Can dogs eat pickles?

Can dogs eat pickles?

This was among the very first questions I asked myself when I bought my first dog. I did not know what to feed them and what not to feed them. I was confused. With due time and research, I got to learn that yes, it is true that dogs can eat pickles in small amounts. It would be wrong not to give them pickles since pickles have nutrients that the dog requires very much, such as magnesium. Every dog owner has had their share of worries when it comes to feeding the dog. You might find out that your dog has eaten something that maybe they probably shouldn’t have eaten, and now you are worried about it. Do you have questions running in your mind like are pickles ok for dogs? Huh, well, we all know there is nobody to answer that for you. It is all on you to figure out what works well for your dog and what does not.

Even though we say yes to the question, can dogs eat pickles, there are some limitations to it. There are some things you need to look out for even though you might be yearning so much to share pickles with your dogs. One may be tempted to think that just because pickles are cucumbers and cucumbers are vegetables; it would not harm the dog. This is where we need to wake up and realize that it does not work that way.

Below is some explanation of why a high intake of pickle intake for your dog might not be the best idea.

What will a high intake of pickles do to your dog?

As we all know, vegetables are highly nutritious and helpful to our bodies. However, during the pickling process, you tend to destroy a lot of the nutrients contained in these vegetables. Some people love their pickles very spicy and salty, while others just love them sweetened like in my case, while others just take it that way. Assuming you are one of those who love their pickles spicy, feeding this to the dog so much will lead to stomach problems and indigestion, which will not be suitable for the dog. You will not be feeding any vitamins to the dog.

What are some of the beneficial vitamins contained in pickles?

Pickles contain very high amounts of fiber that is helpful to the dog when it comes to digestion. It helps clear the digestive tract and the dog’s intestine. This way, the dog will not have any problems with digestion. And oh! I forgot to tell you how I battled indigestion because my last born baby, Tom, gave spicy pickles to the dog each time I went for jogging in the morning and evenings. It was such stress until I realized what was happening behind my back. As soon as we stopped feeding it spicy pickles every day, indigestion as well stopped. Now, we feed it from time to time, maybe once a week, and we are good to go. Pickles do not have a lot of fats and calories. This might be an excellent spree to walk on if you want your dog to shed off some weight. You, therefore, need to feed it with pickles from time to time, that is, if you want it to lose weight. You should feed your dog unsweetened, non-spicy, and unsalted pickles.

Can dogs eat dill pickles?

Dill pickles are not in any way harmful to dogs. The only thing with them is that they contain a lot of sodium that might not be good for the dog health-wise. Rare feeding of this is, however, not that harmful at all. It is as well advisable to feed Dill on its own rather than adding pickles on to it. This is because Dill contains nutrients that help maintain the digestive system. Another tip that i am sure most of you did not know is that Dill prevents bad breath in dogs. Your question, can dog eat dill pickles has been answered and no need to worry anymore. Feeding it from time to time would be just fine. But from a healthier point of view, feeding fresh vegetables to your dog would be much better health-wise. Anyway, that’s just my perspective. I don’t know about yours, but I would love to think that we are sailing on the same boat.

So much about the various things that pickles can do to your dog, let’s look into the numerous health benefits that come along with feeding pickles to the dogs.

Health benefits of pickles for dogs

Can dogs eat pickles? Well, yes. Since they have a lot of health benefits that are just overshadowed by the many bad things that come about with pickles. For us to be able to understand these health benefits, even more, let us break the main ingredients in pickles down. These are cucumber, Dill, salt, water, and vinegar.

Cucumber

This contains low calories. It is crunchy, and a lot of dogs love feeding on this snack, my dog included as well. Cucumber has high levels of moisture and fiber that helps the dog when it comes to digestion. It, however, does not have a lot of nutrients to offer. A significant point to take home is that even though we advocate so much on cucumber, feeding lots of it per day may lead to indigestion. Contradiction right? Yeah, I know. Too much fiber is bad for the dog.

Dill

This is a type of herb that is mostly used in salads and sauces. It is among the family members of parsley and very safe for dogs to consume. It helps in digestion, soothes stomach problems, and relieves gas, nausea, and cramps. It is also suitable for freshening breath. It is also advantageous to feed dill seed in as well.

Sodium

Sodium is essential for the dog, but only in small amounts. If too much, it can easily poison the dog. It is recommended that for a dog weighing 30pounds, 100mg of sodium is good. Too much of it causes dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, or excess strain on the kidney.

Water

Water is an essential part of the diet, which a dog should not lack whatsoever. It keeps his body dehydrated and helps in the digestion process as well. It is, therefore, essential that your dog has unlimited access to water all the time.

Vinegar

Vinegar comes in different types and forms. Distilled vinegar is commonly used and one which is put in pickles. It does not have a lot to offer to the dog in terms of nutrition. White vinegar, the one used for pickles, does not help the dog so much. Apple vinegar, on the other hand, turns out to be very beneficial to the dog.

Now let’s put all of them together, cucumbers are excellent, Dill is good, and water is good vinegar, well not that bad. Can you answer the question, can dogs eat dill pickles? My perspective of this is that the risks outweigh the benefits if the pickles are given regularly or daily. If you are unsure of the answer, just feed fresh cucumber and fresh Dill to your dog. Sometimes it’s not worth the risk.