Movie night has come to an end. The afterglow of an excellent movie shines on the faces in the household. A certain, furry friend scavenges around on the floor, looking for spare pieces of popcorn. Before you know it, you jump out of your seat and ask the room, “Can dogs have popcorn?”

No one in the room really knows, for sure. But, Google knows. And so does CanDogsEatBananas.com. Looks like you’ve come to the right place!

So, let’s talk popcorn. I’ll do my best not to upset the ghost of the late, great Orville Redenbacher.

Why Can Dogs Have Popcorn? Well, Maybe They Shouldn’t

In fact, The Dog People at Rover list popcorn as one of the surprisingly dangerous foods for dogs.

That’s right. Before your dog completes their best impression of a vacuum and suctions all the leftover popcorn off the floor, you’d better pick it up.

Why? Because I guarantee that popcorn you chowed down on during the movie had copious amounts of salt and butter. While generally okay for us, the extra salt and butter on popcorn can cause health concerns for your pup.

Your dog’s diet doesn’t require extra salt or butter, which means their body doesn’t process these extra amounts as well as our human bodies do. The butter, oil, and salt that usually comes with our popcorn causes upset tummies for our pups. Also, excessive consumption leads to possibilities of obesity and obesity-related disease, like heart problems.

Of course, good dog owners like you never want to endanger your fur baby’s health. So, keep that yummy, buttery popcorn out of your pup’s reach. But what about plain popcorn?

Can Dogs Have Popcorn That’s Plain?

Yes, dogs are capable of eating plain, unsalted, unbuttered popcorn. So, I suppose, if you’re pup is a really, really special doggo then you have an opportunity to go the extra mile for them.

Here’s what I’m saying: what you can do is start buying plain, no additive popcorn. Pop that popcorn up in the microwave, and set aside a small little handful for your pup. Now your pup has a little movie snack all for themselves.

And, as for you, now you can add salt and butter to the remaining bowl of popcorn. Now, this is a little extra. But don’t all dog owners want to be a little extra for their precious fur baby?

However, even plain popcorn has its downsides. Those little, un-popped kernels still have a risk of getting stuck in your dog’s teeth, and also pose a choking hazard.

No worries, though. As I’ve already provided a solution. If you’re going to set aside a little handful of popcorn (that’s unsalted and unbuttered), just make sure that all the pieces are fully popped. No more cause for concern, if you do that!

Pop, Lock, and (Don’t) Drop It

Remember, the answer to the question, “Can dogs have popcorn?” depends on the type of popcorn.

When it’s movie night at the house and that steamy, buttery popcorn makes its way around the room, do your best not to drop any for your pup!

However, if you’re a dog owner that loves going the extra mile for some hard earned, well deserved love points, then your pup likely already has their own little bowl of steamy, unsalted, unbuttered popcorn.

And if that pup doesn’t love the heck out of you for that, then I guess the sun isn’t hot!