Dog Care 101: Tip #174 – Fruits You Can Share With Your Dog

July 30, 2012

Dog Care 101: Tip #174 – Fruits You Can Share With Your Dog

Best Bully Sticks knows it’s easy to forget that our dogs were once wild animals. They didn’t sleep half the day, they didn’t chase after plastic bouncy balls, and they didn’t wear clothes, go to the groomer or get their toenails painted. Your sweet pooch is a descendant of wild dogs and before that, wolves! You have to remember that trapped somewhere inside that cute, cuddly exterior is a wild animal! You live with a wild animal! Isn’t that more than a little strange to think about?

That being said, your dog’s descendants definitely didn’t eat that dry brown food that comes out of a bag. Not that bagged dog food isn’t good. A good food provides all the necessary vitamins, minerals and proteins your dog needs. However, owners forget that dogs are natural hunters and scavengers and ate as much vegetation and roughage as they did meat. Dog owners sometimes have a stigma of offering their dogs human food, thinking that it isn’t good for them. The fact is, there are some very nutritional and wholesome foods that are great for your dog and you shouldn’t be afraid to share. Over the next three weeks Best Bully Sticks will take you through some natural, “human” foods that will feed your dog and his wild side. Today we’re talking about fruit!

Banana
Most families have bananas on hand in their house for a healthy and quick snack. Your dog can benefit from the same high potassium levels, fiber, magnesium B6 and C vitamins as well as all the good antioxidants in bananas that you will when eating this berry. In a pinch, bananas can help remedy a troubled doggy stomach and you can easily mix banana in with your dog’s dry food to make it more appealing. However, some dogs don’t like bananas because of the compounds that make this berry smell, well, like a banana.

Cantaloupe
This great summer melon is cool and refreshing, so give your pup the benefits of vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants and fiber that cantaloupe offers. Make sure you remove all seeds when serving to your dog. You can serve fresh or even mix it with other fruit, freeze and serve as a doggy popsicle. You might even join in on that!

Apricots
This fruit may not be a staple in your house, but if you love fresh apricots, your dog may like the taste, too! Apricots provide beta-carotene, vitamin C and E, calcium, potassium, iron and fiber to your pooch. As we said, fresh apricots are great for your dog, but have the potential to be sour. You can try a dried apricot for a sweeter taste, however pre-packaged dried fruits can be deceptively high in calories and fiber because dehydrating creates a more concentrated food. Try home drying your own apricots or check packaged dried apricots for added sugars or sulphurs.

Blueberries
Dogs LOVE blueberries. And, dogs are pretty funny to watch while eating these tiny round berries. Besides the laugh factor, blueberries offer loads of antioxidants. In fact, the deep blue color of this berry comes from the fruit’s high levels of antioxidants called anthocyanidins. Blueberries are also jam packed with vitamin C and E, manganese and fiber. Make sure you don’t go overboard with the blueberries. Make sure you build up your dog’s intake slowly or you’ll be dealing with the “blueberry trots.” And nobody wants to deal with that. To serve, rinse well and serve whole or slightly mashed.

Apples
A good way to add crunch to your dog’s diet, apples are full of vitamin A and C and fiber. Apple’s skin contains plant chemicals called phytonutrients, which are thought to guard against cancer in humans. Apple skin is also great for your dog’s skin. You can even try out low sugar applesauce on your dog. If he likes it, put some on his food! However never give your dog the core of an apple. The seeds contain amygdlin, which is a form of cyanide, and of course, is toxic to your dog. A few seeds aren’t potent enough to affect your dog, but the toxin can accumulate. If your dog does somehow swallow a seed whole, the seed will pass through your dog intact.

Pineapple
This is probably the least beneficial of the fruits, but it does contain calcium and potassium. Pineapple can be a sweet and refreshing treat for your dog on hot summer days. You can even try freezing it and watch Fido enjoy a treat while cooling down.

Fruits and berries like watermelon, honeydew, strawberries and peaches are other good foods for your dog. Right now, during the summer months, finding fresh fruits and berries isn’t hard. Check out your local farmer’s market! If you’re a more adventurous fruit and berry lover, find an orchard to pick all your favorite summer produce!

