Can Dogs Eat Nectarines?
The definitive answer to this question is yes. It is very much safe to feed nectarines to your dog without it posing a too big of a health risk to him. In this current day and age, we dog owners have come to realize that a little difference and variety in the everyday diet is just as essential to us humans as it is to our faithful canine companions.
Nectarines can serve as an optimal way to diversify your puppy’s selection of food and snacks while also providing health benefits by being rich in nutrients that will definitely help him grow strong and keep him in good health.
Are Nectarines Bad for Dogs?
As mentioned earlier, nectarines are one of the fruits that are safe for a dog’s consumption. It goes without saying that there will always be precautionary actions taken in order to prevent any substantial bad happenings from occurring.
Nectarines themselves are pretty harmless, but it is always up to the owner to properly exercise, manage, and supervise the amount given to them. Though nectarines are good for you, they can and will definitely cause harm to your dog if the proper measures are left ignored. We wouldn’t want to let any harm come to them, just for wanting to enjoy a variety of foods, now would we?
Through personal experience, I was never really in doubt about my knowledge on whether or not it is fine to feed nectarines to my puppy as I remember it being mentioned to me before by a close friend. However, I still decided that the safest option would be to thoroughly research on the internet in order find out how true this is. Lo and behold, I confirmed that nectarines are indeed, safe for their consumption.
Not only are they safe, but they are also considered very nutritious and beneficial to your dog’s overall health! Treating my dog to an occasional nectarine or peach slice is a signature sweet snack in his diet now!
Benefits of Feeding Nectarines to Dogs
Now that I’ve successfully convinced you that there is nothing much to be scared of when feeding nectarines to your dog, let us go over the helpful benefits of the consumption of this fruit. It’s important to know what we are putting in their diet, so before we dive straight into the direct benefits that our dogs get, let’s first take a look at the nutritional contents of the nectarine fruit. I’ll only be highlighting the important nutritional aspects found in nectarines.
- Beta-carotene – This nutrient is also mostly found in carrots! Beta-carotene is usually combined with the fats in your dog’s diet, then eventually converted to vitamin A. When the time comes for it to finally be released into their bloodstream, it travels straight to the retina of his eyes and helps improve vision!
- Fiber – Fiber aids in the digestion of other substances within the body as well as affecting the general bulkiness of the stool. Though fiber is not a highly essential nutrient for dogs, the additional fiber in their diet through nectarines can help improve their colon health as well as prevent constipation, diarrhea, and other conditions of the bowels.
- Vitamin A – This all-important vitamin helps keep the dog’s skin, bones, and teeth healthy. Vitamin A improves the general well-being of his fur and coat. This is a great vitamin for little puppies due to the fact that it helps support growth and health. Nectarines can serve as a great way to sneak in this vitamin in your puppy’s diet.
- Sugars – Your dog uses the natural sugars found in nectarines to aid in the provision of energy and fuel in order to successfully do their natural, day to day bodily functions and activity. Proper amounts of sugar can be beneficial, however it’s always important to note that too much of anything is harmful not only to your dog, but to us humans as well!
Some important things to note about allowing your dogs to consume nectarines are that the fruit is definitely high in sugars, meaning it can provide a burst of energy for your dog so that he can keep up with you on different outdoor runs or activities. You can even eat some yourself to refuel when you’re out of breath or generally getting tired!
Bringing around nectarines during times of physical exercise or activities with your dog can assure that he’ll be kept motivated and playful, as well as giving you an opportunity to enjoy a healthy snack as well! Nectarines could serve as a great pre/post workout food. Just make sure you don’t indulge too much on the tasty sweets.
The abundance of fiber that can be found in nectarines, as well as other fruits, will be beneficial to your dog’s digestive track’s health. In the event that your puppy experiences trouble passing stool or is experiencing major constipation, always remember that the fiber content of nectarines can definitely help him! Just make sure to always keep your dog hydrated and provide water for him to drink. Additional fiber-enriched treats wouldn’t hurt as well!
Nectarines have the potential to be great treats for dogs with an insatiable sweet tooth. The fruit has an abundance of vitamins and minerals that would provide energy to them, and the health benefits won’t make you guilty of spoiling your puppy once in a while too!
The Risks of Feeding Nectarines to Dogs
As all things in life, there are always risks and dangers that we need to be aware of. The consumption of nectarines is no exception. Even though it’s been made a fact that nectarines pose no significant threat to the welfare of your dogs, it is important to take some safety measures in order to not make this tasty, sweet snack a detrimental food for your canine companion. The following are the precautionary actions that you can take in order not to deal with any unwanted mishaps.
- Limit the Amount of Intake during a Single Sitting. Feeding your dog a substantially big amount of nectarines on a single sitting would potentially cause stomach distress as well as possible diarrhea for him. Too many nectarines eaten in one go would upset ay dog due to the sudden change in his diet.
- Be Wary of the Sugar Content. There’s only ever a sugar problem if you feed your dog a substantial amount of nectarines. Just stay away from canned nectarines because these are usually loaded with processed sugar! Be sure to take note of exactly how many slices of nectarine you’re giving to your dog.
- Moderation is Key. As with all things in life and from what we’ve been taught since our childhood, we should always balance what we eat. Anything that is consumed in large amounts can turn out bad for your pet, which can result in them possibly getting sick! Always make sure to carefully moderate the amount of nectarines you allow your dog to consume as it is imperative to their health that you do.
- Take Out the Pit. Nectarine pits are toxic to dogs! They contain small amounts of cyanide which can prove to be dangerous to them. Not to mention that the pit could be considered a choking hazard as well as a possibility of it getting stuck in the dog’s intestines. Always make sure to take the pit out before serving the fruit to your dog.
Things to Take Note Of
Now that you’ve taken note of the different benefits, risks, and dangers of feeding nectarines to your dogs, there are a few things that you should always keep in mind. If you plan on taking anything from this article, it’s that the way our dogs function is clearly different from the way we humans function.
We should take into account their special needs and in turn adjust ourselves to their optimal way of life in terms of diet and overall health, because that’s what proper dog owners do!
Always make sure that you’re practicing moderation. Spoiling your puppy won’t be good as too much of any good thing is bad. Nectarines are best enjoyed when eaten at particular times, rather than regular intervals.
It is best that you always check your dog’s reaction, especially when giving new snacks or treats. When introducing new foods to his diet, it’s important to see how he reacts to the new stimulus. Most dogs would enjoy the sweet taste of a nectarine. However, on the off chance that your dog doesn’t like it, you should stop feeding it to him at once. Check for any violent reactions like vomiting, choking, discomfort, etc.
Conclusion
In conclusion, nectarines are definitely one of the safer choices of fruits to give your dog. The fruit is also very healthy due to it providing an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional benefits! However, don’t forget that just because it’s nutritious and beneficial doesn’t mean that you should go overboard with feeding it to them! Only small portions and occasional treats are highly recommended.
Fruits are only meant to supplement your dog’s nutritional needs, not to replace them entirely! Nectarines are definitely a sweet treat that both humans and dogs can enjoy, however, nothing compares to how sweet our love is for our dogs! If you take my advice and pay the utmost importance to your puppy’s health, then it’s safe to say that everything will definitely be peachy!
