Can Dogs Eat Dates? When it is or isn’t an Emergency

Yes, dogs can eat dates as long as it’s in moderation. Some dogs, however, may have allergies or intolerance towards dates and they may fall sick after eating them, even if it was just a few pieces.

How many dates can a dog eat?

As a general rule of thumb, we would only let a dog eat no more than one or two dates (half a piece if the dog is small). Dates should also be treats that you feed your dog sparingly. One of the main reasons why you wouldn’t want your dog to eat too many dates is due to the fruit’s relatively high sugar content. Eating too much sugar may lead to gastrointestinal symptoms like stomach upsets. It’s preferred for dogs to maintain sugar-free diets.

Feeding your dog fresh vs. dried dates

Dogs can eat both dried and fresh dates. There isn’t any big reason to pick one or the other as dates should just be served as occasional treats. Some dogs may find it easier to chew and digest fresh dates. Other dogs may like dried dates more, especially Medjool dates, because they have a stronger flavor. Regardless of what dates you feed your dog, it’s important to first extract and remove the date’s pit.

Dangers of pitted dates

Date pits and seeds aren’t toxic to dogs but may introduce choking or intestinal blockage hazards, especially if the dog is small in size. You should never give a whole pitted date to a dog. Some dogs may also chew hard and end up with a chipped tooth if they were to force their teeth too hard against the hard texture of the date pit. Always remove the pit first before feeding your dog a piece of date.