Can my dog eat rusks?
Can dogs eat rusks?In moderation
Only plain rusks without chocolate or raisins, and rarely, because of the sugar and calories.
Yes, dogs can eat plain rusks – they aren't toxic, but they're only an occasional snack: they consist mainly of wheat flour, plus sugar and fat, and one slice has around 40 kcal. Small dogs should have half a slice at most, large dogs two at most. For diarrhoea, a bland diet of rice with chicken, low-fat quark or cottage cheese is the better choice.
How many rusks can your dog eat?
Enter the weight – the amount updates straight away. You can adjust age, activity and neutering below.
How the calculator works
- Daily requirement: Resting energy requirement 70 × 15 kg^0.75 ≈ 534 kcal × factor 1.6 ≈ 855 kcal.
- Treat allowance: at most 10% of that = 86 kcal for all treats combined.
- Calorie limit: 86 kcal ÷ 426 kcal/100 g = 20 g of rusks.
- Guide value for dogs 10–25 kg: 1 × slice of rusk at 9.4 g each = 9 g (cautious guide value set by our editors).
- Recommendation: the smaller of the two, rounded down to half portions → 1 × 9.4 g = 9 g ≈ 38 kcal.
Sources: 10% rule from the WSAVA guide to treats · kcal value: USDA FoodData Central. Daily requirement as in the dog calorie calculator.
Result · 15 kg · Adult
Up to 1
slice of rusk on a snack day
(≈ 9 g, 38 kcal)
How often: Only occasionally as a small snack, not every day. All treats together should make up no more than 10% of daily calories – so fewer other treats on rusk days.
Treat allowance 86 kcal (10% of 855 kcal) · 1 slice of rusk ≈ 9.4 g
Limited by: guide value
Here the guide value for dogs 10–25 kg sets the limit (cautious guide value set by our editors): at most 1 slice of rusk. In terms of calories, up to 20 g would be possible.
A cautious starting value set by our editors. For plain bread, the AKC and PetMD consider only small pieces now and then to be safe. According to the manufacturer, one slice weighs about 9.4 g.
This applies if it's the only snack that day – if your dog gets other treats too, give correspondingly less.
The app calculates recipes in grams, kcal and portions to suit your dog's weight, age, activity and allergies.Rusks for dogs: amount by weight
| Weight | Maximum per snack day | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| 5 kg | ½ slice of rusk≈ 4 g | ≈ 17 |
| 10 kg | ½ slice of rusk≈ 4 g | ≈ 17 |
| 20 kg | 1 slice of rusk≈ 9 g | ≈ 38 |
| 30 kg | 2 × slice of rusk≈ 18 g | ≈ 77 |
| 40 kg | 2 × slice of rusk≈ 18 g | ≈ 77 |
- All snacks together no more than 10% of daily calories (WSAVA recommendation). If your dog gets other treats too, give correspondingly less.
- Guide value per weight class – small up to 10 kg, medium 10–25 kg, large over 25 kg: A cautious starting value set by our editors. For plain bread, the AKC and PetMD consider only small pieces now and then to be safe. According to the manufacturer, one slice weighs about 9.4 g.
What's in it
- Rusk is a sliced yeast bake that is toasted after baking. Classic rusk mainly contains wheat flour, sugar, yeast, a little oil and salt – none of which is toxic to dogs.
- Mainly carbohydrates (around 74 g per 100 g), plus about 10 g of protein and 2.5 g of fibre – nothing that a complete dog food doesn't already provide.
What to watch out for
- High in energy: the USDA gives 426 kcal per 100 g, so one slice has around 40 kcal. Fed regularly, rusks – like bread – encourage weight gain.
- Contains sugar, 12.5 to 14 g per 100 g depending on the variety. If your dog is overweight or has diabetes, only give rusks after checking with your vet.
- Rusks with chocolate, raisins, nuts, nutmeg or xylitol (birch sugar) are dangerous for dogs.
- Rusks aren't suitable for dogs with a wheat allergy.
- Rusks are no substitute for a bland diet: for digestive upsets, the German Federal Chamber of Veterinarians recommends low-fat quark or cottage cheese with rice, and the AKC recommends rice with boiled chicken.
- A whole packet at once can cause a mild stomach upset.
How to prepare rusks
How to do it
- Use only plain rusks without a coating or filling
- Check the ingredients list for raisins, nuts, chocolate and xylitol
- Break into small pieces
- Give fewer other treats on rusk days
Better not
- Chocolate rusks or rusks with icing
- Varieties with raisins, nuts, nutmeg or xylitol
- Several slices at once, or rusks every day
- Rusks instead of a bland diet or a vet visit when diarrhoea persists
How often?
