You’ve just brought your adorable German Shepherd puppy home. You’ve stocked up on all the food, toys, and treats you’ll need, ready to make your puppy a part of the family. As you’re enjoying a slice of fresh watermelon, your new German Shepherd puppy looks up at you with their big eyes, begging for a bite. You’re about to cave in and offer a small taste when you remember that some fruits are dangerous to feed to dogs, and now you wonder, “Can German Shepherds eat watermelon?”
German Shepherds can eat watermelon as long as it is free from seeds and the rind. Watermelon is full of potassium and vitamins A, C, and B6, and it’s an excellent source of natural fiber. It is also low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium, making it a safe and nutritious treat for dogs.
With so many nutritional benefits to watermelon, it is a perfect alternative to processed treats. Read on to learn more about how watermelon can contribute to your German Shepherd’s health as well as other fruits.
Benefits Of Watermelon For German Shepherds
The vitamins and minerals in watermelon offer a wide range of health benefits; it can help your dog’s health in the following ways:
- Vitamin A – Good for your German Shepherd’s coat, it can help with their growth (great for puppies), and can help improve eyesight.
- Vitamin C – Can help boost your German Shepherd’s immune system, and it’s an excellent antioxidant.
- Vitamin B6 – Good for helping maintain healthy blood sugar levels. It is an essential source of protein, and can help with brain function, and can even aid in red blood cell production.
- Natural Fiber – Fiber is vital to a healthy digestive system. It aids in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and helps produce fatty acid in your German Shepherd’s stomach, which can prevent harmful bacteria from growing.
- Potassium – Can help your German Shepherd have healthy bones, muscles, nervous system, and heart. It can also aid your German Shepherd’s metabolism.
If you choose to feed your German Shepherd fresh fruit, it’s essential to ensure that the type of fruit you want to give them is safe for their consumption. While many fruits, like watermelon, are perfectly safe and can provide your pup with extra nutrients, there are several that are dangerous.
Tips For Feeding Watermelon To Your German Shepherd
Before you begin feeding your pup some tasty fresh watermelon, there are some essential things to remember:
- Before offering any new fruit as a treat to your dog, try a small bite-sized sample to see if your German Shepherd likes the taste of the fruit. You should also wait a little bit to see if they have any reaction to the fruit. While many fruits are generally considered safe for all canines, every dog is unique, and you want to make sure yours isn’t allergic to what you plan on feeding them.
- Remove all cores, pits, and large seeds. In addition to containing toxic chemicals, these parts of certain fruits can cause harmful blockages in your dog’s digestive system.
- Fruit should only make up a small portion of your German Shepherd’s diet. Canines are omnivores and need a balanced diet that also includes meat and vegetables. Fruit is an excellent addition to their diet but should not make up a large part of their overall diet. A good rule of thumb is to have the fruit make up around 10% of their diet.
- Moderation is key. While most fruit is safe and healthy for your German Shepherd, many contain high amounts of sugars or natural fiber and should only be fed to your dog in small portions. Too much fruit can cause digestive problems in your pup. You should also avoid canned fruit or fruit juices as they are full of sugar.
- Make sure your fruit is washed and clean before feeding it to your German Shepherd. Many fruits can have traces of pesticides and other chemicals and need to be thoroughly washed before being consumed. Run your fruit under some cool water to safely remove anything harmful.
- Finally, if you ever have concerns or questions on whether a type of food or fruit is safe for your dog, always contact your veterinarian for advice.
Can German Shepherds Have Any Type Of Melon?
Now that we know that watermelon is a healthy treat for German Shepherds, does that mean that any other type of melon is also safe? Yes, many types of melon, like honeydew, muskmelon, and cantaloupe, are safe for your German Shepherd. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when feeding your dog melon:
- Because most melons have a higher sugar content, it’s important to remember to feed them to your German Shepherd in moderation. Too much melon of any kind could cause intestinal issues like diarrhea and do your canine friend more harm than good. A suggested serving for melon is one slice.
