Can Dogs Eat Strawberries? 3 Valuable Benefits You Need To Know!

Can dogs eat strawberries? Strawberries are not only delicious for people; they are also suitable for dogs. Strawberries have many nutrients that also benefit the four-legged friends. Which these are and which fruits are still tolerable, you can read in this practical tip.

Can dogs eat strawberries?

French Bulldog Strawberry Summer Greens Dog — Can dogs eat strawberries? / Image by Alexandr Ivanov from Pixabay

Dogs can eat strawberries because the red fruits have many valuable nutrients and can spice up the dog’s daily menu but keep the serving size small. You can give your dog strawberries directly as a whole fruit or mix them into the food.

Many dogs also like to eat strawberries straight from the bush. If you have a garden or balcony, you can quickly grow the treats for your four-legged friend yourself. So you also have an overview that the red fruits are not sprayed or otherwise treated.

Let’s take a closer examination of the health benefits of strawberries for dogs. What ingredients make the fruit so unique and especially rich in vitamins?

Are strawberries good for dogs?

If you want to feed your dog with strawberries, you should ensure they are unsprayed. You can also provide strawberries from your garden. However, dogs should only be given in moderation, as too much can cause diarrhea.

Strawberries are full of vitamin C and calcium. The fruits also contain potassium and magnesium.
Vitamin C is good for the immune system; calcium promotes bone formation. Potassium and magnesium strengthen the heart.
Strawberries are also full of iron and folic acid. These are good for your dog’s digestion. They also increase the power to concentrate and provide a beautiful coat.

The seductive red fruits belong to the rose family and raspberries, blackberries, and many other well-known fruits. Strawberries are primarily known for their high vitamin C content – up to 60 mg per 100 g, and lemons, in comparison, have 53 mg per 100 g.

Besides other healthy ingredients such as potassium, magnesium, and folic acid, strawberries contain an exceptionally high amount of secondary plant compounds known as flavonoids.

These plant pigments have very high antioxidant properties and protect the quadruped organism from free radicals.

Free radicals generate oxidative stress and are responsible for cell aging and diseases. When dogs are under pressure, they are increasingly formed by metabolism, inflammation develops in the body, or the quadruped does not absorb enough nutrients to combat oxidative stress.

Unfortunately, the valuable radical scavengers can neither be produced by the human nor animal organism itself and must be ingested with fruits and vegetables.

Thus, strawberries not only provide your dog with essential vitamins and minerals but also support their high content of secondary plant compounds in oxidative stress and counteract the aging process.

How many strawberries are dogs allowed to eat?

The four-legged friend should get about 2% of their body weight in food. About 5 – 8 % of the total daily fruit ratio is recommended in dogs’ feeding plans.

Thus, the daily fruit ration should not exceed a quantity of 20 – 30 g for a 20 kg dog. You can easily calculate the individual amount yourself.

Our veterinary practitioners recommend 1 g of strawberries per 1 kg/KG, and it means you are on the safe side and avoid an overdose of fruit.

Despite the healthy ingredients, too many strawberries can cause diarrhea and abdominal pain in dogs.

Therefore, make sure that your four-legged friend is fed only in moderation with the delicious fruit.

Fruits dogs can eat.

With apples, for example, it’s like with us humans. Apples are healthy, but you should not overeat them a day.

However, they are great calcium, vitamin K, and C suppliers, function like small toothbrushes, and care for the dog’s teeth.

With bananas, the rule also remains in moderation and not in masses. Bananas have a lot of fiber, which helps your dog’s digestion.

Especially if your dog has intestinal problems, bananas can help well, and they also contain many vitamins C and B. On the other hand, Grapes are absolute poison for dogs and can even lead to death.

Even though every dog reacts differently to grapes, they almost always lead to abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, worse blood counts, and even kidney failure.

Vegetable dogs can eat.

There are also significant misconceptions about vegetables in dog nutrition.

Especially with bell peppers, many owners are unsure if dogs can eat them. Peppers are a nightshade plant and develop solanine when exposed to sunlight.

This toxic chemical compound can harm your dog, which is why dogs should rather keep their paws off peppers. The same goes for the nightshade plant tomato.

Theoretically, dogs could eat small amounts of overripe tomatoes, but since the transition between ripe and overripe is fluid, it is better to avoid tomatoes.

