Keeping your dogs on a regimented diet can be a tricky thing. Particularly if they are capable of getting into the kitchen scraps. Or even have their food begging technique down 🙂
But it is important to have one, because many dogs can have very sensitive stomachs. Generally it is important to remember that their bodies function differently than ours. Take dates, for example.
Most of the time, dates are great for us humans. Imagine you are enjoying a delicious medjool, and you feel a furry face jump up and seconds later scarf down your date. What now?
An important question to ask here is, can dogs eat dates?
In this article we will tell you whether dates are safe for dogs. We will tell you if this food has healthy benefits or if it has harmful effects to our dogs.
We will also tell you a bit more about dates.
Can Dogs Eat Dates?
The short answer is yes; Dogs can absolutely eat dates. Dates are a safe food for dogs.
Even though there are many types of fruits that are not good for dogs such as grapes, apricots, and avocados, dates are not one of them.
In fact, dates are a nutritious food for our furry pooches. They contain a number of benefits for dogs.
What are the Benefits of Dates for Dogs?
Dates are rich in certain minerals and vitamins. Namely, they are rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin B1,Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5 , Vitamin C, fiber, potassium, iron, magnesium, and calcium.
To start with, Vitamin A can help prevent medical conditions caused by irregular blood sugar levels.
Dates contain several Vitamin B such as B1, B2, B3, and B5. Vitamin B1 is important for brain functioning as well as strengthening the immune system.
Vitamin B2 supports vision health as well maintains muscle strength. Vitamin B3 promotes brain function as well as digestion of fatty acids. Lastly, Vitamin B5 makes proteins and fatty acids.
Rich in Vitamin C, dates are great for strengthening a dog’s immune system as well as their bone vitality and strength.
Dates also contain high levels of potassium. Potassium can keep your dog’s bones strong and healthy. This makes dates a really solid dietary supplement for older dogs.
Foods rich in fiber such as dates can help against bowel movement problems. Dates are also rich in Calcium which helps in bone and teeth development.
However, not all parts of dates are healthy and good for dogs. And they’re not great for dogs if they eat them too often.
Health Precautions To Take When It Comes To Dogs and Dates
To begin with, dates contain high amounts of sugar.
Overfeeding them with dates may cause diabetes and other blood sugar problems. It may also cause obesity. Too much fiber can also cause an upset stomach.
Also it is best to remove the pits of dates before feeding them to dogs. The pits can be a choking hazard to dogs.
So in conclusion, dates are good for dogs, but do not overfeed them as it may cause serious problems like diabetes.
Learn More About What Human Foods Are Healthy or Harmful for Dogs
This article is part of our special series of articles about “What Human Foods Can Dogs Eat?”
You can find out can dogs eat grapefruit here.