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

Most dogs can eat strawberries without any concern. They can make a great healthy treat for dogs as long as they are only given in small amounts. It should be mentioned that we are only referring to fresh or frozen strawberries in this instance. You shouldn’t let your dog eat canned strawberries or anything that might be processed.

Benefits of Strawberries for Dogs

Here are a few reasons why strawberries make healthy treats for dogs. First, they are low in calories. One medium strawberry contains about 4 calories. Popular dog treats on the other hand can contain double or triple that amount. If your dog is on a strict dietary plan in which most of the calories is consumed from the wet or dry dog food then strawberries could be a great complement.

Strawberries are also great for dogs because they are rich in nutrients, especially in vitamin C. For dogs, vitamin C plays an important role as an antioxidant. Dogs already produce their own vitamin C in their livers but supplementation wouldn’t hurt as long as it’s not too much.

How to Safely Feed Strawberries to Dogs

Before you let your dog eat the strawberries, make sure to give them a proper rinse. Store-bought strawberries have made it to the dirty dozen list (aka laced with pesticide) in the past.

In addition to washing the strawberries, make sure to also extract and discard the strawberry stem. The green parts of the strawberry plant offer no nutritional value to dogs. They may only cause stomach troubles if a dog was to eat too much of it.

In the summer, some dogs may appreciate being given frozen strawberries when the weather is hot and sunny. Make sure to slice the strawberry into smaller pieces so it’s easier for the dog to chew and gobble up. For small dogs, we would recommend only giving one strawberry at most per day. For larger dogs, it should be fine to give them two to three pieces.

Want to know what other fruits and vegetables are safe for dogs to eat aside from strawberries? Our human food database has it covered.