Giving a small pieces of chocolate to your dog can spoil their habit and make them crave for more.
You can give chocolate or sweet candy when he behave well but you should aware that there are some types of chocolate that can be poisonous for your dog and lethal in some case.
Why is chocolate poisonous or lethal ?
Cocoa beans that were used in the chocolate production contains theobromine which can be toxic for your dog. Metabolise of theobromine in dog is very slow so it can stay in the bloodsteam for many hours which can affects and interferes with the central nervous system causing heart and kidneys problems.
Dog chocolate symptoms
The symptoms of theobromine poisoning can be clearly seen within 4 - 24 hours after chocolate has been consumed by your dog. The early signs of chocolate symptoms that can be seen from external are excessive thirst for water, vomiting, urination increased, diarrhea and restless.
As time passed, more theobromine will be absorb into the blood stream which will now affects the central nervous system causing heart rate to increase, serious muscle twitching, raise in blood pressure and hyperactivity. For worst case dog may have heart arrhythmia, seizures, abnormally high body temperature or hyperthermia and death.
Even if the small pieces of chocolate is consumed dog may vomit and having diarrhea due to high sugar and fat contained in the chocolate.
Treatments
You will have to do anythings to make your dog vomit the eaten chocolate out from his stomach. This will clearly reduce or decrease the amount of theobromine that can be absorb into your dog body. Call your local veterinarian and describe everythings that you know such as behaviour, symptoms, amount of chocolate consumed by your dog, previous record of allergy etc.
Many dogs usually recovered from dog chocolate symptoms and poisoning effects within 1 - 3 days after taken effective treatments from veterinarian.