Winter squash makes me think of Thanksgiving, but it’s good all year round!

I love butternut squash.  Oh, and pumpkin pie!  Any type of plant based dish that I can add lots (and lots) of sugar to sounds good to me!  Did you know that botanically, squashes are fruits?  A lot of people think of them as vegetables, but, like other fruits, they contain seeds and develop from the flower of a plant.

What Are Winter Squash?

Winter squashes include any squash species that are harvested and eaten in their mature stage.  At this stage, they contain seeds and a tough outer rind.  Because of this rind, it is relatively easy to store winter squash over the…well,  winter!  Unlike many summer squashes, the skin/rind of winter squash is not normally eaten.  Winter squash includes multiple squash species within the genus Cucurbita.  Pumpkins are probably the best known winter squash!  But the category also includes butternut squash, acorn squash, banana squash, buttercup squash, sweet potato squash, Hubbard  squash, Kabocha squash, spaghetti squash, sweet dumpling squash, turban squash, and other, lesser known, squashes.

Can Dogs Eat Winter Squash?

I’m going to be honest here.   There are some types of winter squashes that I didn’t even know that people could eat!  Some of the funkier looking ones that I’ve seen sold in the grocery store in the autumn, I always thought were decorative!  Good news for our furry friends, though.  Try as I might, I couldn’t find a single type of squash that came up as being dangerous for dogs.  As it turns out, all varieties of squash are safe for dogs to eat!

Are There Any Benefits To Feeding Winter Squash To Dogs?

You mean besides the fact that my dogs apparently think that squashes are really fun new toys?  Squashes are packed full of healthy nutrients for our pups!  What, exactly, the benefits are can vary based on the type of  winter squash you’re feeding.  However, in general, winter squashes are rich in vitamins such as A, B and C, Beta Carotene, potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, and manganese.  Winter squash contains immune system boosting antioxidants, and lots of fiber.  Being high in fiber, in particular, makes more common winter squashes, such as pumpkin, a go-to home remedy for dogs who are experiencing mild GI issues.

Feeding winter squash to our furry friends is touted to help improve not only digestion, but also skin hydration, coat health, and stronger nerves, kidneys, and muscles.  Nutrients in squashes can also help our dogs’ hearts, eyes, and immune systems.  Plain squash is also a filling, yet low fat food, making it a great addition to the diet of an overweight dog.  Feeding squash can help Fido feel fuller without adding a lot of additional calories to their diet.

How To Prepare Winter Squash For Dogs…

Remember the rinds and seeds I wrote about earlier?  Those should be left out when feeding winter squash to dogs.  More so the rinds than the seeds.  While there is nothing toxic in winter squash skin or seeds, their hard texture makes them difficult for dogs to digest.  If consumed in large quantities, there is a risk they can lead to a blockage or other GI issues.

Because it will be easier for your dog to digest, winter squashes are best served cooked and/or pureed.  Raw squash isn’t toxic in any way, but it’s difficult for dogs to digest and may present a choking hazard if  it isn’t cut into very small pieces, or pureed.

I personally love my butternut squash with lots of butter and brown sugar (yum!).  However, these types of additives are not healthy for our furry friends (hey, they probably aren’t healthy for us either, but oh well).  To much sugar can lead to…we’ll say, messy, GI issues.  And feeding too much fatty foods can lead to a painful issue called pancreatitis.  Or just a regular old upset stomach, which may be less dramatic but still isn’t any fun for our best friends to experience.  So hold the toppings, when it comes to winter squash and our pets, plain is best!

Do Dogs Like Winter Squash?

My 13 year old papillon, Kitsune, loves all the types of winter squash I’ve tried offering him!  He’ll eat pureed pumpkin plain right out of a bowl, which is helpful for times when I want to offer it to him to help with GI upset.  My Alaskan Klee Kai, Fenrir, is a pickier eater and, so far, won’t eat any type of winter squash plain.  But I can usually convince him to eat some if I mix it in with his regular food, or use it as an ingredient in homemade treats.

Remember, like with any food that is not a regular part of your dog’s balanced diet, to only feed treat or supplemental foods in moderation!   Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!

Comment below!  Has your dog ever tried any type of winter squash?  What did they try and did they like it?

