It’s pretty well-known among pet owners that apples are some of the best fruits you can feed your pet. However, just like any natural food for dogs, it’s always best to prepare them properly to keep your dog safe and healthy.
While apples are great treats for dogs, it’s not best to feed them a whole apple. For starters, it can be a choking hazard. On top of that, the core, seeds, and stem contain trace amounts of cyanide which make are highly toxic to dogs when they ingest too much.
So, if you want to feed your dog apples as a healthy treat throughout the week, you have to make sure to prepare them properly. In this guide, we’ll explain all the steps to preparing apples for your dog so you can feed them to your dog safely.
Read on to learn more.
What Are the Benefits of Apples to Dogs?
One of the main benefits apples have for dogs is fiber. Fiber is crucial in aiding digestion, and apples are packed with them. So, if your dog is dealing with digestive issues like constipation, feeding them apples is a great way to get their digestive system back on track.
On top of that, apples contain tons of vitamins that are great for promoting your dog’s health. They are also filled with antioxidants that also promote good health and can reduce the risk of your dog contracting cancer.
Apples are also very easy to find and are readily available in most local grocery stores. However, make sure to only choose fresh apples for your dog with no additives and preservatives, to ensure their health.
For more information about the benefits of apples for dogs, you can read this article here: https://whatthepup.spotandtango.com/can-dogs-eat-apples/
Why Do I Need to Prepare Apples for My Dog?
Since humans do it, feeding your dog a whole apple can be tempting. However, remember that apples are hard and large fruits, especially for dogs, and if you feed them a whole apple, your dog could end up choking on the larger pieces.
Additionally, apple cores, seeds, and stems, contain traces of cyanide. Now, the cyanide from one apple core won’t be enough to harm your dog, but if they have too much of it, it could be lethal. Remember, as a dog owner, you are responsible for your dog’s health and need to ensure that they are eating safe and healthy food.
Remember, apples are treats for dogs and shouldn’t be their main food. While apples are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, they are also packed with sugar. This makes the treat very sweet and dogs seem to love it, however, too much sugar can be dangerous for dogs and lead to issues such as obesity and oral health problems. So, when feeding your dogs apples as a treat, make sure to keep it down to 10% of their diet, at most.
The general rule of thumb that dog owners need to follow is the 90/10 rule, which means that only 10% of their diet should be comprised of treats and the rest should be healthy and balanced food to maintain their health.
How to Prepare Apples for Dogs
So, now that you know why you need to prepare apples for dogs, it’s time to learn how to do it. Don’t worry, it’s very easy to prepare apples for dogs and all you really need is a knife. The whole process will last a couple of minutes, at most. Here’s what to do when preparing apples for your dogs;
Core the Apple
The first step in prepping apples for your dogs is to remove the core, seeds, and stem. These parts of the fruit contain cyanide, and while the amounts are too small to have an effect on your dog, it’s best to stay on the safe side. To do this, you can use a regular sharp knife to remove the core, seeds, and stem. Alternatively, you could also use an apple corer, which is a convenient tool that can remove apples cores and seeds in a matter of seconds.
Slice the Apple
The next step is to slice the apple into more digestible and manageable pieces. If you feed your dog a whole apple of large slices, they could choke on the larger and harder pieces, so try to keep the slices bite-sized. The skin of the apple offers some nutrients and benefits to dogs as well, so it might be best to leave the skins on when prepping apples.
To make the process easier for you, we recommend prepping a large batch of apples for your dogs and keeping them in the freezer and pulling them out whenever needed.
Conclusion
One important thing to remember is that dogs can also be allergic to apples, so even if you prep the food properly, make sure to feed them small amounts at first.
After feeding them the apples, observe your dog for a couple of hours. If they don’t show any adverse reactions, you can slowly start feeding them more. You can find some other friendly-fruits for your dogs here.
And if you want to be even more cautious, always consult your vet before adding something to your dog’s diet. That way, you can feed them all these new fruits without having to worry about putting their health at risk.