people foods for pooches?

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Before we got Griffin, we would spend every night going through a stack of puppy books. All of the books had sections about feeding times with the same tenets - dry kibble is best, and 'people food' is a no-no. Unfortunately, our baby couldn't handle the dry food...his jaw and teeth were too weak, and his stomach couldn't properly digest it. So, the dry kibble wasn't happening...

Husband and I LOVE food, and I'm a total pushover (have you ever looked into the eyes of a hungry puppy?), so our plan to keep 'people food' from him totally failed. Oops. Now, I've seen some crazy stuff on tv...the woman who had 'tea time' with her dogs, the one who cooked a complete veggie and meat dish for her dog while nuking tv meals for her husband and son, and the woman who kept an unending supply of popsicles in her freezer for her dogs. Crazy! We are NOT those people. We keep it pretty basic and infrequent:

*Yogurt: Specifically Greek yogurt (it's what I eat everyday). I'll leave a tiny bit of yogurt and honey at the bottom of the container and let Griff lick it clean. He loves it (comes running as soon as I pop off the foil), and it helps with digestion and regularity.
*Apples: I usually cut a few small pieces and let him munch on them...always incorporating training, with the apple pieces as rewards. Don't forget to remove the skin and seeds before feeding!
*Bananas: Some dogs go crazy for bananas! Griff doesn't beg for this like the other foods, but he'll take a taste every now and then.
*Baby carrots: Great for their teeth and super healthy. Freeze them when your pup is teething...it'll be really soothing for him, and keep him occupied.
*Chicken and rice: The best remedy for an upset tummy. Boil the chicken (not sure why this is the best cooking method) and mix it with some plain rice. A meal or two of chicken and rice will usually get your pup's GI on track.
*Honey: Griff only gets this with my yogurt. I would have never thought to give it, but when we picked him up from the rescue group, the rescue worker gave a squirt of honey before some bitter medicine. Griff takes meds like a champ, but we might try this trick if he ever becomes difficult.
*Cheese: Umm, dogs LOVE cheese. Griff loves cheese. This was our treat of choice when housetraining, to really offer something special for the...occasion. Griff doesn't discriminate...feta, swiss, havarti, cheddar, goat...he'll happily take it all.

The list of TOXIC foods for dogs is pretty surprising. Everyone knows that chocolate is a no-no, but so are onions, grapes, and raisins. It's a good idea to do a quick google search before treating your pup. This is a good chart that shows foods to avoid.