Is Vanilla/Vanilla Extract Safe For Dogs?

It’s well known that dogs cannot eat chocolate.  What about vanilla?  I’ve mentioned countless times that I like to make my dogs treats at home.  While most of our culinary creations are our own recipes, I do occasionally scour the internet for recipes to try.  I’ve come across quite a few treat recipes that use vanilla extract as an ingredient.  When making dogs treats at home, it’s important to be sure that each and every ingredient you are using is safe.  Is vanilla extract safe for dogs?

The answer is both yes, and no.  It actually depends on what kind of vanilla extract you’re using.  Regular vanilla extract is not dog friendly.  Whether real or imitation vanilla, most vanilla extract brands you can buy at the grocery store contain alcohol.  Depending on the brand, vanilla extract is normally at least 35% alcohol.

I’ve spoken with owners who make dog treats using vanilla extract and their dogs suffer no ill effects.  If the amount of extract you use in a recipe is very small, you could argue that your dog isn’t getting enough alcohol to make him/her sick.  But why risk it?  Especially when you can buy alcohol free vanilla.

Most alcohol free vanilla extracts I’ve seen use an ingredient called glycerin in place of alcohol.  Vegetable glycerin is an ingredient that is safe for dogs – it’s even a common additive in commercial dog foods.  You can find alcohol free vanilla extracts in health food stores and also online.

What About Other “Forms” Of Vanilla?

Vanilla beans themselves are safe for dogs!  The beans,  though, are usually pretty pricey.  However, if you have some taking up space in your kitchen cabinet, or really want to make your dog a special treat, vanilla beans in their pure form are nontoxic to dogs.  As usual, though, feed them only in moderation.  Eating too much of a novel, or treat, type food can lead to GI upset.

Are There Any Benefits To Feeding Treats Containing Alcohol Free Vanilla?

Vanilla beans and vanilla bean extracts do contain some good stuff like essential oils, vitamins, and minerals.  Vanilla extract contains B vitamins, calcium, zinc, iron, potassium, magnesium, etc.  However, most of these are present in very small amounts.  Also, most recipes will call for using vanilla in only small amounts – which means your dog really isn’t going to get much in the way of benefits from consuming treats made with vanilla.

And What Are The Precautions?

When you think of vanilla most people think of sweet treats.  While small amounts of alcohol free vanilla extracts probably won’t bother your dog, remember that sugar consumption often leads to GI upset.  Be especially careful when offering vanilla flavored “people” treats to dogs.  Some human treats these days contain a sugar substitute called xylitol.  Xylitol is very dangerous, deadly, for dogs.

Do I Give My Own Dogs Vanilla Extract?

I don’t use vanilla as a treat ingredient very often.  Because I do often have alcohol free vanilla available, if a treat recipe looks particularly good and calls for a small amount of vanilla, I will add it.  But honestly there are enough treat recipes out there that don’t call for vanilla that you shouldn’t sweat it if you don’t feel like going out to buy alcohol free vanilla especially for your dog.

I know some owners like to offer their dogs vanilla flavored ‘people’ treats, such as ice cream.  I personally don’t give my two dogs ice cream made for people.  Why risk making them sick when it’s super easy to make them their own, completely dog friendly ice cream?

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!

Comment below!  Have you ever fed your dog treats that contain vanilla as an ingredient?  Did you know that most vanilla extracts contain alcohol?

Since We Moved Out Of The City, I’ve Really Had To Expand My Culinary Repertoire.

There is exactly 1 take out place that will deliver to our house now – Domino’s.  I think one of the biggest things my partner and I (and probably Kitsune too!) miss about living in the city is the food!  In the city, we had all kinds of different types of restaurants within walking distance from our apartment.  Here in the country we have, well, Domino’s.

But it’s not all bad!  We’ve been home cooking more, even experimenting with recipes we’ve never tried before.  I enjoy cooking, when I have the time for it, if you can’t tell by how much I cook for my  dogs!  One of the recipes I’ve been trying to perfect lately is a stir fry dish that uses udon noodles.  As always, when I’m cooking, I have my two little sidekicks at my feet – Kitsune, the papillon, and Fenrir, the Alaskan klee Kai.  They just beg me, with those little puppy dog eyes of theirs, to drop a little something on the floor for them while I’m cooking.  And, I often do.  As long as what I’m cooking is safe for them to eat, that is.  So, are udon noodles dog safe?

