Last Updated on March 8, 2023 by Woody Pet

Can dogs eat popcorn?

Imagine this:

You have plans on binge-watching your favorite series on your preferred streaming service. The night is young. The internet speed is good, you do not have any pending work that needs to be done any time soon. 

Life is good.

Before starting the first episode of the series, you go to the kitchen to prepare the snacks and drinks that you are going to eat while watching. You have decided to microwave some popcorn and a cup of soda for tonight. 

After finishing all of that, you bring along your snacks, and your dog, who was on the couch the entire time, raised its head in attention and curiosity, clearly eyeing and sniffing the bowl of popcorn that was in your hands.

Normally, you would toss a piece or two in its direction but this time, you have decided to have a more educational and researched approach to this, so your mind developed a query:

Is Popcorn Safe for Dogs?

Of course, they can! Popcorn is basically corn that was, well, popped! And corn is healthy for dogs, right?

To find out, we must delve deeper into this conundrum and determine on whether or not feeding your dog popcorn is a good idea.

What’s The Big Deal About It? Is Popcorn Good for Dogs?

You may or may not desire to share some of your movie popcorn with your pet as you have reservations regarding the ill effects of giving it popcorn, but the truth is that popcorns are healthy.

How healthy, you may ask…

Well, the nutritional facts of popcorn that is air-popped without any additives whatsoever is the following: three cups of the stuff contain approximately three grams of protein, ninety-three to ninety-five calories, a fifth of a grams worth of fructose, around one or two grams of fat, three to four grams of fiber, an estimated two to three grams of sodium and around eighteen to nineteen grams of carbohydrates. 

Do you know that it’s a whole grain food? Well, it is!

It is not common knowledge that popcorn belongs in that category, which boasts a group of food such as cereal and rice that are known for being healthy and do not contain large amounts of fat, yet packs enough energy to sustain both humans and dogs alike.

One awesome thing about popcorn is that they are relatively small and do not necessarily pose much of a choking hazard for average-sized pups. Although it is worth noting that some dogs are not as careful as others, it is still imperative that you must watch out for your dog when feeding it popcorn as chances are, it might choke on an uncooked kernel, gag, and vomit all over. 

Corny Canines! Should I Feed My Dog Popcorn? Let’s Find Out!

For starters, there are many ways to prepare popcorn. There isn’t a consensus as to what the best way to prepare popcorn is, but it has not stopped people from experimenting with creative ways to “pop” corn efficiently and effectively.

Some have purchased pans that specifically and exclusively do these, while others are content with having microwaveable popcorn ready in as quick as two minutes

Not to mention that there are also many kinds of popcorn available for purchase. There are caramelized popcorns or those inexplicably overpriced popcorns that come from carnivals or movie houses. There is also the sort that comes in bags sold in the health food section at most supermarkets.

Who would have thought that when it came to popcorn, there would be so many to choose from!?

There’s actually one kind of popcorn that is suitable for dog consumption, so which of these are good and safe for your dog?

How Do I Make A Yummy Dog Popcorn Meal? – Here’s How!

The good news is, popcorns by themselves are good for your dog! The ones that are air-popped instead of roasted or microwaved are the healthiest option due to them lacking any sort of artificial preservatives and flavoring.

You can prepare these kinds of popcorn by adding a bit of oil to some popcorn kernels and fry them until they pop. Just be careful not to add too much oil since it is not particularly healthy for your dog. Only put oil sufficient enough to pop the popcorn kernels.

When serving, you might be tempted to add salt or cheese powder to the mix as you would normally do it when you’re the one eating. 

Despite the allure, it is not encouraged that you mix anything in the popcorn due to the fact that salts will only dehydrate your pet dog and any additional additives and flavourings pose no healthy and nutritional benefits whatsoever for your dog.

As you would serve any kind of meal to your dog, only give popcorn in moderation. Excessive amounts of popcorn will only result in an upset stomach, vomiting or diarrhea for your pet dog.

As a safety precaution, you are well aware of the inevitable aspect of eating popcorn, which is when some corn skin and bits get stuck between your teeth and you have to resort to using a toothpick or dental floss to pull them out, the same applies to your dogs, too! You must inspect the roof of your dog’s mouth, as well as the corners of its teeth and gums for corn kernels that may get stuck in between the gaps. 

Dogs do not have the same opposable thumbs as we do and are unable to use toothpicks to remove these, so any food that gets stuck in their mouth might irritate them and make them all fussy and angry.

In a review of the query “Can dogs eat popcorn?”

We have come to the conclusion that yes, they can. As long as the popcorns are air-popped and unsalted and without any flavorings and additives. Popcorns that have anything mixed in them are highly discouraged.

You must inspect your dog’s mouth after it has eaten popcorn for any kernels and bits that may get stuck in its gums and teeth.

As always, feed your dog popcorn in moderation.