Known for their crisp and crunchy texture and refreshing taste, apples are an excellent way to reward your four-legged friends. Packed with pawfuls of vitamins and minerals to support a healthy immune system, adding apples to your dog’s diet really can make their body work exactly as it should.
Low in calories and great to support oral health, green apples are a fantastic source of vitamins and help to keep teeth clean and breath fresh all day long. Understanding just how awesome apples can be, we even added them to our range of healthy bites and dental sticks so your dog can try apples with ease. So, with a bunch of brilliant benefits, read more to understand why an apple a day really can help keep the vet at bay.
Can dogs eat Apples safely?
When it comes to their five a day, apples are an excellent reward for your four-legged friend. But, like any treat you give to your dog, moderation is key. Feed no more than a slice or two per day to ensure their tummies stay troublesome-free. Overfeeding your dog with any food can lead to gastrointestinal upset such as excessive flatulence, loose stools and even vomiting - so it’s always best to give a little than a lot.
With any fruit, always remove pips and cores to avoid choking but just like us, humans, dogs can safely consume both the skin and flesh of apples without any worry. For puppies and perhaps senior dogs, mashing up is a good way to avoid any problems with chewing.
Can dogs eat Apples pips and cores?
The simple answer is no. You should never feed your dog apple pips or the core as both are choking hazards for your furry friend. Unlike humans, dogs do not break up their food in their mouth for digestion and thus tend to gulp down bites to then digest in their stomachs. Being small, sharp and hard to chew, cores, and the pips they contain can become lodged in your dog’s throat causing a potential blockage.
Furthermore, apple pips contain amygdalin, a substance that releases cyanide into the body. However, this amount of cyanide is not deadly or harmful to either us or our pets but it is best to avoid any forms of pips or cores to ensure maximum safety.
When feeding apples to your furry friend - stick with the flesh for a healthy, safe and satisfying treat.
Benefits of Apples for Dogs
This fantastic fruit has long been coined with the idea of health and happiness. With the phrase “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away '' for over a century, it’s no wonder the awesomeness of the apple has made its way into the pet food market. Low-calorie, high in vitamins and great for your dog’s overall health and wellbeing, here’s why apples are brilliantly beneficial for your dog.
Provide Antioxidants
When compared to other consumed fruits, apples are rated one of the highest in antioxidant levels. Responsible for helping to clean kidneys, reduce inflammation and repair cell damage. As dog’s come into contact with toxins on a daily basis, keeping them safe and sound with a little extra TLC can ensure their bodies work exactly as they should.
Improve Gut Health
Apples are a fantastic source of fibre for dogs helping to regulate bowel movements and reduce the likelihood of constipation and toxin buildup. Apple peels are full of fibre and a healthy and low-calorie weight helping your dog to lose weight and keep any unwanted weight gain at bay.
As a natural source of fibre, you will notice an improvement in your dog’s stool texture and smell. As dogs consume ingredients that their digestion dislikes, poops tend to be looser, smellier and harder to pick up so giving your dog a few slices of apple can help keep their guts and your garden cleaner than before.
Freshen Breath
Ever wanted to get rid of your dog’s smelly breath? Well, apples contain a substance known as malic acid. This acid helps to stimulate your dog’s saliva and naturally freshens their breath meaning no more stinky smells.
In addition to freshening breath, chomping on apple slices helps brush away plaque and tartar keeping your dog’s gums and teeth cleaner and healthier for longer.
Healthy Source of Vitamins
Finally, we couldn’t talk about the benefits of apples without mentioning the vital vitamins they contain. Loaded with Vitamins like C and A, apples can help boost your dog’s immune system keeping unwanted illnesses at bay. With colder weather around the corner, improving your dog’s immune system can help keep away nasty colds and coughs, meaning more fun to run around in the autumn air.
How to give Apples to your dog
Preparation is key when choosing to feed your dog any form of an apple. Like any fruit and vegetable, wash thoroughly, de-pip and core to eliminate any potential hazards for your pooch. Simple cut into slices and feed no more than two slices per day.
Top Tip! Keeping apples in the fridge will not only prolong their shelf life but their cool and crisp flesh is a great natural and healthy dental stick to soothe and clean gums and teeth.
For dogs with sensitive tummies, it is best to peel apples as fruit and vegetable skins are high in fibre which, if over-consumed, could lead to an upset stomach so we recommend feeding just the flesh.
Want a treat with a difference? Try mixing a spoonful of natural greek yoghurt with pieces of green apple for a healthy treat - great for your dog’s digestive and oral health.
Want a treat without the fuss? Here at Plant & Paws, we understand how good apples are for our pets so we’ve crammed them into our Healthy Bites and Dental sticks, for immune support to create a treat your dogs will love time and time again. Made with nothing more than natural ingredients and low in calories, our apple treats are an easy way to give your dog some apples a day.
Treat your Dog to All-Natural Apples Treats
From improving gut health to naturally cleaning teeth, apples are one of the best fruits to reward your dog. Crispy, crunchy and packed full of flavour, a few slices of apple as a daily reward will soon have their tails wonderfully wagging.
At the heart of our Blueberry & Apple bites, whether it’s a reward on the go or a change to a more healthy alternative, these green orbs of golden deliciousness are certainly good enough for both your dog and dear old Granny Smith.