It can be very tempting to share human food with our dogs, especially when they beg with their wide eyes and wagging tails. However, many human foods are toxic or harmful for dogs, so it’s important to be very careful about what you allow your dog to eat outside of food, chews, and treats designed specifically for canines. Thankfully, there are plenty of delicious fruits you can offer your pooch as a healthy snack that may even provide them with extra health benefits. This article covers eight fruits you can safely share with your dog.
8 dog-safe fruits
Most dogs rarely get to enjoy sweet treats. So, as long as they don’t have diabetes, offering them small amounts of certain fruits is a great way for them to enjoy sweet flavours while also ingesting some extra nutrients and avoiding processed sugars and harmful sweeteners. Just make sure to remember that moderation is key.
1. Strawberries
Strawberries are one of the most popular fruits among both humans and dogs. They taste delicious and sweet while being packed full of healthy compounds like vitamins, antioxidants and anthocyanins. They’re also high fibre and low calorie, but should still always be fed in moderation due to their natural sugar content. You can feed them whole or slice them depending on what you think will best suit your dog’s needs.
Strawberries may help support your dog’s health in various areas, including heart health, digestion, immune system function, skin health, blood sugar and cholesterol control, as well as potential cancer prevention. This makes them an excellent snack to include in your dog's diet, as long as they’re not fed in high quantities or too frequently as this can lead to stomach upset. Try to keep them as an occasional snack and only offer the appropriate amount for your dog’s size (ie. ½-1 small strawberry for a small dog, or 3-4 for an extra large dog).
2. Bananas
Chock full of potassium, vitamins, and fibre, bananas make an excellent option if you’re looking to offer your dog an occasional sweet treat. They also contain nutrients like magnesium, copper, and biotin, while remaining low in cholesterol and sodium. You can offer some banana on its own or as part of a homemade treat that could also include ingredients such as oats and dog-safe peanut butter.
Potential health benefits of bananas for your dog include healthy digestion, improved bone and muscle strength, enhanced brain function, immunity support, and blood pressure regulation. Therefore, bananas are a very beneficial food to offer your dog, but only when done so in moderation. In addition to limiting the amount of natural sugar they consume, limiting your dog’s banana intake to an occasional treat can help prevent it causing an upset stomach. You can base the amount you give your dog off their size. For example, a small dog should only get a small piece or two, while an extra large dog may be able to eat half of a banana in one serving.
3. Watermelon
Watermelon is very popular for its juiciness and deliciously sweet flavour, but did you know it’s also an excellent source of various nutrients? For example, watermelon contains vitamins A, B6, and C, as well as minerals, fibre, and antioxidants. It’s also low calorie as well and completely free from fat and cholesterol. Additionally, as watermelons are actually 92% water (as reflected in its name), they are great for hydration, especially in warmer months. Watermelon can be served to your dogs in chunks, a puree, or even frozen for extra cooling benefits. Make sure to only feed them the red fleshy part and remove the rind and seeds before offering it to your dog to avoid gastrointestinal issues.
Watermelon may benefit your dog's health by supporting a reduction in inflammation, healthy skin and muscles, normal red blood cell formation, and proper immune function. Like anything sweet and sugary, watermelon should be fed in moderation and in relation to your dog’s size. High quantities of watermelon may cause an upset stomach. Therefore, a couple of slices for a small dog and up to a cup for a large dog is more than enough to satisfy their sweet tooth without overloading their gastrointestinal system.
4. Blueberries
Blueberries make an ideal bite sized snack for your dog, with a delicious taste and plenty of beneficial components. For example, blueberries contain vitamins and minerals like iron, vitamin K, phosphorus, vitamin C, magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, vitamin A, manganese, calcium, and zinc. They’re also full of antioxidants and fibre. These elements make blueberries as healthy as they are tasty for both us and our canine companions. You could offer them as they are, or freeze them for a more cooling snack option.
This fruit packs a wide variety of potential health benefits into a small package, including support for brain and cardiovascular health, gut and urinary tract function, eye health, exercise recovery, and even weight loss where needed. Offering your pooch blueberries is a great idea, and so is keeping them in healthy moderation. As beneficial as they are, their sugar and fibre content could lead to an upset stomach if your dog eats too many. Around 3-10 blueberries is a good serving, with toy breeds receiving the lower end and extra large breeds at the higher limit. This limit is especially important to stick to if your dog is new to high fibre foods, as introducing them in high quantities makes an upset stomach more likely.
5. Apples
An apple a day keeps the vet away (or something like that). Apples are a delicious and nutritious crunchy snack with touches of sweetness and tartness that your dog will love. They contain antioxidants, fibre, potassium, calcium, and lots of vitamins, including A and C. You can cut an apple into slices or chunks after removing the pit and seeds to prepare it as a dog-friendly and healthy snack with plenty of benefits.