What Are Udon Noodles?

I’m not an expert.  But, udon is a Japanese noodle made out of wheat flour.  The brand I use most often lists only one ingredient on the ingredient list – organic wheat flour.  Udon noodles, on their own, have a very bland flavor.  They are often used in dishes such as soups and stir fries, where they pick up flavor from the  other ingredients they are cooked with.

So, Can Dogs Eat Udon Noodles?

As long as your dog doesn’t have any issues with wheat, they shouldn’t have any problems eating udon.  Plain udon, that is.  Keep in mind, like mentioned above, that udon is often cooked in some type of broth or sauce.  These accoutrements are often high in sodium, and may contain other ingredients that are not dog safe.  So be careful feeding your dog udon prepared at a restaurant, or prepared at home in any type of broth or sauce.  I usually cook my udon first just in plain water, similar to how you’d cook dry spaghetti.  That way I can share some of the plain udon with Kit and Fen, and can add the rest to my stir fry  sauce separately for the people in the pack.

I  don’t know if it’s still on the market, but apparently a company called Seimenya, based in Kagawa, released udon make specifically for dogs.  I couldn’t find much about it, which made me question if it’s still available.  Perhaps it is, but not in the US?  Apparently it was made with a broth that contained low sodium, to make it tasty but healthier for our furry friends.

My dogs enjoy udon noodles plain, though.  No broth needed.  It’s not something I feed to them often, so is by no means a part of their regular diet.  However, it’s a fun snack every now and then that I don’t mind sharing with them when I’m cooking udon for dinner.

Any Precautions To Feeding Dogs Udon?

Udon should really be a treat food only for dogs.  Feed it in moderation, and preferably plain.  Don’t feed udon to dogs with wheat allergies, or those who are sensitive to grains.  While, for most dogs, udon and other pastas won’t hurt them, it also doesn’t really do anything to help them either.  I know some people use pastas as part of their dog’s home cooked diet, but it’s used mostly as a bulking agent to help their dogs feel full.  Udon, and other pastas, don’t contain much in terms of nutritional value and, like in humans, feeding too much of it to dogs can cause unwanted weight gain.

Does  your dog enjoy udon, or any other type of pasta?   

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!

Today Is Quite Possibly My Dogs Favorite Day Of The A to Z Challenge!

Because S is for steak!  My partner, as of late, has been on a culinary quest to prefect the art of cooking steak.  Kitsune, Fenrir, and I can’t complain.  The dogs because, well, what dog doesn’t love steak?  And myself because what girl doesn’t love when someone else does the cooking for her?

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!

The Benefits Of Feeding Beef, Besides The Obvious…

The obvious being that dogs love it!  Dogs are designed to digest meat.  They digest it much more efficiently than they do other foods, such as grains.  Dogs get lots of great things, such as protein, vitamin B12, zinc, phosphorus, niacin, vitamin B6, iron, riboflavin, etc, from eating beef steak.

For people who raw feed, or home cook, for their dogs, muscle meats (such as steak) usually make up a large percentage of their dog’s diet.  I think, at least for me personally, one of the huge draws of cooking or preparing meat for your dog is that you are able to give them a biologically appropriate food that is not only good for them, but that they really enjoy eating as well!

I love offering my dogs things like bits of steak as treats because I know exactly what I’m giving them.  No unknown ingredients that I can’t pronounce, let alone know whether they’re actually good for my dogs or not.

I have to admit I’m a bit jealous.  I probably love chocolate as much as my dogs love steak – the difference being that I can’t feed myself chocolate for breakfast and feel good about it afterwords.

Any Precautions?

Like with any new foods, steak/beef should be introduced into the diet slowly to avoid digestive upset.  If you are interested in feeding steak as part of a raw or home cooked diet, make sure to do lots of research first!  I really can’t stress that enough.  An unbalanced diet, which would be lacking in vital nutrients, really is one of the worst things you could feed your dog.

How To Prepare Steak For Dogs

If you are cooking steak for your dog, or perhaps sharing a bit of your own dinner, cook the meat plain.  Dogs don’t need things like sauces and seasonings to enhance the flavor of meat – they think it’s pretty awesome on its own.  Plus, depending on what seasonings you’re using, they can be unhealthy for dogs and may cause GI issues.

