Are you there wondering whether you should give your dog dates or not?

Dates are very healthy snacks for humans but what about your little furry friend? Is it okay for dogs to eat dates at all? What are some of the health benefits? How safe is it to feed your dog dates?

These are some of the questions that most pet owners are struggling to answer.

You need not worry yourself anymore, unlike raisins which are toxic for your dog, dates are perfectly healthy for your dog to consume.

However you need to take some precautions because the high amounts of fiber and sugar may not be very good for your dog.

What are some of the health benefits of dates to your dog?

Apart from dates being really sweet and tasty, they are also packed with high nutritional value. This makes them quite a healthy snack for your dog.

1. Dates are packed with high amounts of nutrients:

Some of the nutrients contained in dates include fiber, iron, calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium, potassium, protein, vitamin A, C and B.

All these minerals and nutrients are great for your dog to eat but you should never take this chance to neglect giving your dog a proper diet. Give your dog high quality dog food and keep him well hydrated as well.

? Healthy date treats once in a while is not a bad thing. However, do not overdo it. Give him the sweet treats in moderation. They are a good way to keep your pup’s energy levels up in between meal times.

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2. Dates boost your dog’s energy:

As I already highlighted, dates are good energy boosters for your dog.

The level of sugar in dates is high and will immediately boost your dog with a substantial amount of energy. This is something that you will really appreciate especially if you have an older dog.

[thrive_text_block color=”red” headline=””]If you have a puppy that is already a little bit hyper active, you need to be careful on the amount of dates you give him or you might consider skipping the sweet treat altogether. [/thrive_text_block]

3. They aid in digestion:

If your dog is suffering from constipation giving him dates is a good solution to his problem. Dates contain fiber that helps to ease constipation issues in dogs.

Give your dog dates especially if your dog is an older one and you realize he is having issues when going to the bathroom.

[thrive_text_block color=”note” headline=””]ALSO READ: The 18 Best Calming Dog Treats for Stress and Anxiety Relief [/thrive_text_block]

4. Dates help to strengthen your dog’s bones:

When you frequently give dates to your dog, you are actually helping to strengthen his bones.

Dates are rich in iron, copper and zinc which play a huge role in bone formation and development in dogs. Naturally, dogs have very strong bones that contribute greatly to their physical strength and anatomy.

? Giving your canine friend regular date treats help to keep his bones strong and avoid health issues like hip dysplasia in future.

5. They help boost your dog’s immune system:

It is natural for dogs to occasionally suffer from infections and illnesses. However, most dogs have an immunity system that is quite resilient. Dates are a rich source of vitamin C that can help boost your dog’s immunity system even further.

? A few dates a day could keep illnesses at bay I would say. Dates will help your dog fight disease-causing pathogens so your dog should indeed eat a few dates occasionally and in moderation.

[thrive_text_block color=”note” headline=””]ALSO READ: Can Dogs Eat Popcorn? Or What About Mangoes?[/thrive_text_block]

6. Dates are low cholesterol and low-fat treat for your dog:

Foods that have excess fat and are high in cholesterol put your dog at a risk of becoming obese in future. This can be fatal as heart-related complications may also arise.

Excess fat in your dog’s diet may lead to clogged arteries and even death in extreme cases.

Most treats sold in stores contain high loads of fats which are not very healthy for your dog. Most treats are loaded with fats to give your dog more energy.

Dates are a great treat that will boost your dog’s energy and keep him healthy as well.

Can dogs eat dates safely?

When you want to give your dog that yummy dates treat you should not just put it in a bowl and give it to him.

Most dog owners are afraid of giving dates to their dogs because dates resemble raisins which are toxic to dogs. There is a big difference between dates and raisins.

? Raisins are toxic for dogs and they are actually dehydrated grapes. Grapes are not good for dogs because they are known to be one of the leading causes of kidney failures in dogs.

A small amount of raisins and grapes to your dog can be fatal hence you need to avoid giving them to your dog.

Dates come from palm trees and are not made from grapes at all. They are mostly dried so as to keep them edible for longer. They have a very different appearance and you can’t confuse them with grapes or raisins.

Dates are usually brown in color and are a bit larger than raisins.

The other way through which you can easily differentiate between dates and raisins is the pit.

Dates have a huge brown seed at their pit which is normally removed prior to eating the fruit. Raisins on the other hand don’t have none.

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There are things that you need to do in order to make dates consumable for your canine friend.

1. Remove the pits: Dates have pits on the inside. The pit refers to the hard seed found in the middle of this little fruit.

You should make sure that you remove the pit of a date because it can be a choking hazard to your dog and this is a nightmare for most dog owners.

The best thing to do is to take each date and slice it open removing the pit inside before giving it to your dog.

When you are giving dates to your furry friend for the first time, start by giving him a single date to see how he reacts. The reason being, even though dates are a healthy treat for your dog, you need to start small just to see whether he has any allergic reactions or stomach upsets.

Watch his reactions before you give him this treat occasionally. Pits can also be a health hazard as they can block your dog’s small intestines.

2. Be mindful of the fiber intake: As much as fiber is good for your dog, excess fiber is also bad. Your dog needs fiber to keep constipation at bay but when it is in excess, it can cause him to experience bouts of diarrhea.

Dates are a healthy snack for your dog but you need to give him in moderation.

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3. Too much of sugar can cause diabetes: Dogs have a system that can’t handle too much sugar as that contained in dates.

One piece of dates contains up to 16 grams of sugar. This means that if your dog takes too much of this sugary treat, he is likely going to add weight and suffer from high blood sugar in the near future.

Further if you have eaten dates before, you may have noticed it can get a little bit sticky. This is not good for your dog’s teeth and it may cause plaque in your dog’s mouth hence resulting into dental problems.

[thrive_text_block color=”note” headline=””]ALSO READ: Can Dogs Eat Peanut Butter? Or What About Pineapples?[/thrive_text_block]

Is it possible to give your dog too many dates?

You need to give your dog dates in moderation. It is a healthy treat but it should only be given once in a while and not an everyday thing.

For instance, the same way you cannot finish a bag of treats in a day, you also need to have the same mentality when it comes to rewarding your dog with dates.

You can only use dates as an occasional treat to reward your dog’s remarkable behavior but nothing more.

Further, the book Dog Food Secrets is highly recommended for all dog-owners.

There are plenty of dog food secrets that these multi-billion dollar companies will hide from you as the consumer of their products. Well, at the end of the day they have to make profit in sales.

This book is a great tool as it is meant to help you know how you can prevent early death of your dog. This you will find out is mostly caused by the contents in some of these commercial foods which we give to our dogs.

Statistics show that every dog is at a risk of an early death and actually the current system can reduce the lifespan of your dog to at least 8 years.

With plenty of positive customer reviews online, Dog Food Secrets is worth you checking out. If you are a dog owner who loves his dog and would not want to lose your canine friend to an early death then this book is for you.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, dates are a healthy snack for your dog. Only remember that you need to avoid feeding him too much of this dried fruit lest he starts to have serious stomach upsets and diarrhea.

Make sure to remove the pit before giving the fruit to your dog. The pit can clog his small intestines especially if he is a small breed.