All fruit is loaded with natural sugar and is good for you, but you can have too much of a good thing. Make sure you’re moderating the amount of fruits and berries your dog is eating.

If you’re looking for a wholesome, all-natural food that has the added benefits of fruit, try Acana. Pears in the Acana Duck and Bartlett Pear Dry Dog Food and apples in Acana Lamb and Okanagan Apple Dry Dog Food will give your dog’s daily diet a boost with sun-ripened fruit in each morsel!

Next week Best Bully Sticks will be talking about more foods you can share with your pooch! Vegetables are the next dish we’ll serve up in the Dog Care 101 series next Monday!

18 comments

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July 30, 2012 1:21 pmPosted 9 months ago
Karen Collins

Who knew?
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July 30, 2012 1:26 pmPosted 9 months ago
Sandra Falish

Great information!
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July 30, 2012 1:26 pmPosted 9 months ago
Pili Pilar

My pup loves bananas!
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July 30, 2012 1:40 pmPosted 9 months ago
Mandy Rossi

cool!
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July 30, 2012 1:44 pmPosted 9 months ago
Angela Hair Harwell

Good Info!
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July 30, 2012 1:45 pmPosted 9 months ago
Don Brilliant

Are figs ok for dogs? We have a tree that makes figs and I never get any because my person doesn't know if it's ok.
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July 30, 2012 5:53 pmPosted 9 months ago
Stephanie La Torre

I know this is talking about fruits specifically, but our vet said cucumbers and broccoli are good too, and our dog loves them!
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July 30, 2012 6:33 pmPosted 9 months ago
Jennifer A Raven

you should add a followup about what fruits/veggies NOT to give a dog. NO GRAPES…. toxic for them.
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July 30, 2012 3:57 pmPosted 9 months ago
Callie.BestBullySticks (Author)

We’ve covered those topics before on our blog and we felt that since many other dog blogs do too that we would focus on what you dog can eat. However, you’re absolutely right, and we do think it never hurts to remind doggy parents of the foods to avoid as well. Thanks, Jennifer!
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July 30, 2012 3:58 pmPosted 9 months ago
Callie.BestBullySticks (Author)

You’re absolutely right, Stephanie! We’re actually covering veggies next Monday 8/6 & then the following Monday 8/13, we’re covering Meats & Grains! Stay tuned!
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July 30, 2012 3:59 pmPosted 9 months ago
Callie.BestBullySticks (Author)

Hi Don! We’re not sure. We only published the information we had found good research on. However, I’m sure a quick chat with your vet or a quick Google search will turn up those answers!
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July 31, 2012 3:33 amPosted 9 months ago
Aleksandra Gajdeczka

Don, I always thought that all fruits are ok, just no apple cores. And don't tell your mama, but figs are very high in calories so you might get a little fig gut if you are eating them without cutting down on your kibble!
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July 31, 2012 3:45 amPosted 9 months ago
Don Brilliant

I will tell her we can just go a little longer on our walks to work off the sugars!
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July 31, 2012 10:03 amPosted 9 months ago
Barbara W.

Thanks for sharing. I’ve never thought to give my two dogs anything more than there normal food. With dogs being so different to us in terms of their digestion and with so many different fruits containing seeds and other things, coupled with the different rumours you hear of what you can and can’t feed your dog means I’ve just never taken the risk really. But thanks for this advice, I’ll give some of these a try.
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August 3, 2012 9:00 amPosted 9 months ago
Phillip

I’m growing Cantaloupes and one of my dogs keeps smelling them, guess I’ll know when they’re ripe.
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January 21, 2013 8:48 pmPosted 3 months ago
Natalie O'Brien

What about some of the harmfull fruits or veggies? I know grapes and onions are bad.
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January 21, 2013 8:49 pmPosted 3 months ago
Natalie O'Brien

*harmful
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January 21, 2013 4:58 pmPosted 3 months ago
Callie.BestBullySticks (Author)

You’re absolutely right, Natalie. We know that most people are aware of what fruits and veggies are bad, so we wanted to inform customers and readers of what was safe to share with you dog.