There are so many different ways you can prepare meat for dogs!  Raw feeders offer it…well…raw!  Or you could cook it plain and offer it up as a special meal by itself, use it as a food topper, or as part of a recipe.  Cut into small pieces, steak and other meats can make awesome high quality training treats.

Remember to always introduce new foods to your dogs slowly, so you avoid causing upset tummies.  And, like with any other food, if you are using steak as a special treat or snack, feeding treats in moderation is key!

I’d love to hear from you – comment below!  Do you ever feed your dog(s) meat like steak, either as a special treat or as part of their regular diet?

Insert Some Witty Remarks About Rice Here…

Not everyone agrees on whether dogs should consume grains such as rice.  It’s a common filler in commercial dog food, but one that dog owners are increasingly looking to avoid.  With raw and grain free diets becoming more popular, rice is becoming less so.  Yet those of us with dogs who have sensitive stomachs, like my Kitsune, know that plain rice, possibly mixed with meat, can make a palatable but bland meal that can help our dogs get over GI upset.

Why Rice?

Rice, white rice especially, is easy to digest.  As mentioned above, many owners use it as a ‘go to’ food for dogs who are experiencing GI upset.  Because it’s cheap, easy to cook, easy for dogs to eat, and usually well tolerated, rice can be a helpful addition to the diet of dogs who are sick or elderly.

Brown rice is higher in protein and nutrients when compared to white rice.  However, it’s also coarser, harder to digest, and many dogs don’t seem to like it as much as plain white rice.

Precautions

Dogs can be allergic to grains, including rice.  For dogs who are not allergic, rice is a safe diet addition, but it shouldn’t make up a large percentage of their diet.  Rice is fine as an addition to a home made diet, an occasional snack, or as part of a bland diet for a sick pup, but it doesn’t contain enough nutrients to keep a dog healthy long term and should not be fed exclusively.

What do you think?  Do you ever feed your dog rice?  Does he/she like it? 

Not surprisingly, my papillon Kitsune readily eats, and  seems to enjoy, white rice.  My Alaskan Klee Kai, Fenrir, who can be quite picky when it comes to food, isn’t as impressed by rice.  He’s more likely to make a mess with it all over my kitchen floor than eat it!

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!

The Ultimate Q Food…

Quinoa!  If you had asked me years ago what quinoa is, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you!  And forget about asking me how to pronounce it.  But, at some point my fiance and I decided we were going to try to eat a bit healthier, and while researching new dinner recipes quinoa kept coming up.  It took some experimenting to find quinoa recipes  that we both really enjoyed, but, after some trial and error, we now eat it pretty regularly!  Of course while we’re eating it, our dogs always want some too.  So is quinoa a dog friendly food?

Let’s Start With What Quinoa Is, Exactly

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah, by the way) is a plant in the goose-foot family.  Although quinoa is often thought of as a grain, it is not technically one.   It’s a bit hard to classify – quinoa is a seed that is harvested from plants classified as pseudo-cereals.  It’s actually closest in relation to leafy greens such as spinach and Swiss chard.

Ok, Whatever, But Is It Good For Dogs?

Quinoa is a super food.   It’s a complete protein, which means that it contains all 9 essential amino acids. It also contains iron, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin B, vitamin E, and omega 3 fatty acids, among other nutrients.  It’s high in fiber, and cancer fighting antioxidants.  While being high in good stuff like protein and nutrients, quinoa is low in fat and cholesterol.

If you haven’t figured it out yet – yes, quinoa is safe for dogs.  In fact, it’s increasingly being used as an ingredient in higher quality dog foods.  Being a plant based food, quinoa is not as easy for dogs to digest as meat, but they can still derive benefits from eating it.

How To Prepare Quinoa For Dogs

Both my dogs, even Mr. Picky Puppy Fenrir, will eat cooked quinoa plain.  It has a very mild flavor that reminds me a lot of pasta.  One of my favorite ways to eat quinoa is with cheddar cheese and broccoli which, as you can imagine, my dogs also love.