Only occasionally as a small snack, not every day. All treats together should make up no more than 10% of daily calories – so fewer other treats on rusk days.
Frequently asked questions about rusks
Do rusks help with diarrhoea?
They aren't a remedy. For an upset stomach, the AKC considers rice with boiled chicken a better choice than bread, and the German Federal Chamber of Veterinarians recommends low-fat quark or cottage cheese with rice. A small piece of plain rusk usually does no harm, but it doesn't replace a bland diet. If the diarrhoea lasts longer than two days, your dog needs to see your vet – a puppy with severe diarrhoea immediately.
Can dogs eat chocolate rusks?
No. Chocolate contains methylxanthines, which can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, irregular heartbeat and seizures in dogs; the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. If your dog has eaten chocolate rusks, call your vet and tell them the amount, the type and your dog's weight.
Can my dog eat rusks without added sugar?
Yes, as long as the ingredients list doesn't include a sweetener such as xylitol. But less sugar hardly means fewer calories: most of the energy comes from the starch in the flour.
Can puppies eat rusks?
A small piece of plain rusk isn't toxic for puppies either, but it provides nothing that isn't already in puppy food. For diarrhoea, rusks are no substitute for the vet: the German Federal Chamber of Veterinarians advises taking a puppy with severe diarrhoea to the vet immediately.
My dog has eaten a whole packet of rusks – what should I do?
Plain rusks aren't toxic; after a whole packet, a mild stomach upset is possible. To be on the safe side, call your vet. If the rusks contained chocolate, raisins, nuts or xylitol, call immediately.
How many calories are in a slice of rusk?
A slice of classic rusk weighs about 9.4 g and has 37 to 40 kcal, depending on the recipe. For a 5 kg dog, that's already roughly as much as all its treats for the day are allowed to add up to.
What should I give my dog for diarrhoea instead of rusks?
A bland diet: the German Federal Chamber of Veterinarians suggests low-fat quark or cottage cheese with rice, the AKC rice with boiled chicken. How much of it your dog needs per day is worked out by the bland diet calculator at doggomeal.de/en/schonkost-hund-rechner. If the diarrhoea lasts longer than two days or keeps coming back, your dog needs to see your vet.
Can I give my dog medicine from my own medicine cabinet for diarrhoea?
No. The German Federal Chamber of Veterinarians explicitly warns that anti-diarrhoea medicines for people can be fatal for dogs. Ask your vet before giving your dog any medicine.
Are rusks suitable for overweight dogs?
Not really. Bread and rusks are high in carbohydrates and calories; the AKC advises discussing an overweight dog's feeding with your vet. Lower-calorie snacks include cucumber or courgette.
Similar foods
- YesGrains & sidesRiceOnly cooked and without salt, stock or seasoning, as a small extra portion with the food.See the answer
- In moderationGrains & sidesOatsPlain and cooked in water, in small amounts and no more than twice a week.See the answer
- In moderationVegetablesPotatoOnly cooked and peeled; raw, green and sprouting potatoes contain solanine.See the answer
- In moderationGrains & sidesPastaOnly cooked, without salt, oil or sauce, and only a small bite now and then.See the answer
- YesVegetablesCarrotRaw or cooked, without salt, butter or seasoning, in small pieces; not carrot cake.See the answer
- In moderationFruitBananaPeeled, sliced and, because of the sugar, only as a small snack.See the answer
Sources
- Can Dogs Eat Bread? – American Kennel Club (AKC)
- Can Dogs Eat Bread? – PetMD (vet-reviewed)
- Durchfall beim Hund (Presseinformation 18/2013) – Bundestierärztekammer
- People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets – ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
- Vergiftungssteckbrief Xylit – TFA-Wissen
- Der Markenzwieback 225 g: Zutaten und Nährwerte – Brandt Zwieback (manufacturer)
- Zwieback: Bedeutung und Herkunft – Duden
- Zwieback (SR Legacy, FDC 171372) – USDA FoodData Central
- Feeding treats to your dog – WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee (10% rule in the calculator)
Reviewed on · DoggoMeal editorial team
This page is no substitute for veterinary advice. Dogs with pre-existing conditions – for example of the kidneys, liver or pancreas, or with diabetes – and dogs with allergies often need their own rules. If your dog has symptoms or you're unsure, ask your vet.
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