Apples may help reduce inflammation, improve digestion, support cognitive health, maintain healthy skin, bones, teeth, and nails, and even prevent disease. Additionally, the act of chewing on apples may help clean your dog’s teeth, although it should not replace regular teeth cleanings. It’s important not to overfeed this fruit because like any fruit, it contains a fair amount of fibre and sugar which can cause digestive problems if your dog is allowed to overindulge. Think of apples as a treat, and steer clear of feeding your dog an entire apple in one sitting. Instead, offer them a slice or two to satisfy their sweet tooth. As with any fruit, the smaller your dog is, the smaller the portion they should have.
6. Pineapple
This popular tropical fruit offers an intense burst of sweet and sour for your dog's taste buds. Pineapple contains lots of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin B6, folate, and various others. Additionally, it contains lots of water which helps aid hydration, as well as plenty of powerful antioxidants. To feed your dog pineapple, you’ll of course need to remove the outer skin and leaves, and cut up as much as is suitable for them so it’s easy to eat.
The potential benefits of this nutrient-dense treat for your dog are vast, and include supporting the immune and digestive systems, helping with disease prevention, promoting healthy energy levels, maintaining eyesight, and improving both metabolism and mood. It’s important to note that in addition to these impressive benefits, pineapple also contains a lot of sugar and is a source of fibre. Neither of these things are negative in small amounts, but may cause gut issues if consumed in large quantities. Anywhere from 1-4 chunks is generally enough, with extra small breeds benefitting from even smaller quantities, and a little wiggle room for an extra chunk or two when feeding extra large breeds.
7. Mango
Mango is another firm favourite among both dogs and humans for its delicious tropical flavour. It contains lots of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, including vitamins C, A, E, B6, potassium, and beta-carotene. This fruit is also packed full of fibre and even contains some protein. When feeding mango to your dog, make sure to cut it into manageable chunks to avoid any risk of choking. You may also choose to serve it to them in the form of a puree.
The possible health benefits your dog may receive from mango include support for the immune system, promotion of healthy eyes, disease and allergy prevention, healthy muscle recovery, promotion of proper nerve function, and improved digestive health. While these benefits may have you wanting to feed your pooch mangoes all day long, it’s important to limit their consumption. Mango should be offered as an occasional treat, and the portion size will depend on the size of your dog. This is because of its sugar content and potential to cause digestive upset if eaten in excess. Most guidelines state that dogs should have no more than a quarter of a cup of mango per week. This will reduce further if your dog has already eaten other fruits throughout the week or is a particularly small breed.
8. Peaches
Finally, we just had to include peaches on this list. This tasty stone fruit is as good for you as it is for your tastebuds, and the same can apply to your dog when fed responsibly. Peaches contain vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as folate, niacin, copper, lutein, and magnesium. Chock full of nutrients and fibre, this fruit makes an excellent snack for you and your canine to share. When offering peach to your dog, it’s best to do so in bite size pieces to avoid them ingesting the pit, leaves, and stem, as those parts of the fruit are NOT safe for dogs.
The range of possible health benefits that come from eating peaches can include immune system support, cell protection, red blood cell protection and support, maintenance of eye health, and promotion of healthy bones, joints, and cartilage. Make sure to feed this tasty fruit in moderation to avoid any stomach upset that may come from its sugar and high fibre content. 1-3 slices will be enough to satisfy their craving without overwhelming their gastrointestinal system. The exact amount largely depends on the size and health condition of your dog. Make sure to feed smaller dogs a much smaller amount than you would an XL breed.
Fruits that are NOT safe for dogs
There are some fruits that you should always avoid feeding your dog. Grapes and raisins are the most well known of this category, as they can cause kidney damage and are considered toxic even in small quantities. The same applies to currants. Avocados are another fruit to avoid feeding your pooch as they contain persin, which can make your dog very sick and can even be toxic. Due to rhubarb’s calcium oxalate crystal content, they should also be avoided, as this fruit can cause irritation, pain, swelling, and burning in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract.
Finally, some citrus fruits, like lemons, limes, and grapefruit are not considered safe for dogs as they can cause digestive problems and may lead to serious illness in some cases. Don’t worry, as you can see above, even without these forbidden fruits you can still offer your dog various different delicious and natural sweet treats without worrying about toxicity or serious illness (barring any allergies or health conditions that are specific to your dog).
Final thoughts
As mentioned throughout the article, moderation is key. Too many servings of any fruit per week can cause more harm than good, but the occasional fruity treat can offer a wide range of health benefits. If you aren’t sure whether you should add fruit to your dog’s diet, or have questions about how to do it safely, we recommend speaking to your vet. They will be able to offer personalised recommendations based on your dog's breed, age, and any health conditions they may have. They may even recommend certain fruits over others to help with health issues, and will be able to provide you with specific serving guidelines.
Once you feel confident about which fruits you can feed your dog, you can enjoy a sweet snack time together that comes with plenty of health benefits and wagging tails.
