Now, can dogs eat strawberries? Simply yes, they can, but please read on for further details. When we start to see warmer weather, you are more likely to start seeing more fresh fruit and vegetables around you. While we begin to buy them for ourselves, we can also begin to incorporate them into our dogs’ diet.
Now, this is the hard part, figuring out which fruit and vegetables are safe for our dogs, (Grapes and raisins will always be on the big NO-NO list).
Can Dogs Eat Strawberries?
No surprise here, one of the most popular warm-weather favorite fruits that dogs can have is strawberries! If you decide to feed your dog strawberries, they must not be canned strawberries or any other type of fruits in syrup, not to mention they shouldn’t be covered in chocolate either. They must be raw, untouched strawberries; anything else can cause multiple problems; for dogs. For example, the syrup could have sweeteners or artificial additives in it, which is deadly to dogs.
Are Strawberries Good For Dogs?
Strawberries do contain some characteristics and nutrients that are good for your dog. They have high water content, Vitamin C, a teeth-whitening enzyme and have fiber. Strawberries have been known to contain some natural compounds that help with antioxidants in your body.
Research has shown that these are good for humans and other animals. There has been no conclusive evidence that this is the same with dogs though.
Strawberries are a healthy sweet treat for your dog, as they can help your dog stay healthy in more than one way. If you feed your dog strawberries throughout their life. They can help with their immune system, aging and weight management. By giving them strawberries, you are helping to remove the salty and high fat treats that you may give them as treats already.
Strawberries can help with your puppies’ teeth too. Like when feeding your dog anything, moderation is essential, as strawberries still contain sugar, which isn’t the best for dogs.
The Safest Way to Feed Your Dog Strawberries?
Now that we know strawberries are safe for your dog to eat, what’s the best and safest way to feed them? First thing like anything you would do for yourself, you need to wash and clean the strawberries. This will help remove any dirt and residual chemicals on them, the second step should be to remove the stem from the strawberry, no matter the size of the dog.
The best approach for feeding them the strawberries is to cut them up into small pieces. This will help with the digestion of fruit and will also help avoid choking. If you have a small dog that will struggle with the small pieces, we recommend you mash the strawberry pieces up and maybe add them to your dog’s food or kong.
Adding Human Food to Your Dogs Diet
Like when adding any other food to your dogs’ diet, we recommend that you call your veterinarian and ask them. This will give you some reassurance, and they can give you some good ideas and tricks to help you feed your dog personally. As a lot of dogs can have certain dietary or medical restrictions.
As with when adding anything new to your dog’s diet, you should start with small amounts. Then gradually increase their diet, as long as you don’t see any changes in their digestion and behavior. If you think your dog is acting differently or just not feeling well, then stop immediately.
Christine Long, DVM, mentions this when answering a question on Petcoach, check out what she says below and at the link here for full details on it.
There are no specific reasons why a dog shouldn’t be able to eat a strawberry. As with any other “new” food, monitor for signs of food allergy (vomiting, diarrhea, or itchy/red skin), and feed in moderation along with a well-balanced diet suitable for your dog’s age and activity level.
If you were wondering and wanted to offer them more then 1 type of fruit, there are other fruits that dogs can eat. Some of them are:
- Apples (remove the seeds and core)
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Watermelon (remove the seeds and rind)
- Bananas
Best Practices
Any treats you feed your dog should only be 10 percent of your dog’s diet. When it comes to fruit and vegetables, you should always wash them and cut them into bit sized for your particular dog. If your dog is a smaller breed and struggles with the chunks, you can mash up the food for them.
Most dogs will happily eat fruit and vegetables, as its something different from there daily kibble. Although if your dog isn’t to keen on eating them, you can always try mashing them up and putting it in to their meals.
Conclusion
Can dogs eat strawberries? Yes, they can. They are a great treat for a dog. You just need to make sure you remove the stem and thoroughly clean them.
You should then chop them up into little chunks. It does not matter the size of the breed, you should always shop them up in to small portions.
You just need to remember that you should only ever feed dogs untouched strawberries. While remembering that strawberries do have sugar in them, so you should keep that in mind and lot over feed them.
Lastly, with any new food you are feeding your dog, you should feed them small amounts and observe their behavior. If your dog starts to begin showing digestive, behavioral issues, or health problem, you should stop feeding your dog strawberries straight away and consult your veterinarian.
