Can Dogs Eat Cheese?

Yes, dogs can eat cheese in small amounts. A tiny piece of a mild, lower-fat cheese such as mozzarella or plain cottage cheese makes a good training reward or pill wrap.^1,2 Cheese is high in fat and calories, so too much can cause weight gain, stomach upset or pancreatitis, and some dogs don't tolerate the lactose.^1,2 Skip blue cheeses, very salty cheeses, and any cheese with garlic, onion or chives.^2,1,3

Cheese Nutrition for Dogs

Cheese is rich in protein, fat, calcium and sodium. Hard, aged cheeses have very little lactose; fresh, soft cheeses have more.^4,5,6

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values.^4,7,5,8 Small cube weights are our estimates.

How Much Cheese Can a Dog Eat?

A healthy adult dog's treats, including fruit, should be no more than about 10 percent of daily calories.^9,10 Using the Merck Veterinary Manual's energy formula for a neutered adult, that works out to roughly 35 calories of treats a day for a 10-pound dog, 59 for a 20-pound dog, 98 for a 40-pound dog, 150 for a 70-pound dog and 196 for a 100-pound dog.¹¹ Your dog's real needs depend on age, activity and body condition. PetMD's suggested amounts for healthy-weight dogs, a few times a week at most, are below.² They're tiny, and most people cut much bigger pieces: a single 1/2 inch cube has about eight times the calories of a 1/4 inch one.⁴

Calories are our estimate for 1/4 inch cheddar cubes. If you use training treats of cheese, count them toward the 10 percent allowance.

Are Dogs Lactose Intolerant?

Many dogs don't digest lactose well, and dairy can cause diarrhea or other stomach upset.^12,2 Cheese has far less lactose than milk, and hard cheeses like cheddar have almost none, but dogs with severe lactose intolerance may still react.^1,4,6 Try a tiny piece first and watch for gas, bloating or diarrhea.^1,2

Best and Worst Cheeses for Dogs

Can Dogs Eat Blue Cheese?

It's best to avoid it. Blue cheeses are very salty and fatty, and some veterinary sources warn that the mold compound roquefortine C can cause vomiting, diarrhea and, in large amounts, tremors or seizures.^2,15,8 Veterinary toxicology references question how toxic roquefortine C actually is to dogs, and no confirmed case of blue cheese poisoning in a dog has been published.^16,17 Moldy or spoiled food of any kind is a better-documented risk: it can contain molds that cause tremors.^16,18 If your dog ate blue or moldy cheese and starts trembling, twitching or seems hot or wobbly, go to a vet right away.^15,16

Cheese and Pancreatitis

Dogs with pancreatitis or a history of it shouldn't have cheese, because the fat can trigger a flare-up.^2,1 Choose a different way to give pills to these dogs.

Using Cheese to Give Pills

A small piece of soft cheese molded around a pill works well for many dogs. Use just enough to hide it.^1,13 Some medications, including certain antibiotics, bind to calcium in dairy and don't absorb properly, so ask your vet or pharmacist whether a medicine can be given with cheese.¹³

Can Puppies Eat Cheese?

Yes, puppies can have tiny pieces of mild cheese as a training reward once they're eating solid food, usually from about 8 weeks. Introduce it slowly.^2,1,10

When to Call the Vet

Call your vet if your dog has a poor appetite, seems tired or uncomfortable, or keeps licking his lips or gulping after eating it. Get care right away for repeated vomiting, severe diarrhea, blood in vomit or stool, weakness or collapse.^2,1 Call right away if your dog ate cheese with garlic, onion or chives, a large amount of fatty cheese, or blue or moldy cheese followed by tremors.^3,15

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