Can dogs eat strawberries?

When it comes to feeding your dog healthy, fresh and non-processed foods, fruits and vegetables are your best friend. However, even though humans can consume almost all fruits and vegetables, the same does not apply to our friendly pups. There are many things humans can eat that are not safe for dogs, including grapes, avocados, onions, and garlic. Therefore, it is crucial we do research before feeding our pets anything, as it can be extremely harmful to feed our pets the wrong ingredients. However, many different fruits such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and cranberries, are filled with many fantastic nutrients that can be beneficial to your dog's overall health and well-being. Further, there are many different quick and easy ways to create your own homemade dog food recipes and healthy snacks with these ingredients. 

So, what about strawberries? Strawberries are a fan favourite for both humans and their pets. However, many people wonder if it is safe to feed their dogs strawberries. The short answer is yes, but there is always more to the story, so let's take a closer look at the delicious fruit. 

What are the benefits of strawberries?

Besides the fact that strawberries are a sweet treat, yummy, and the perfect snack, they are packed with tons of nutrients such as fibre, omega-3s, Vitamin C, B1 and K, potassium, magnesium, and so on. Each of these nutrients helps play a part in growing a strong, healthy and energetic pup. For example, the fibre in strawberries can aid digestion, and omega-3s are good for skin and coat health.

What are some ways you can feed your dog strawberries?

There are plenty of ways to prepare strawberries for your dog, and there are many different homemade dog food recipes to get inspiration from that use strawberries. One way to incorporate strawberries into your dog's diet is by making homemade puppy ice cream! We created a recipe that included strawberries and peanut butter (another fan favourite packed with nutrients), and you can read about it here. One great aspect of that recipe is that we included strawberry tops. Yes, you heard me; dogs can eat the entire strawberry, making cooking even more effortless

Another way to feed your dog strawberries is with our Organic Oats & Berry Meal Mix. This mix is filled with organic strawberries that make cooking for your Dog Child simple, delicious and something they will absolutely love. Our mixes can be batch cooked in less than 15 minutes a week, making cooking for your dog easier than ever. Please follow our detailed feeding guidelines for complete and balanced meals.

Dogs can eat strawberry tops?

Yes! Strawberry tops are great for pet health as they’re high in vitamin C, iron, calcium, magnesium and many other essential nutrients that help contribute to a healthy balanced diet. Most of the time, strawberry tops are often cut off and thrown away as most people are unaware of their hidden benefits. So, next time you think of tossing the top, think about giving it to your dog instead, as they also make for a great low-calorie, healthy treat! However, it’s important to always cut up dog treats like strawberry tops into small pieces as they can become a choking hazard.

Can strawberries be bad for dogs? 

Like almost everything in life, too much of anything can be harmful. It is important to always feed your dog things in small quantities. Strawberries are high in sugar content which can cause an upset stomach when consumed in large amounts. Further, it's important to choose fresh strawberries and skip the canned ingredients or purees, which are often filled with additives or extra sweeteners. 

The verdict

Strawberries are a delicious and sweet fresh fruit that can help lead to a balanced diet for your dog. Alongside the abundance of nutrients they contain, they are also known to have natural compounds that act as antioxidants in the body. Plus, using strawberry tops, which are often thrown away in recipes for your dog, is a great way to bring upcycling to the kitchen. As mentioned before, strawberries are not the only berry that can provide health benefits for your dog. Cranberries and blueberries are also high in vital nutrients. This is why we designed a meal mix that incorporates all of these ingredients to help make cooking for your dog easier. Our Oats & Berry Meal Mix combines oats, apples, cranberries, blueberries and strawberries to achieve a perfectly balanced blend that we guarantee your pup will love. Each ingredient is responsible for attaining different health benefits, making the perfect healthy mix for your pup.