If your dog needs extra sweet and healthy crunch in their meals, pears are the ones for them. But wait- can dogs eat pears? Let’s figure that out!
In short, YES! Dogs can eat pears safely, but moderation is the key. You need to remember a few things when giving your dog pears. Here is everything you need to know about it!
Are Pears Good For Dogs?
Feeding your dog pears is a break from bland dog foods and a road to good health. Here are the health benefits of one of the most delicious human foods– pears:
1. Vitamins and minerals
Giving your dog pears can bring in multiple nutrients to your dog. All of the mentioned vitamins and minerals are essential for your dog’s health and overall wellbeing:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Copper
- Potassium
2. Fiber
Every dog breed requires fiber to function properly. To be precise- their poop to function properly. Pears have enough amount of fiber to smooth out bowel movements and help with digestion. However, excessive fiber can also lead to constipation or even diarrhea. So feed your dog pears wisely!
3. Yummy treat
If you still haven’t got your answer to “Are pears good for dogs?” then this will do it for you! Pears are sweet, delicious, and perfect for a reward treat. If your dog has a sweet tooth, we are sure they’ll not deny a bite into juicy and fleshy pears.
Things to Keep in Mind When Feeding Your Dog Pears
Now that you know your dog can eat pears as it serves so many benefits, the serious part comes. As pear is a human food, there are some things you should keep in mind when giving your dog pears:
1. Moderation
Even though pears have several benefits, it is not enough to give your dog all the nutritional benefits. It is essential to fulfill the nutritional needs of dogs with other meals and dog food that are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, fats, etc. Hence, you should keep the consumption of pears minimal for dogs.
2. Separate the pear core
Just like most human foods, in the case of pears, dogs cannot eat the core. It is not edible and cannot be digested. If the core comes out of the system automatically, then it’s okay. But swallowing it can lead to choking hazards. Also, the pear’s core has cyanide traces, a deadly toxin for dogs (article).
3. Diarrhea and upset stomach
Giving your dog too many pears can lead to digestive problems. It is a common health problem in dogs to get diarrhea after over-eating fruits. This is why you should maintain moderation and only feed your dog pears occasionally as a treat.
How to Safely Prepare Pears For Dogs?
Here are the things you should do to prepare pears for dogs:
- Wash the pears under running water.
- Chop the flesh areas into small pieces
- Remove the core (hide it from dogs so they don’t accidentally swallow it).
that’s all that you have to do!
Fun Ways to Feed Pears to Your Dog
Now comes the fun part! If you want to make pears more enjoyable for dogs, here is what all you can do:
1. Mix with kibbles
The best way to make any dog food tastier is to add fruits to it! If your dog is bored of kibbles and bland meals, you can top it with some pears. You can chop and top the pieces, make a puree/smoothie, and serve on the sides. We can bet the sides will be finished before the meal.
2. Frozen pear yogurt bites
Another option is to go creative and make yogurt pear bites. This is an excellent alternative to toothless dogs and diabetic dogs. Here are the steps you need to follow:
Ingredients
- Unsweetened and plain yogurt
- Pears (pitless)
- Added fruits like- blueberries, avocado, and apples (optional)
Process
Step 1: Wash the pears under running water and remove the core
Step 2: Add the pears into a blender and mix it till it is thick and creamy
Moving on,
Step 3: Mix the batter with unsweetened yogurt. OR you can chop the pear REALLY SMALL and add it to the yogurt.
Step 4: At this point, you can also add other chopped fruits like apples, blueberries, or avocados.
Step 5: Mix everything together and freeze it in an ice tray for a few hours or overnight
And tada! Your yogurt bites are ready. You can make healthier alternatives at home instead of buying pear yogurts from the market.
3. Salad
Last but not least, if you have a creativity block and can’t think of any good dog treats, make a salad out of everything you have. You can make excellent fruit salads as a training treat or an evening snack. Apart from adding pears, you can add dog-friendly human foods like-
- Avocado paste (from creaminess)
- Banana
- Apricots (pitless)
- Peanut butter drizzle
- Lettuce
- Apples (seedless)
- Blackberries
Conclusion
Our final thoughts on “can dogs eat pears?” are YES. You can give your dog pears as an occasional treat. Too many pears lead to sugar rush in dogs and are particularly dangerous for a diabetic dog.
Rest, you can make your dog’s meals interesting by adding 3-4 bites of pears to it. Now that you know everything about it, you and your dog can enjoy pears together!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Pear’s skin is absolutely safe for dogs and humans. However, you should avoid giving your dog just the skin as it may cause choking hazards in smaller dogs.
If your dog eats a pear core, they can face choking hazards or gastrointestinal obstruction. Also, the core and seeds contain cyanide, which is poisonous and life-threatening to dogs in high amounts. If such is the case, please contact your veterinarian immediately.
Yes. You can give your dog VERY SMALL amounts of canned pears occasionally. They are not ideal as pears as soaked in sugar, artificial flavors, and preservatives. You should stick to only giving your dog fresh pears.
Yes. Both of these human foods- pears and apples are safe for dogs in moderation. They also have similar in their texture- juicy and crunchy. It would be best to feed them in moderation and seedless, as both contain cyanide in seeds.
