Who doesn’t love watermelon? From Fourth of July picnics to late-night summer cookouts, watermelon is always a crowd pleaser — even when the crowd is mostly tails and paws.
Luckily, watermelon is a perfectly safe (and delicious) treat for your dog, as long as you take a few precautions first. Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to feeding your dog watermelon:
Make sure you remove the seeds first
Just like you wouldn’t eat watermelon seeds yourself, your dog shouldn’t eat them either. Eating watermelon seeds (especially a lot of them) could cause an intestinal blockage in your dog, so make sure you remove them before feeding your favorite fruit to your favorite friend.
Avoid letting your dog chew on the watermelon rinds
Your dog will likely keep chewing on the whole watermelon long after the fruit is gone if you let him. But if your dog chews too much on watermelon rinds, he could get an upset stomach or even try to eat the rind whole, which could cause an intestinal blockage.
Only feed watermelon to your dog in moderation
In general, you should follow the 10% rule when feeding your dog treats or snacks: only around 10% of your dog’s daily caloric intake should come from these foods.
The Health Benefits of Watermelons
As long as you’ve removed the seeds and rind, watermelon has several health benefits for your dogs in moderation. Because watermelon is low in calories, it can be a good treat choice for your dog if you’re trying to manage his or her weight. Additionally, because watermelon is mostly made of water, it’s a great choice to help keep your dog hydrated on hot days.
Full of Vitamin A (good for their eyes), Vitamin B (good for tissue repair) and Vitamin C (good for their skin health and immune function), even a small chunk of watermelon has lots of good packed into it.
Lycopene, an antioxidant found in watermelon, tomatoes and other red fruits has even proven to be potentially effective in protecting against damage from UV light.
Long story short: Fed rindless, seedless and infrequently, watermelon can be a wonderful healthy snack for your dog.
