Dogs are such foodies. If it were up to them, they would eat all day, next to being outside, and playing with other dogs. And yes, don’t forget long cuddling and petting moments as well.
Although they would take a bite, or just a small lick, of any human foods, there are some foods that are a massive no-no for dogs, and they shoudl stay away from it.
How about delicious and refreshing cucumbers? is this vegetable safe for canines, as much as it’s safe for us? Let’s discover.
Can Dogs Eat Cucumbers?
Simply said, yes. Cucumbers are perfectly safe for dogs. Moreover, they are extremely welcome in dogs’ diets. In general, fruit and vegetable should be present in a dog’s regular diet.
Next to a common feeding schedule, it’s welcome to feed your canine only with up 10 percent of your dog’s daily diet.
Great cucumbers traits:
- They are low in calorie
- They are an extremely healhty snack
- They contain only around 8 calories per one-half cup of slices
Is Cucumber Healthy For Dogs?
Yes, yes, and yes. Cucumbers, fresh ones, are almost all weather. In fact, fresh cucumber is exactly 96% water and they are more than handy to help you, and your canine, to survive a hot day. Cucumbers are also rich in vitamins. They contain:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Magnesium
- Potassium
These are all important components of a healhty canine diet. This applies only to fresh cucumber, while pickles are not, in general, recommended to dogs because they are packed with salt.
As you probably know already, salet is not good for dogs. Pickles are also often packed with additional ingredients that are not welcoming to dogs.
Ingredients such as onion and garlic. So, better stick to the fresh veggies.
So, overall cucumbers are great for dogs. They are especially great if your dog is trying to lose some weight.
If you want to keep your dog on the proper weight scale and avoid obesity, you can serve him cucumbers. Moreover, you can use this low-calorie snack as a reward. It can be used in training as a treat as well.
Trust us, your dog will love this healhty snack, especially if he is no fan of hot weather. Don’t forget that hydration is important durign how days, especially due to heatstroke in dogs.
Once again, if your dog needs to lose some weight, you should combine fresh cucumbers with a weight-loss diet plan.
Fun Fact: Did you know that humans have been eating cucumbers for over 3000 years?
What Types Of Cucumbers Can Dogs Eat?
There are many types of cucumber. Therefore, you should be careful and share only healthy cucumbers with dogs:
- Slicing cucumbers are easily found in any grocery store. They are usually up to 9 inches long, with tapered ends. Moreover, they have waxed skin for preservation.
- Pickling cucumbers are smaller and they are known as the pickles. Normally, they are used for preserving – mixed with vinegar, sugar, salt, or water. They are simply known as pickles, and they shouldn’t be shared with your canine in that form.
When possible always choose slicing, fresh cucumbers, as they are most beneficial for dogs.
How To Serve Cucumbers To Your Dog
When it comes to serving ideas, everything is clear and straightforward, actually. The first rule of serving cucumber to your dog is to always pill it first.
Avoid giving your canine anything that has a peel on. Any peel can be a potential choking hazard. This same applies to celery, pear, an apple, and of course banana. So, how to serve cucumber to your dog?
- Peel them first
- Slice cucumbers into rounds
- Remove the soft seedy center. If you dog east a cucumber with the seedy part, nothing bad should happen. However, it’s a general rule to avoid feeding dogs with anything that has a seedy center.
- Serve cucumbers to your dog.
If you want to make a real feast for your canine, you can add some peanut butter or cream cheese. You can also make a super-easy summer treat with cucumbers.
Peel one bigger cucumber and slice it into small chunks. Place pieces in an ice cube tray and just add water, as usual. You can serve this easy-to-make treat during the hot days.
Just make sure to leave it outside for a few seconds first. Avoid giving your dog extremely cold treats. This prepared is great for puppies, adult dogs, and even senior dogs.
Can Eating Cucumbers Be Dangerous for Dogs?
Even the safest food in the world can lead to various issues. Yes, cucumber sare healthy and they are mostly based on water, but it doesn’t mean that they can’t bring some harm to your dog. Overall, if your dog overeats on cucumber they can lead to an upset belly.
In general, some p[arts of the cucumber can make harm, such as seeds and peel. So, make sure that you always peel the cucumber and to remove seeds.
If your dog is sensitive, he may experience diarrhea, if he still manages to overeat.
Slicing cucumber is mandatory because eating bigger pieces can be a choking hazard. So, always chop the vegetable into a manageable size.
As with any new food and treat, make sure that you start small. The fact that dogs in general love cucumber don’t mean that your dog is a cucumber-fan as well.
Remember: dogs are individuals just as humans are. So, start small. Feed your dog with smallmouth to see how he reacts. This is a great way to notice if your dog has any difficulties ingesting cucumber.
Can Dogs Eat Cucumber Skin?
Skin in fruit and vegetable contains most of the nutrients and vitamins. That’s why doctors always advise people to eat an apple with skin. However, dogs have a really difficult time to digest the skin.
On top of that, the cucumber skin can come with a high amount of pesticides that are dangerous for pets to ingest in general. That’s why you should always remove the skin.
Can Dogs Eat Cucumber Seeds?
In some vegetables and fruit, seeds are toxic, just like in grape. Here is what you should know if your dog eats grape. Luckily, there are no big worries with cucumber seeds.
Although it’s safe for your dog to eat cucumber seeds, you should still remove them because a high amount of seeds can lead to sensitive stomach and eventually diarrhea.
How Many Cucumbers Can Dog Eat?
The best option is to follow the 10% rule.
Any additional food, such as treats, fruit, and vegetable should only make 10% of the total calories in a dog’s diet. Of course, you should have a dog’s size on the mind, as well.
Your German Shepherd will eat more, that you Pomeranian. All in, you should just follow your dog’s feeding schedule and not overdue with treats. Is there sugar in cucumber? Yes, there is around 1% sugar by weight.
So, one cup of chopped cucumber contains:
- 1 gram of sugar
- 1 gram of dietary fiber, and
- 16 calories
These are good numbers for a healhty treat. If your dog suffers from diabetes, this could be a good snack.
Once again, if you are searching for addition into a reduced-calorie diet, adding cucumber could be a great option.
As a low-calorie food, cucumbers are great treats and can be used as a cherry on the top when it comes to rich and good food options. So, go ahead and feel free to share a cucumber slice with your canine.
Can Cucumbers Treat Bad Breath In Dogs?
This is something that many dog owners want to know lately. What we know so far for sure, is that cucumbers are rich in phytonutrients and phytochemicals.
These compounds can help freshen a dog’s breath. Moreover, these compounds can even deal with odor-producing bacteria in the mouth.
However, cucumbers are not a substitution for dog-toothpaste or specially designed treats to clean teeth. The truth is that dogs’ teeth should be kept healthy and strong by any cause.
Moreover, pale gums are usually the first sign that something isn’t right with the dog’s healhty.
Pale gums are usually a sign that there is an underlying health problem. That’s why it’s important to treat the dog’s teeth, whether they often snack cucumber or not.
The Bottom Line
Can dogs eat cucumber? Yes! Is cucumber good for dogs? Yes! Cucumber is a very safe food for your canine, and extremely refreshing durign the hot days.
However, regardless of its benefits, it’s important to note that you should serve cucumber in a moderate amount.
Make sure that you always peel the cucumber, remove the seed and serve in small chunks. Start small, just to see how your dog will react.
Some dogs are not tolerant toward the cucumber, so they may go through the gastrointestinal discomfort.