- While the fleshy part of the melon is safe for your dog to eat, you don’t want to let them eat or chew on the rinds as it could cause an upset stomach.
- You may also want to remove the seeds, especially from watermelon, as they can cause a blockage. While most grown German Shepherds will have no issues with a few seeds, puppies may have problems. Make sure you only feed them seedless watermelon or remove the seeds before giving it to your puppy.
Melon Treats For Your German Shepherd
As most melons are high in water, they make excellent summertime treats, and are a great way to keep your pup hydrated on those hot days. The best way to treat your dog with some delicious melon is to cut the melon into small slices or scoop a few melon balls. You can even try your hand at some homemade melon treats like:
- Watermelon Pupsicles
- Cantaloupe Ice Cream
- Cucumber Melon Treats
What Other Fruits Can German Shepherds Eat?
It’s not just melons. There is a plethora of other fresh fruits your dog can eat as a fun and healthy alternative to treats. (Avoid the sugary canned fruits).
Here is a list of some of the fruits that your German Shepherd can eat:
- Apples
Full of vitamins and fiber, apples are an excellent fruit to treat your German Shepherd with. Just make sure you remove the core and seeds from the apple before feeding it to your pup as those particular parts of the apple can be harmful.
Suggested serving size: One to two slices
- Apricots
The health benefits of apricots are plenty. You can give your German Shepherd a boost of vitamin A, C, potassium, and beta-carotene with just a slice or two of apricot. While the flesh of the apricot is perfectly safe, the pit, leaves, and stem contain cyanide and can be harmful to your dog, so make sure to remove them. Apricots are also high in fiber, so too much can upset your pup’s digestive system.
Suggested serving size: 1 slice
- Bananas
Add a little more potassium to your German Shepherd’s diet with some bites of banana. Bananas are excellent for their hearts and kidneys, but just don’t overfeed them with bananas as they have a higher sugar content, and too much can upset your dog’s tummy.
Suggested serving size: 1 to 2 pieces (about 1-inch slices)
- Blackberries
Blackberries are a good source of antioxidants and dietary fiber for your dog. They’re also lower in sugar, making them an excellent treat!
Suggested serving size: 1 to 3 berries
- Blueberries
Blueberries are known for their rich antioxidants and benefits to us humans, but they’re also great for your German Shepherd. They’re also a great anti-inflammatory, so if your dog is dealing with a little arthritic pain, some blueberries added to their diet may help with some of that inflammation.
Suggested serving size: 1 to 3 berries
- Citrus Fruits (Lemon, Lime, and Grapefruit)
While these citrus fruits are safe for your German Shepherd, there’s no real nutritional value. In fact, your dog may not even enjoy these fruits.
You can let your dog take a small lick to try the fruit first. If they like it, make sure you remove the seeds and the pith (white part) of the fruit.
Suggested serving size: 1 slice
- Coconut
Coconuts are another great way to get some antioxidants into your German Shepherd’s diet. Coconut oil can also be added to your dog’s food, and it can even improve the health and shine of their coat.
Suggested serving size: 1 slice
- Cranberries
Cranberries are a great fruit to help the health of your dog’s bladder. The vitamin C, manganese, and other antioxidants in cranberries also make them a nutritious treat for your German Shepherd. Both fresh and dried cranberries are okay to feed to your dog; just ensure that the dried cranberries aren’t mixed with raisins or dates, which are harmful to dogs.
Suggest serving size: 1 small spoonful
- Mango
Mango is delicious and nutritious for your German Shepherd. Full of vitamins A, B6, C, and E, a bite or two of fresh mango is a healthy treat for your pup. It is, however, a fruit that is high in sugar, so it should only be given in small amounts. It’s also essential to remove the skin and pit.
Suggested serving size: 1 to 2 slices
- Oranges
A little extra vitamin C is always beneficial, so treating your German Shepherd with a slice of orange is a delicious way to get them that extra boost. Citrus fruits are high in sugar and acidity, however, and too much could make your dog ill. For that reason, only 1 slice is recommended.