Spinach makes not only us strong but also our dogs. Spinach contains many vitamins A, C, and K.

Unfortunately, the green vegetable also contains oxalates and other chemical contents, which can be harmful to dogs in large quantities.

That’s why the rule with spinach is: in moderation and not in masses.

Cucumbers are also very healthy for dogs and an integral part of the barf diet. However, it would help if you peeled the cucumber for your dog because the peel sometimes contains pesticides that are not healthy for your dog.

It would be best to feed pickles or otherwise processed cucumbers. Overall, you will please your dog a little more with natural chews for dogs than with vegetables and fruit.

What other foods can dogs eat?

Please do not feed your dog nuts. The dog’s stomach is not designed for this and cannot process nuts, and nut varieties such as macadamia can even lead to poisoning.

It depends less on the type of fat content and more on the breed of dog with milk.

While some dogs can slurp milk without a problem, other dogs lack an essential enzyme to break down milk in the body. These dogs are then unable to digest the lactose in the milk, resulting in stomach pain.

On the other hand, fermented dairy products such as yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese can be eaten by all dogs without any problems.

With cheese, we must feed it only in moderation.

Cheese has a very high-fat content, and the standard types of cheese from the supermarket are additionally getting enriched with chemical additives; this jeopardizes a healthy diet.

However, if your dog cannot do without cheese, organic cheese with a reduced fat content is recommended.

When feeding eggs, many owners worry for no reason. Whether raw or cooked, many dogs love eggs. Not only do they enjoy good, but they are also a great source of protein.

It’s a similar story with fish, and it, too, contains lots of protein and provides your dog’s muscles with essential nutrients.

Fish is also shallow in fat and suitable for dieting. Besides, fish contains vital omega-3 fatty acids, positively affecting the dog’s coat.

However, when feeding it, make sure that all bones have been removed if possible and not exceptionally seasoned.

While you can give your dog plenty of fish, you should feed bread only very rarely because bread contains too few healthy ingredients for dogs.

On the other hand, chocolate is taboo for dogs, and chocolate contains theobromine, which can be fatal for dogs.

Symptoms of chocolate poisoning include fever, chills, diarrhea and vomiting, and even circulatory problems followed by heart failure. Therefore, make sure that your dog never eats chocolate.

Suitable fruits to eat for dogs in summary.

Besides strawberries, other fruits can benefit your dog. Again, fruits should be given unsprayed and only in moderation.

Apricot: Contains, among other things, beta-carotene, potassium, folic acid, and iron. The immune system and digestion are getting strengthened, and apricots have an antibacterial effect. Remove the pit before feeding.
Plum: Contains, among other things, potassium, calcium, iron, and vitamins B1 and B2. It aids digestion and strengthens circulation. Dogs should be getting given only peeled plums.
Melon: Contains, among other things, beta-carotene, potassium, vitamin C, and calcium. The cardiovascular system and the immune system are getting strengthened. It would help if you fed melons only very ripe.
Pear: Contains, among other things, potassium, zinc, iron, vitamins C and B, and iodine. Joints, nerves, and heart are getting strengthened, and digestion is supported.

FAQ

What fruit can dogs eat?

Healthy fruit for dogs is pears and apples because they provide a high proportion of vitamins and fiber pectin for balanced digestion. Also well tolerated due to their enzymes are pineapple and papaya.

What fruit should dogs not eat?

Although citrus fruits are optimal sources of vitamin C, they contain many acids. Not suitable for dogs are grapes and raisins, and Macadamia nuts are also harmful to four-legged friends and trigger poisoning symptoms.

What do dogs love to eat the most?

A small number of cooked potatoes, rice, and pasta may end up in the dog’s bowl without hesitation. Carrot, cucumber, apple, and berries are also popular. Cooked meat without fat and sauce is also well-tolerated and rich in protein. Many dogs also enjoy a piece of boiled egg or cheese.

What is better for the dog with wet or dry food?

Wet food for dogs has about 60 to 85% water content. However, the water content makes the food softer and juicier, with less shelf life. On the other hand, dry food has a longer shelf life and less water content.

Conclusion

Yes, dogs can eat strawberries, but not too many. Strawberries contain a lot of vitamin C and other essential nutrients for your dog. Thanks to these ingredients, strawberries are a free radical scavenger that is good against cancer.

Can Dogs Eat Strawberries? 3 Valuable Benefits You Need To Know!