For most humans, berries are a superfood. Packed with nutrients and vitamins, they are great for our health, not to mention the fact that they taste great. And when snacking on berries, many of us have wondered whether or not we can feed them to our dogs.
Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet for your dog is crucial for their physical health. And one of the best ways to ensure they are eating healthy is to include fruits and other natural foods in their regular meals. And while blueberries are widely known to be a great treat for dogs, not too many people are familiar with the benefits of red berries for dogs.
In this article, we take a close look at red berries and whether or not they are good fruits for dogs. You can find a list in PetMD of pet-friendly fruits.
Nonetheless, we check out all the different benefits there are to feeding it to your dog and even when you should or shouldn’t be feeding your dog red berries.
Read on to learn more.
Can I Give My Dog Red Berries?
Yes, just like a ton of other fruits out there, red berries are a great treat for dogs. There are tons of different red berries out there, which makes it easy for dog owners to find the sweet treat for their pets. If you head to your local grocery store, there’s a high chance you’ll run into gooseberries, cranberries, pin cherries, or redcurrants.
All of these can be great treats for your dog and is actually one of the most popular options for dog owners worldwide. Visit this website to find out more: https://whatthepup.spotandtango.com/can-dogs-eat-cranberries/
Since there are so many different varieties of red berries, it’s easy to find one that fits your dog’s tastes. For example, cranberries tend to be bitter and tart, which many dogs tend to dislike. On the other hand, raspberries are very sweet and could be a great treat for your furry friend.
Red berries are also packed with a variety of vitamins and nutrients that are great for your dog’s health. To keep your dog healthy and active, you might want to consider adding berries to their regular diets.
What Other Berries Are Good for Dogs?
With all the different varieties of berries out there, you’re probably wondering what other varieties you can feed your dog. If so, you’re in luck. There are tons of berries that are great treats for dogs such as blueberries, strawberries, and even blackberries. However, keep in mind that not all berries are good treats for dogs. For instance, you want to avoid any berries with pits as these are choking hazards and might even contain compounds that are bad for your dog. So, it’s best to keep your dog away from cherries and other berries with pits.
Additionally, make sure to stay away from preprocessed berries. This is because these products tend to contain additives like sugar and xylitol, which humans can handle in small amounts but it can be very toxic in dogs. So, it’s best to stick to natural and raw berries when it comes to feeding them to your dog.
Tips on Feeding Your Dog Red Berries
While berries are simple snacks and treat for dogs and humans alike, there are still a couple of things to remember when feeding them to your dog. To give your dog a great time and ensure they are eating healthy, try and follow these tips whenever you feed your dogs red berries;
1. Remember, Berries Are Treats
First and foremost, it’s always important to remember that berries are treats. And for most dogs, it’s best to follow the 90/10 rule. This means that only 10% of their diet should be treated and 90% should be their regular dog food. So, whether you make your dog’s food yourself or buy it from the pet store, this should always be your dog’s main meal, and berries and other treats are just supplementary.
So, make sure to only feed your dogs a couple of berries a week. While they have a bunch of vitamins and minerals great for their health, red berries have a fair amount of sugar. So, make sure to avoid overfeeding them berries to keep them as healthy as possible.
2. Wash & Clean the Fruits
Before feeding your dogs any fruit, it’s best to wash and clean them first. Even if you know the farm where the berries were grown, you never know what compounds the fruits might have come into contact with. So, as an extra precaution, it’s best to wash away any foreign substances. For other fruits, it’s best to cut them into smaller and more manageable sizes for your dog. But since red berries are already bite-sized, to begin with, all you need to worry about is washing them before serving.
3. If You’re Hesitant, Consult Your Vet
Whenever introducing new food to your dog, it’s best to start small. Slowly introduce the food, see how they react, and make adjustments from there. However, if you’re hesitant about feeding your dogs berries, it’s always best to consult your vet.
Since your dog’s vet is very familiar with your pet and how they react to certain things, they will be able to gauge whether or not it’s a good idea for your dog to be eating red berries. Your vet always knows best, so it’s always recommended to follow their recommendations when it comes to caring for your animals.
Conclusion
So, now that you know everything there is to know about feeding red berries to your dog, all that’s left to do is head to the grocery store and buy some! If you’re lucky, you might already have some red berries stocked up in the pantry.
Just remember, while there are tons of red berries that are good for dogs, that doesn’t mean all of them are. On top of that, all dogs are unique, so there might even be a chance your dog doesn’t like or enjoy the berries at all. So, make sure to always start slow when trying to introduce new foods into your dogs regular diet.
