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Can Dogs Have Freeze Dried Strawberries?

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Ever experienced eating freeze-dried strawberries and your dog’s making a “may I have one, please” face? Those eyes can be any dog parent’s Achilles heel for treats. So you may be wondering, can dogs have freeze-dried strawberries?

Yes, They Can!

Freeze-dried strawberries are almost just the same as regular strawberries. The only difference is that they don’t have the same juicy goodness as fresh ones. Still, they taste like strawberries – with twice the punch. And the best part? They’re still packed with nutrients and antioxidants to help keep your dogs healthy.

A little caveat: even though dogs can have freeze-dried strawberries, there are things that you have to know. Too much of a good thing is still a bad thing. So here are a few pointers to help your dog get the most out of their freeze-dried treat.

Watch How Your Dog Reacts

Every dog reacts differently to food. Some are lucky and can eat almost anything without any reaction. Others have slight sensitivity and may take days, weeks, or months to show any unpleasant signs. There are also a few who react almost instantly to new food.

The key here is to always keep a sharp eye out for your furry friend. The more you know your dog’s behavior, the easier for you to spot any untoward reaction. If you see tell-tale signs of hypersensitivity, stop giving your dog freeze-dried strawberries and consult your vet.

strawberry slices

Be Mindful Of Your Dog’s Health

It’s a dog owner’s pride and joy to have a healthy, happy dog due to all that loving care and attention. Still, sometimes life throws us a curve ball, and your dog may experience some health conditions.

Although freeze-dried strawberries are good to add to a dog’s diet, you still have to be careful. If your dog is sick or suffering from a health issue, be sure to keep the treat to a minimum. Increase your dog’s water intake as well to help prevent any complications. If your pet has a serious health condition, it’s always better to ask your vet’s advice.

If your dog’s on a diet or overweight, they can still enjoy the treat. But do keep the strawberries in moderation. Although these are low in calories, they can be a touch high in sugar and can affect your dog’s health and weight progress.

Don’t Make Freeze Dried Strawberries The Main Meal

It can be easy to get carried away with giving your dog treats. Most especially when you see your dog enjoying the treat and looking at you with love and gratitude. Dogs are just adorable that way. Soon, you’ll find yourself reasoning that freeze-dried strawberries are healthy.

Still, treats should only be 10% of your dog’s daily diet. Although freeze-dried strawberries are full of nutrients, they don’t give the full nutrition your dog needs. They may be rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. But they don’t have the essential macronutrients that your dog needs to keep and stay healthy.

Watch Out For Upset Stomach

Freeze-dried strawberries, just like any other fruit, contain fiber and natural sugar. When some dogs can take these like a champ, others can experience diarrhea. Keep the strawberries at a minimum to help your dog’s stomach to adjust and avoid this problem.

dog licking rim of food bowl after a meal

Can A Pregnant Dog Eat Freeze Dried Strawberries?

They sure can, and they will love the treat, too. What you need to watch out, though, are blood sugar spikes. A 28g bag of Simple Truth freeze-dried strawberries has 15g of sugar per serving. Same with a 34g bag of Aldi freeze-dried strawberries. Blood sugar spikes can affect fetal dog development, so keep the strawberries in good moderation.

How About Lactating Dogs?

The same thing as with pregnant dogs. Sugar spikes should be carefully considered. The puppies can get the sugar from their mom’s breast milk every feeding. Make sure to ask your vet how much freeze-dried strawberries you can give to your dog to be safe.

How Do I Feed My Dog Freeze Dried Strawberries?

If you’re hesitant or unsure how to feed your dog freeze-dried strawberries, here are some tips.

Start small

Since you’re gauging how your dog will react to a newly introduced food, take things slowly. Give your dog a small piece or two a day. It’s better to give a 3-5 hours between the treats so they’ll get used to it. Gradually increase as your dog’s body slowly gets used to the freeze dried strawberries.

Don’t introduce a new food or treat for 1-2 weeks

Maintain your dog’s regular diet and don’t give anything new yet aside from the freeze dried strawberries. This way, it’s easier to trace or know if your dog’s reaction came from them. If you give your dog new food at the same time, it’s going to be a challenge to trace the source of hypersensitivity.

Sneak into regular food

If your not sure whether your dog will like the freeze dried strawberries, or if you have a picky eater, don’t worry. You can sneak it in during feeding in a way that they won’t notice. You can crumble the freeze dried fruit and add it to your dog’s daily meal. This way, they get the nutrients and they won’t be able to pick out the fruit.

Final Thoughts

Can dogs have freeze dried strawberries? Yes, they can. They’re very healthy and nutritious and can be fun to eat for dogs. That crunchy sweetness is such an enjoyable treat for them, and there’s a high chance that they’ll love to have more. Still, keep the freeze dried strawberries to a minimum. It should be part of the 10% daily allowance for treats, and shouldn’t make up your dog’s entire meal.

Be mindful of your dog’s health, especially if it’s expecting or lactating. Ask your vet the proper way of feeding freeze-dried strawberries if your dog has a health condition.

Start slowly by giving a small piece or two a day, then gradually increase. Don’t introduce any new food to make it easy for you to know if your dog’s sensitive or not. You can also sneak it to your dog’s regular food if you want the nutrients and are not sure if your dog will love it.

Have you tried giving your dog freeze dried strawberries? Let us know in the comment section!

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