Wondering “Can dogs have peaches?” You’re not alone! Many pet parents are curious about which fruits are safe to share with their furry friends. Today, we’re diving into the sweet world of peaches to uncover whether this summer favorite is a canine-approved treat or if it’s better kept to ourselves. Join us as we explore the do’s and don’ts of feeding peaches to dogs, ensuring your pet stays happy and healthy while enjoying a little taste of summer.
Can Dogs Have Peaches?
Before we really delve into this question, we need to explore if eating vegetables or fruits is natural or healthy for dogs or if it is an unhealthy habit that has developed over time. Research from Volume 111 of Applied Animal Behavior Science shows that plant eating is normal behavior for dogs that are domesticated as pets. While 79% of documented dogs consume types of grass, this research shows that dogs will naturally gravitate towards eating plant-based food sources.
Fruits and vegetables provide dogs with certain types of vitamins and minerals that they may not get from other food sources. Along with that, fresh dog-safe plants and produce are generally easy to digest. This is beneficial because it is a fast and safe mode for dogs to uptake nutrients to aid digestion, immunity, muscle growth and maintenance, and more.
With this being said, the answer to the question: “Can dogs have peaches?” is yes. However, there are some important things to know before your furbaby helps you polish off a peck of peaches. You should be sure to feed your dog peaches served in certain ways, amounts, and parts. Read on to learn more about these essential guidelines.
Talk with a veterinarian before feeding new foods to your dog or changing up their diet.
5 Important Things You Should Know Before Feeding Peaches To Your Pooch
Here are five vital things to consider before giving your pooch peaches.
#1. Go With Fresh Or Frozen Peaches Over Canned Or Preserved
Frozen or fresh peaches cut into small bite-sized pieces can be a fantastic source of added hydration for your dog on a hot day or after a long walk in the park. Other types of peaches, whether canned, preserved, or added to jams or jellies, are not a healthy way to serve your pet a peach treat.
Canned and preserved peaches have high sugar content and remove many vitamins and nutrients from the fruit. Along with this, preservatives added to canned and preserved peaches can upset your dog’s digestive system. Also thoroughly wash fresh peaches before feeding them to your furbaby to remove pesticides or preservatives that help keep the fruit fresh on the grocery store shelves.
#2. No Peach Pits For Your Pooch
Your dog can eat all parts of a fresh or frozen peaches except the pit and stem of the fruit. First, like most fruit seeds, they can be a choking hazard. A peach pit also contains a small amount of cyanide that can be toxic and dangerous if your dog ingests it.
#3. Serve Dog-Safe Fruits In Moderation
Fresh peaches can be a good source of antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and fiber. The nutrients in the fruit can also help fight off infection in your dog’s immune system and contribute to canine heart health.
However, it is important to ensure that your four-legged friend gets 90% of their dietary nutrients from healthy and wholesome dog food and only 10% of added nutrients from safe foods like peaches.
#4. Peaches Produce Less Allergic Reactions In Dogs
For the most part, peaches are low-allergen and are less likely to result in allergic reactions or intolerance in dogs. For this reason, peaches are a safe choice for most dogs. One reason may be that peaches contain 80% water. This contributes to greater hydration levels and helps flush out toxins from your pooch’s digestive tract.
While hydration is a benefit of feeding peaches to your dog, it does have some adverse effects if not done in moderation. Peaches have a higher natural sugar content, which is one reason animals enjoy eating them. However, this sugar content can upset the upper and lower gastrointestinal system and contribute to upset stomach, vomiting, or diarrhea.
#5. Peaches Contain High Sugar And Acid Content
The high sugar content of peaches can also contribute to obesity in dogs. Additionally, peaches are also more acidic than other dog-safe fruits such as apples.
Higher acidity levels can have negative effects on your dog’s teeth over time. Many dog owners try to have their dogs drink water after eating cut-up peaches. After this, many pet owners brush their dog’s teeth to keep the enamel strong and healthy.
Perfect Peach Treats For Your Pup
Keeping your peach treats unprocessed and fresh is essential to creating the best dog-safe recipes. Below are a few of our favorite peach recipes that you can feel guilt-free about feeding to your pooch.
Chilled Peach Delight Treats
Frozen dog treats are always a crowd-pleaser, no matter what the season. This first frozen recipe is as easy as it gets! You’ll need:
Fresh, ripe peaches Raw honey Splash of water
Add one cup of peeled, sliced peaches to a food processor along with ¼ cup water and one tablespoon of raw honey. Blend these three ingredients until smooth. Pour into a silicone mold candy mold. Allow to freeze overnight and serve to your pup!
Perfectly Peachy Oatmeal Dog Biscuits
This next recipe is a wonderful treat to serve your doggie as the seasons slowly shift from summer into fall. It is also a great way to use those overly ripe peaches you may have left over from summer picking outings. You can also change the fruit in this recipe and add healthy sources of fats and proteins to amp up these doggie biscuits. For this recipe, you’ll need:
2 Cups of rolled oats 1 Cup wheat flour ¼ Cup fresh peaches ¾ Cup water 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 Tablespoon raw honey
Combine oats, flour, and ½ cup of water in a mixing bowl. Added peaches, remaining water, oil, and honey to a food processor and mix well. Pour the peach puree mixture into the bowl with dry ingredients. Mix well. Use a spoon to roll portions of dough into 1-inch balls. Place each about one inch apart on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Allow to cool before sharing with Fido.
Peach Probiotic Yogurt Bites
Your dog’s gut health is an important factor to consider when determining what to feed your canine companion. This next treat will help boost your dog’s immune system with natural probiotics and contribute to the natural muscle-building process with high levels of protein. Here’s what you’ll need:
Plain Greek yogurt Ripe, fresh peaches Ripe banana
Add one ripe banana and ¾ cup of peeled peaches into a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add ½ cup of plain greed yogurt to the peach mixture and blend until yogurt is combined. Pour the mixture into a nonstick silicone candy mold and freeze overnight. This mixture will be softer in consistency than frozen treats that do not contain yogurt.
There are even more yummy canine-safe and dog-approved recipes here that you can whip up for your dog as a special treat!
FAQs about Dogs & Peaches
Can dogs have peaches with the skin still on?
Yes, dogs can eat pieces of peach with the skin still on. However, the thick skin of peaches can be a choking hazard so it is crucial to ensure that you feed your furbaby slices of a peach with the fuzzy skin still attached that are bite-sized and easy to swallow.
How much peach can a dog eat?
Peaches and other dog-safe human food should be given to your pooch in small portions. The best guideline is to use these foods as treats rather than as a part of their daily nutrition.
As mentioned above, it is important to feed your dog small amounts of peaches and other juicy fruits with high water content. Water-rich fruits like peaches, mango, and pineapple can help keep your dog hydrated on hot days. However, too many of these fruits can overload their digestive system and cause an upset stomach.
Are there other fruits that dogs can have regularly?
Yes, there are other nutritious fruits for your dog, and safe for them to eat in small amounts. Some of these include:
Conclusion:
When it comes to feeding your dog nutritiously sweet treats, you can absolutely add peaches to that list. The best way to share this healthy snack with your pet is to ensure they are fresh and cut into bite-size pieces or mixed into dog-safe baked treats.