- Peaches
Peaches, and other pit fruits like nectarines, plums, and persimmons, are great ways to add some Vitamin A and beta-carotene into your dog’s diet. They are excellent for healthy bones, teeth, and coats. They do have higher sugar content, so like with other sugar-packed fruits, feed them in small doses. And always remember to remove the pit!
Suggested serving size: 2 to 3 pieces (bite-sized)
- Pears
Among a multitude of vitamins, pears are an excellent source of vitamin K, which is excellent for bone density. You can feed 1 slice or 2 bite-sized pieces to your German Shepherd, but pears are also high in sugar. Remove the core and seeds before feeding to your dog.
- Pineapples
Tart and tangy, pineapple is a fruit full of vitamins and minerals that can help aid the immune and digestive systems. Make sure you remove the peel before feeding it to your dog. As with other fruits, pineapple has a higher sugar content, and so should only be given to your dog in small amounts.
Suggested serving size: 2 to 3 pieces (bite-sized)
- Raspberries
The health benefits of raspberries are numerous. Full of vitamins, minerals, and natural fiber, raspberries also contain manganese and antioxidants that can help with the bones and joints. However, it’s essential to monitor the number of raspberries you feed your dog as they also contain small amounts of xylitol, which can be toxic in large doses.
Suggested serving size: 2 to 3 raspberries
- Strawberries
Full of vitamin C and a natural enzyme that can whiten teeth, strawberries are a great low sugar fruit to feed your dog. They’re also full of antioxidants, which is excellent for your dog’s overall health.
Suggested serving size: About half of a large berry
What Fruits Can German Shepherds Not Eat?
The list of fruits that a German Shepherd can eat is quite extensive, but not all fruit is good for them. There are several fruits that you should not feed to your German Shepherd because they can be harmful. Below is a list of fruits should you avoid giving your dog:
- Avocado
The avocado pit and rind contain a toxin, persin, that is harmful to dogs. While the flesh of the avocado has less of the toxin than the skin and pit, it can still be dangerous and shouldn’t be given to your German Shepherd to eat.
- Grapes and Raisins
One of the most toxic foods for a German Shepherd is the grape, and that goes for all forms of grapes like raisins or currants. Scientists still aren’t sure exactly what makes grapes so toxic to dogs, but they can cause acute kidney failure and even death. While a large dog like a German Shepherd most likely won’t get sick from one or two grapes, they really should be avoided entirely.
- Cherries
Cherry pits, stems, and leaves all contain the poison cyanide and are unsafe for German Shepherds. In smaller dogs or puppies, eating a whole cherry can be harmful as the pit could cause a blockage. The flesh of the cherry, however, is fairly safe in small doses. Too many cherries, however, can cause digestive issues.
- Star Fruit
The star fruit is extremely toxic for German Shepherds. The star fruit contains calcium oxalate, which can cause acute kidney failure in dogs. While a bite or two may not harm a larger German Shepherd, it’s not known how much star fruit can be consumed before becoming dangerous to your dog, so it’s best to avoid this fruit altogether.
- Tomatoes
Yes, tomatoes are considered fruits, and while ripe tomatoes may be safe for German Shepherds, it’s best to avoid this fruit as a whole. Green unripe tomatoes, as well as the green stems and vines of all tomatoes, contain solanine, which is toxic to dogs.
Now that you know what fruits are and aren’t safe for your German Shepherd, you can start implementing them into their diet. Watermelon is not only safe for your German Shepherd, but it is incredibly nutritious, offering a whole host of benefits to your dog’s overall health. It is sweet and refreshing and, along with many other fresh fruits, can be an excellent alternative to those store-bought treats.
So, the next time you’re snacking on some delicious watermelon and your German Shepherd is giving you those puppy dog eyes, begging for a taste, you can feel confident in sharing a bite with them. They may just thank you with a quick lick on your hand or a happy wag of their tail.