Quick Question

[Ghost Post]

Is it okay to give dogs fruit?

[Agamemnon]

I'm sure it's ok as long as it's introduced to the dog in small sparse quantities at first. Due to the beast being built for meat eating, their metabolism would start to 'clear out' large amounts of fruit, only if sort of 'force fed' on large apples and pears etc.
A friend of mine gives his two dogs bananas as treats. These are both sweet and quite firm for the mutts and they love them too. He sometimes feed them on mango pieces and apricot halves as well and it's caused no harm whatsoever over the 6 years so far that he's had them.
Generally though I can see no harm in feeding dogs extra nutrients and vitamins, as long as it's within a balanced dog diet. Perchance though, beware of the possibility of 'loose bowels'

[Ghost Post]

Thanks

[Pablo]

[extropalopakettle]

[Arminger]

In the past our dogs have gorged themselves on whatever fruit is in season at the time (mangos, lychees, guavas, mandarins, oranges, cumquats, peaches, nectarines, and plums) and the only adverse affect seems to be the, uhh…‘runs’. So as long as you don’t care about cleaning up the mess that happens afterwards then feed them/it whatever type of fruit they/it like(s).

Arminger

[EEEM]

My dogs have never had problems with fruit. They don't care for it very much. I'd go along with Aga and say give in small portions or as treats. I wouldn't try to make your dog a fruititarian. Though then she could go live with Hy's vegetarian cat.

[Courk]

I have wo relatively young dogs. Not even a year and a half old. Last sumemr they would get in our garden and get tomatoes. That made them sick. However, they were younger, so maybe they just couldn't handle it. A few weeks ago we let Jedi eat a whole small apple. I think she even ate the core. She's a freak, though. She handled it fine.

*loves her puppies*

[Mackay]

I always feed my apple cores to my dog. No worries there. But then my dog eats ANYTHING. Whether edible or not. My family has been entertained by such things as multicoloured dog crap in the backyard which, on closer inspection, turned out to be a dozen or so balloons. :-/ There are grosser stories than that, but there's an interesting one for you.

[casinopete]

My cat adores dried apricots.

[KingPin]

I have a 170lb mastiff. His name is Baxter or Bastard depending on what mood he is in. He eats whatever he wants!

Truthfully he likes all kinds of fruit, loves frozen grapes! A cheap treat. Of course I would strongly recommend dogs earning their treats, a special snack of some kind wont hurt too much.