Quinoa can be used as a food topper, or as part of a home made diet.  My dogs often get left over quinoa when my fiance and I have it for dinner – just as long as all the other ingredients in whatever recipe I used are also dog friendly.

One important thing to note is that uncooked quinoa can cause stomach upset in both humans and dogs.  Always make sure to cook it according to the package directions and never offer it raw.  Usually cooking instructions will also include rinsing the seeds in water before cooking them.

As with all new foods, when offering quinoa for the first time, do so in small amounts.  Once you know your dog tolerates it well you can offer larger amounts.

Do you like quinoa?  Have you ever fed it to your dog?

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!

Glorious Peanut Butter, And All The Amazingly Silly Faces Our Pups Make When It Gets Stuck To The Roofs Of Their Mouths!

Right off the bat I’ll say – be careful, some brands of peanut butter now contain xylitol.  This sugar substitute is safe for humans, but deadly for dogs.  It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyways), if you’re going to give PB to your dog, make sure it does not contain xylitol.

In the past, I’ve received some interesting feedback about what dog owners think about feeding their  furry friends PB – everything from people saying that PB is an affordable and not unhealthy snack, to statements about why dogs should not be allowed to eat “people food”.

I give my dogs peanut butter.  I occasionally make them peanut butter treats, and it’s the ultimate classic Kong filler.

Are There Any Benefits To Feeding Peanut Butter?

Other than the fact that most dogs love it, that is.  And seriously…those peanut butter faces!  Too cute!

Peanut butter contains healthy fats, carbohydrates, and protein that can help give your dog a boost of energy.  Both of my dogs are very active.  My favorite time to give them a PB stuffed Kong is after a long hike.   Yes, I hike with my small dogs!  Not only does the PB seem to help restore some of their energy, but the act of licking it out of their Kongs keeps them occupied, and helps relax them after a busy day.

Peanut butter also contains vitamins B3, and E, as well as magnesium, fiber, and antioxidants.  Biotin in PB may help support a healthy coat, skin, and nails.  Vitamin E can help to support a healthy immune system.

But All Peanut Butter Is Not Created Equal

In a perfect world, we’d not only be feeding our dogs all natural/no additives PB, but we’d be eating it ourselves as well.  Many brands of peanut butter sold for human consumption contain added ingredients such as salt, sugar, and oils.  While PB containing these things, in small amounts, shouldn’t hurt our dogs, they aren’t exactly healthy either.  You could avoid additives by making your own PB, which actually isn’t too hard.  You could also purchase organic, salt free PB to avoid as many additives as possible.

I’ll admit that, most of the time, I don’t make my own peanut butter, or buy the fancy organic brands.  What I do do is make sure that I only feed PB in moderation.  Too much of it can cause stomach upset.  The high fat content means it probably isn’t the best snack for overweight dogs, and too much fat in the diet can sometimes lead to a painful condition called pancreatitis.

Dogs, like people, can be allergic to peanuts so pay close attention if you are feeding your dog peanut butter for the first time.  And, like I mentioned above, always make sure to avoid brands that contain xylitol!

Does your dog like peanut butter?  How do you serve it to him/her – in a Kong, baked into treats, another way?

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!

Oats Are For Goats, But Dogs Like Them Too!

Have I ever mentioned here that I really want to keep goats someday?  Gotta save up to buy that farm!

I guess dogs probably aren’t the first animal that comes to mind when you think about feeding oats.  But oatmeal is often used as a filler in commercial dog foods.  It is, of course, a grain.  There’s been a lot of back and forth about whether feeding dogs grains is a good thing, or bad.  Grains can be a common allergen for pet dogs.  Of course, if your dog is allergic to oats, or otherwise doesn’t tolerate them well, you should avoid them!

Although my older dog, Kitsune, does suffer from food allergies, he is not allergic to grains.  Oatmeal is one grain that I occasionally include in my dogs’ home cooked food.  I also often use it as an ingredient in home made dog treats.  I’ve found that dry oatmeal can be ground (I put it in our blender) and used in place of flour in dog treat recipes.

What are the Benefits of Feeding Oatmeal?

The main benefit of feeding oats seems to be that they are high in fiber.  This can be particularly useful to dogs suffering from…bathroom issues.  I’ve mentioned before that Kitsune has a really sensitive stomach.  Feeding him high fiber foods often seems to help him when he’s experiencing bouts of GI upset.

