah I have a few friends that do and go to parties/picnics off and on.. At some point we may need an intervention


----------



## Bubbles (Aug 31, 2012)

briantw- cute boxer.


----------



## selzer (May 7, 2005)

JakodaCD OA said:


> I have a dog who likes booze No I do not give it to her but found out by accident.
> 
> At a picnic a few years ago, Masi on leash, I wasn't paying attention and I turn around and she is slurping down this drunk guys cup of beer I pull her off the guy, who is sitting on the ground with his cup letting her go to town, and was like "WHAT the heck are you doing?" Yeah the guy thought it was funny, I didn't find it 'that' funny.
> 
> ...


Now I can go home and go to bed, you made me laugh out loud. She's attracted to drunks. What a lush! Love it.


----------



## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

selzer said:


> Now I can go home and go to bed, you made me laugh out loud. She's attracted to drunks. What a lush! Love it.


I was picturing Masi as coming onto beer-bellied ******** like a drunken prom date.


----------



## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

Dainerra embarrassingly that about sums it up


----------

