Are you wondering whether it is okay to feed your German Shepherd puppy some blueberries?
Question is,
Can German Shepherd puppies eat blueberries? German Shepherd puppies can eat blueberries. Blueberries are safe and nutritious containing high levels of fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants that help to boost a puppy’s immune system and overall health. However, eating a lot of them can cause stomach aches, diarrhea, and frozen blueberries are a choking hazard for a puppy. Therefore you should consider what form of blueberries you give to your puppy as well as the right quantity.
In this article, we will look in detail at the benefits of blueberries to German Shepherds as a dog breed, the potential risks of blueberries, and how you can feed them to your German Shepherd puppy.
Table of Contents
Are Blueberries Good For German shepherds? The Benefits of Blueberries
Blueberries are good for German Shepherds and serve as healthy tasty treats. They are low in calories, contain high amounts of vitamin C, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and fiber. These contribute to the well-being of the German Shepherds’ health by:
- Boosting of the immune system
- The phytochemicals help to fight against cancer and arthritis pain
- Prevention of cardiovascular disease and the common cold
- Being low in calories, blueberries do not cause obesity or excess weight gain
- In older dogs, studies have shown that antioxidants in a dog’s diet help to reduce the aging of the brain.
What are the Potential Risks of Consuming Blueberries?
While blueberries are a great healthy treat for German Shepherd puppies, there are also a few risks that can be involved. Some of the risks of giving your German Shepherd puppy blueberries are:
Stomach ache and diarrhea
Because blueberries have high fiber, they can cause stomach aches and diarrhea when a puppy eats too many. Feed your puppy the appropriate quantity to prevent this from occurring.
Always consult your vet on the quantity that is best for your puppy before feeding them blueberries.
Recommended Reading: Why does my German Shepherd fart so much?
Choking Hazard
Although blueberries are small, soft, and easy to chew, frozen blueberries are a choking hazard for a puppy. It is best to defrost frozen blueberries before feeding your German Shepherd puppy to avoid this risk.
Unhealthy chemicals and preservatives
Commercial products that are artificially flavored with blueberries are also not good for your puppy because in most cases they have chemicals, preservatives, other substances, or sugar that may be harmful to your puppy.
How Many Blueberries Can A Puppy Eat?
As a rule of thumb, all treats provided to a dog should not be more than 10% of their daily diet. This quantity will vary based on your puppy’s diet. Therefore always consult your vet on the quantity to feed your puppy. They will advise on the proper serving size that won’t affect your puppy to avoid stomach upsets or diarrhea.
How To Feed Blueberries To Your German Shepherd Puppy
Blueberries can be included in a puppy’s diet in different ways. You can feed your German Shepherd puppy blueberries in the following ways:
- Provide them as raw treats. Remember to avoid frozen blueberries because they can be a choking hazard to puppies therefore provide them fresh or defrosted. In this form, they are soft enough for your puppy to chew and swallow.
- Blueberries can be smashed into your puppy’s food as a healthy addition.
- They can be used together with treat recipes.
- The blueberries can be blended into a smoothie that can be provided to your puppy.
Whichever way you choose to feed your puppy with blueberries, always ensure to properly wash the blueberries before giving them to your puppy.
Conclusion
Blueberries are a healthy nutritious treat that your German Shepherd puppy can enjoy. Remember to always ask and consult your vet before you start feeding your puppy any fruits or human foods so that they can guide you on appropriate quantities specific to your puppy.
I hope this article helped you know whether German shepherd puppies can eat blueberries as well as the benefits, risks, and how to feed them to your puppy. By also following the different methods of feeding blueberries to your puppy, you should be able to include them in your puppy’s diet.
If you liked this article, you may also like to learn more from the below resources on German Shepherds.