Similar to human babies, feeding furry babies fresh fruit can complement their diet with added nutrients that keep them healthy and strong. Adding certain vegetables and fruits to your dog’s meals or as snacks throughout the day is a simple way to boost their fiber intake or correct a vitamin deficiency. Fresh fruits provide canines (and humans) with natural minerals and antioxidants in an unprocessed format. They’re also hydrating, which is great news for anyone who enjoys taking their dogs on hikes or walks on hot days and wants a healthy snack to bring along.

How Much Fruit Can a Dog Have?

Before you try squeezing fruits into your dog’s diet, make sure your pup is eating balanced, healthy meals. Generally speaking, protein should make up between 40 and 70 percent of a dog’s diet. This number comes from Bridget Meadows, the Head of Food at Ollie, who says proteins from meats, legumes and eggs are ideal for a dog’s diet. (Ollie’s human-grade dog food formulas do include fruits like blueberries and cranberries for added nutrition and flavor.) 

Dr. Fossum says supplements and treats—including fruit—should make up no more than 10 percent of a dog’s diet. This also means you don’t have to worry if your dog doesn’t like fruit or turns her nose up at watermelon. Sure, fruits contain vitamins, fiber and antioxidants, but they aren’t necessary to a good dog diet. 

Plus, Dr. Fossum says too much fruit may cause gastrointestinal upset. If you notice your dog has bad gas or doesn’t feel well after eating dog-safe fruits, take a break from fruit for a while.  

Why Feed Fruit to Your Dog?

The vitamins and minerals naturally existing in fruits can improve canine cognitive function, boost digestion and reduce inflammation in some pups. This is good news for aging dogs who are young at heart and want to continue playing games and jumping up on the couch with you well into their senior years. 

Plus, fruit tastes good! Getting your pup to chow down on a few blueberries each day might be easier than forcing her to swallow a bland fiber “treat.” Fruits and vegetables can also serve as high-reward treats during training sessions.

How to Feed Fruit to Your Dog

New foods, including fruits that are safe for dogs, should be introduced slowly. Dr. Fossum says rushing into fruits your dog has never tried before could result in digestive issues or an upset stomach. Start with a few small pieces and monitor your dog for their reaction. 

There are additional disclaimers that come with many of the fruits on our list. Basically, if it has a pit, a rind or a stem, Dr. Fossum says you should remove those parts before feeding the fruit to your dog. Dr. Cassibry adds, “Do not ever feed your dog any seeds from the fruit.” 

Dr. Cassibry says serving fruit and vegetables raw is best. This method preserves their nutrients better than cooking. It’s also advised to chop up any human-grade food into digestible, chewable pieces to prevent dogs from choking.

Fruit is already a sweet treat; don’t add extra sugar or fats! Do not serve your dog any fruit slathered in oils, butter, spices or dressings (including canned fruits that come soaked in syrups!). Many dried fruits also contain way more sugar than their raw versions. Think: Craisins, coconut flakes, dried apricots. Stick to plain, natural fruits.

Another word of warning: If your dog is diabetic or overweight, talk to your vet about which fruits—if any—your dog can ingest safely. Fruit is high in sugar and too much of a good thing can throw your dog’s system out of whack, especially if she already has diabetes.

Accidents happen and mistakes get made. If your pup snags some grapes or another fruit that is toxic to dogs, call your vet right away. If your vet isn’t available, Dr. Fossum says you should contact the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-766.

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