Many dogs seem to enjoy the taste of oats, and they are relatively low in calories.  I mentioned that they are often used as a filler in commercial dog foods.  If you have an overweight dog, adding plain, cooked oatmeal to their food can help your dog feel full without adding a lot of extra calories.

In humans, oatmeal is touted for helping to reduce high blood pressure, artery clogging, and for improving the immune system.  I’m unaware of any studies done to test whether the same holds true for dogs, but it makes sense that it could.

Oats also contain nutrients like B and E vitamins, magnesium, and zinc.  Not all dogs with grain allergies will be allergic to all grains.  Dogs that cannot eat wheat, soy, or corn products sometimes can eat oats.

Any Precautions?

I often enjoy a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast myself, but I put way too much sugar in mine to be able to share it with my dogs.  When buying oatmeal for dogs, look for plain oats.  Prepackaged flavored oatmeal for humans is often full of sugars and artificial flavors that wouldn’t be good for dogs.  You can flavor your dog’s oatmeal with dog safe ingredients if you want to, but stay away from the sugar.

Does your dog like oatmeal?  How do you feed it?

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!

Nectarines are one of my partner’s favorite fruits.  Because of that, we often have them in the house.  Even if a food isn’t something I give my dogs to snack on on a regular basis, I like to know whether or not foods are dog safe.  You never know when a pieces of food will get dropped, or fall, onto the floor.  And, as we joke about in our house, if it touches the floor it’s yours no more!  It’s Kitsune’s.  Or, sometimes Fenrir’s.  My partner has never been too happy about the great grape ban.  We both love grapes, but they’re especially easy to drop, and toxic to dogs.  I’m happy to write, though, that we don’t have to institute a nectarine ban.  Nectarines are non-toxic to dogs.

Do Dogs  Like Nectarines?

To answer that question for you, dear readers, I had to go out and buy some nectarines.  I’m sure Kitsune has probably tried some before, but I couldn’t remember a particular time I let him try any.  And I couldn’t remember whether he liked it or not.  I should have know, this is Kitsune we’re talking about after all, that he’d like it.

The nectarines I got weren’t the best specimens, so I was a bit worried that my dogs wouldn’t be interested in them.  But, as you can probably tell from the picture of Kit, he did readily eat the nectarine slice I offered him.  Not only that, but he came back to beg for more, and happily also ate Fenrir’s when Fen left his slice sitting on the floor.  Fenrir, by the way, didn’t seem to be very interested in his nectarine slice.  He took it when I offered it to him, but then left it on the floor and walked away.

Are There Any Benefits To Feeding Dogs Nectarines?

Nectarines contain lots of healthy nutrients, such as Vitamins C, and A, niacin, potassium, magnesium, and dietary fiber.

Any Down Sides/Dangers?

Say it with me – feed nectarines to dogs in moderation only.  I wouldn’t personally give my own dogs more than a slice or two of this sweet fruit as a treat/snack.  Nectarines are so delicious because they’re high in natural sugar, which isn’t ideal for dogs in large amounts, especially so if they have any health conditions or are overweight.  Feeding too many pieces of nectarines could lead to GI upset in dogs.

If you’re going to offer your dog a piece of a nectarine to try, fresh is best.  Canned fruit prepared for people usually contains sugar additives that are not good for dogs.  Also keep in mind that when the fruit because to rot, it can produce ethanol.  Ethanol is toxic to dogs.

Make sure to keep  the pit of nectarines away from your dog.  The pits of nectarines can damage your dog’s teeth if she/he chews on it, and nectarine pits contain cyanide.  The pits also present other hazards, such as choking or intestinal blockage.  If your dog swallows a nectarine pit, contact your veterinarian.

I don’t think pieces of nectarines will be something I’ll give my two dogs very often, but I’m glad that they’re (besides the pit) non-toxic to dogs.

It means I  don’t have to worry about it if sneaky Mr. Kitsune decides he’s going to swipe a slice of a nectarine when us humans are snacking on them.  Comment below!  What are some of your favorite fruits?  Can/do you share them with your pets?

Looking for more ideas for healthy “human” foods you can share with your dog?  Check out my other blogging from A to Z challenge posts!