Many people share their delicious snacks with their dogs, but how do you know if it is safe? Can you give your dog a pickle to eat?
Here you will find the answer to that question and more about the different varieties of pickles. Dog’s are not built the same way as humans, and sometimes their little bodies cannot handle food that we can enjoy.
Has your dog ever eaten a pickle?
Can Dogs Eat Pickles?
While a crunchy pickle is always a great snack for you, can you share a pickle with your furry canine friend? A pickle is a cucumber that has been pickled with vinegar. Sometimes people even pickle other vegetables like carrots and peppers.
Dogs can enjoy a bite of a pickle, but most dogs are actually put off by the vinegar’s taste and smell that the pickle was in. You may be surprised though, try to give your dog a slice of pickle and see if they like it or not.
Remember that anytime you give your dog food that is not specially made for dogs, you need only to allow your dog small pieces. Moderation is the key when it comes to sharing human food with your dog.
If your dog does not like the pickle’s taste, you can move on and shouldn’t have to share that treat with your dog anymore. If your dog does like it, cut small slices that aren’t too thick to prevent your dog from choking.
Are Pickles Safe?
Pickles do contain quite a lot of sodium, which is not good for humans or dogs. Even though too much sodium can lead to more problems, it is important to get some of it into your dog’s diet.
One way to indicate if your dog has had too much sodium could be vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drinking of water, and in more rare cases, seizures.
A normal to medium-sized dog should only consume 100 milligrams of sodium in a day. Do not forget your dog’s food will already have some sodium in it, so check out the label to see how much is in there if you plan on giving your dog human treats.
Can Dogs Have Bread and Butter Pickles?
Bread and Butter pickles have such a distinctive taste, and they are so good. Can dogs have a slice of a bread and butter pickle? Unfortunately, no, because there are added ingredients in bread and butter pickles compared to the traditional pickles.
You may already know this, but bread and butter pickles are made with cucumbers, pickling brine, peppers, garlic, onions, and sugar.
If you know anything about dogs, you should know that garlic and onions are toxic for dogs to consume. When your dogs eats this, it can potentially cause anemia from the damage of red blood cells.
So, if you are enjoying the bread and butter pickles, then I suggest keeping that as a snack for yourself instead of sharing with your dog.
Can Dogs Have Hot and Spicy Pickles?
Foods that are typically spicy can cause upset in a dog’s stomach. If your dog is not used to eating spicy things, it causes your dog to throw up or even have diarrhea.
Hot and spicy pickles are made with cucumbers, vinegar brine, hot spices, and of course, chili peppers. So instead of giving your dog one of these pickles, cut a slice of a traditional pickle or even just a slice of cucumber plain.
Can Dogs Eat Dill Pickles?
Here we have another variety of pickles that are commonly found inside most homes. The question is, can your dog enjoy a dill pickle with you?
The good thing about this type of pickle is that it is totally safe for your dog to consume. It does not contain other added ingredients that could harm your dog’s stomach. As long as your jar of dill pickles only contains the vinegar brine, cucumber, and dill without any garlic, then your dog will be just fine.
Remember to keep in mind the sodium content of the pickle. One piece is of pickle is all your dog needs for their daily sodium requirements. You can still make your dog sick from too much pickle.
Can Dogs Drink Pickle Juice?
Pickle juice is what contains all of the vinegar and salt solution brine. You do not want to give your dog any pickle juice as it may get your dog very sick.
The sodium content is so high in pickle juice that your dog would get way too much sodium in just a few licks of pickle juice.
It is highly unrecommended to give your dog any pickle juice. If your dog does get into it, you should consult your veterinarian, especially if you see signs of sickness in your dog.
How Should I Prepare Pickles for my Dog?
First, before you bring the pickles out and prepare some for you and your dog, you should double-check the ingredient list. Make sure there are no ingredients in the pickles that could harm your dog.
You shouldn’t give your dog a whole pickle. For one, it is way too big, and your dog could potentially choke your dog. The second reason is it would give your dog way too much sodium.
Your dog only needs one slice or two of pickles a day to really get their daily sodium intake amount. This should also be a treat that your dog doesn’t enjoy every day.
Remember when you first introduce a new food to your dog that you look out for any signs of reactions. Some dogs just can’t handle certain foods, so if your dog gets a rash or even just acts slightly strange, then I suggest you ask your veterinarian for guidance.
If that continues to happen every time you give your dog a Pickle, then I suggest you stop feeding your dog that all together.
Alternatives to Pickles for Dogs
If you are on the fence on whether to let your dog enjoy a pickle as a snack, there are a couple of alternatives you can try.
Cucumbers – Traditional cucumbers are a wonderful vegetable to share with your dog. They are filled with a variety of vitamins such as A, K, and C. They also contain magnesium, manganese, and phosphorous. An excellent alternative to the pickle’s counterpart.
Apples – If you have apples on hand, that would be a great quick snack that you could share with your dog. The amount that you give your dog would only be a slice or two. Just make sure you remove the seeds before you give it to your dog.
Carrots – Carrots are a common ingredient found in both wet and dry dog food. Carrots provide your dog with a good source of Vitamin A, as well as it supports your dog’s immune system and skin.
Conclusion
So now you have the answer to if dogs can eat pickles. As long as you have some regular dill pickles, you can share a slice with your dog. Anymore than that could be dangerous to your dog’s overall health.
Remember not to give your dog flavored pickles like hot and spicy or the bread-and-butter variety. These have too many other ingredients that would upset your dog’s stomach.
Do you enjoy eating pickles? Have you ever given your dog a pickle? Let us know in the comments below.