Avoid giving table scraps to cats and dogs

If your pet moonlights as a household dishwasher, that needs to stop for a host of reasons. “It encourages bad behavior,” explains Simms, such as begging and table surfing.

Additionally, there are many human foods that could make your pet ill, or worse, threaten their life. Grapes, onions, and chocolate are just some of the foods that are toxic to pets. “Not all human food is safe to be consumed by dogs and cats,” Simms warns.