Benefits of pineapple for dogs

Pineapple for dogs can make for a healthy dog treat, and by adding some tasty pineapple pieces to both your own and your dog’s plate this Summer, you will be helping to prevent Queensland’s pineapple industry from sending an unprecedented surplus of pineapples to the scrap heap.

According to Tropical Pines General Manager, Anthony Dobson, the Queensland region has been left reeling by ‘one-in-50-years’ weather events which has caused up to 70% of crops to flower early, which could push some Queensland pineapple farmers out of business for good with an influx of pineapples being ready to harvest all at once, rather than be staggered throughout the year in stages.

That’s where the campaign encouraging pineapple for dogs has come into play, alongside encouraging Australians to add a couple of pineapples to their shopping basket as well.

Benefits of pineapple for dogs

Raw pineapple is full of minerals, including Vitamins C, B6, A,K, Thiamin, Ribonflavin, niacin, Manganese, Copper, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, and small amounts of Calcium, Phosphorus, and Zinc.

These nutrients can boost your dog’s immune system and digestive health, as long as it is given in small amounts making pineapple for dogs a great little Summer treat, that helps out struggling farmers as well.

How you serve it counts

Raw pineapple for dogs is the best way to go, but feed only small pieces, and remove the skin, stem and core as these can get blocked in the intestines or may cause choking. If your dog does eat the core, contact your vet and watch for any signs of discomfort (see below).

While pineapples have a high fibre content, which is useful for a dog’s digestion, too much can cause stomach upsets.

Avoid canned pineapple as the syrup in canned fruits have far too much sugar for dogs and can lead to health problems including dental disease, obesity and diabetes if over-fed like any sweet food or too many treats.

While you can dry your pineapple pieces, again the sugar is very concentrated when dried, so best to avoid pineapple for dogs in this way.

Other considerations

If your dog has any health issues, for older dogs, or if it is on a prescription diet, talk to your vet or pet food nutritionist before adding pineapple to your dog’s diet just to be safe.

How much pineapple for dogs?

They key for feeding your dog pineapple is to remember to apply the same rules as with any treat and feed no more than 10% of your dog’s required total calorie intake and ensure they have a high quality, complete and balanced diet such as the Big Dog Pet Foods raw food diet.

Below are some general guidelines based on their size, and remember to remove the core, skin, stems and only feed small 2 cm  cubes.

Toy sized = 1-2 pieces.
Small = 2-3 pieces.
Medium = 3-5
Large = 6-8 pieces
Giant = 8-10 pieces

Signs to watch out for

If you suspect our dog may have eaten too much pineapple, or the skin or core, watch out for any signs of stress or discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, constipation or not eating and seek medical advice from your vet as soon as possible.

Lara Shannon is a certified dog behaviourist and trainer, pet food nutrition specialist, Executive Producer and Host of Pooches at Play on Channel 10 and editor of Poochesatplay.com. Lara also runs her own dog training business in Melbourne’s Bayside area and is the Author of World of Dogs and Eat, Play, Love (Your Dog).