Sweet and succulent peaches and nectarines are a staple of the summer and thinking about all that juicy goodness almost has me drooling! If your pooch has watched you tucking into one of these scrumptious fruits, they’ve probably been just as dribbly and given you their best puppy eyes, begging for a bite.
Luckily, you should be perfectly safe to offer your best friend a nibble. Read on to find out if dogs can eat peaches, and what’s good and bad about these delicious fruits.
Can dogs eat peaches?
Yes, dogs can eat peaches. Peaches are perfectly safe to offer your pup and don’t contain anything that is particularly bad for them. Because of their sweet taste and juicy flesh, dogs tend to really enjoy peaches as a special, healthy snack.
There are a few caveats though, almost all to do with the fruit’s stone, so you need to make sure you remove the pit from your peach before offering a bit to your pooch.
You also shouldn’t feed your pup a whole peach because the excess sugar and fibre in it will probably upset your dog’s stomach, and they might end up vomiting or having diarrhoea. But in moderation, peaches are perfectly safe and healthy for your fur baby to eat as a treat.
Can dogs eat peach skin?
Yes, dogs can eat peach skin. It’s perfectly safe for your pooch to eat peach skin, but if you give them a big piece and they are a gulper, it might get a bit stuck in their throat. Remember to cut the peach into pieces, including the skin, to prevent choking and coughing.
Can dogs eat tinned peaches?
Technically, yes, dogs can eat tinned peaches because they are non-toxic. (Provided there are no harmful additional ingredients.)
However, it is advised that dogs shouldn’t eat canned peaches because they are much higher in sugar, citric acid, and might contain other preservatives or additives.
Firstly, dogs tend not to like the taste of citric acid and in rare cases, too much can actually impact their health. (But they have to eat a lot of it for it to cause a problem.)
The biggest reason why dogs can’t eat tinned peaches is because of the sugar content. Dogs need far less sugar in their diet than humans, and eating too much can lead your pooch to develop many of the same problems humans face from excessive sugar consumption, such as diabetes and obesity.
A medium peach is around 150g and will usually contain about 11g of sugar. This is still more than your pooch should eat at once, and one reason you shouldn’t give your dog a whole peach. However, tinned peaches usually have 11g of sugar per 100g, so there’s significantly more sugar in there than fresh fruit.
Can dogs eat peaches in syrup?
Surprisingly, tinned peaches have around the same amount of sugar content regardless of whether they are in juice or light syrup. But, the brand and syrup used will impact this and it’s safe to assume glucose syrup usually means those peaches have even more sugar in and are less healthy for your dog.
So no, you shouldn’t feed your dog peaches in syrup. They should be safe for a healthy dog to eat and are non-toxic, so don’t worry if they eat a slice that’s been accidentally dropped on the floor. It is just that tinned peaches in syrup are not as good for your furry friend compared to fresh peaches.
Plus, depending on the brand, tinned peaches may contain additives and preservatives that could be unhealthy or even harmful for your pup so you need to carefully check the label or steer clear altogether.
Can dogs eat nectarines?
Yes, dogs can eat nectarines. Although they are sold as different fruits, peaches and nectarines are actually the same species. Nectarines are essentially just a peach without fuzzy skin. If you want to know the sciencey reason, it is because nectarines inherit a recessive gene that means their fruit stays smooth and doesn’t grow the downy, hairy skin like a regular peach.
Since the two fruits are essentially the same, it means your dog can eat both nectarines or peaches. The same rules apply to feeding your dog nectarines as with peaches, so make sure you remove the stone and cut the fruit up into chunks before offering any to Fido.
Are peaches good for dogs?
Peaches do have some essential nutrients in them, but not huge amounts. They do have a good dose of vitamin A and fibre though.
Vitamin A is an essential part of a dog’s diet and is needed for the proper growth and function of many different tissues including their skin, muscles, nerves, bones, and even their fur. Because it’s important for growth and cell division, it also makes this nutrient vital for maintaining healthy organs. Vitamin A is super for healthy eyes and vision.
Vitamin A is also a powerful antioxidant, helping to combat free radicals and prevent damage to cells caused by oxidation. It’s thought that vitamin A and other antioxidants are also helpful in preventing cancer in both humans and dogs.
A word of caution though. Vitamin A is fat-soluble, meaning it is stored in the body inside their fat and liver. Because it is stored in the body rather than excreted, it is possible to build up too much of the vitamin and overdose, causing vitamin A toxicity in dogs.
The best way to avoid this problem, and many others such as weight gain, is simply to exercise moderation. If your dog is already eating a complete, healthy food that provides all the nutrition they need they shouldn’t need any supplements, so healthy snacks like peaches should be kept just as a treat.
Another reason why peaches are good for dogs is that they contain a good dose of fibre. As you probably know, fibre helps to keep you regular and make sure your gut is healthy, and it’s the same for dogs. Types of fibre found in plants also help to feed the good bacteria that live in your dog’s digestive system. (They’re known as prebiotics.)
Otherwise, peaches are just mostly water, so they are more on the neutral to the good side of potential treats for your furry friend. And at the very least, they could help to hydrate your pooch.
Are peaches bad for dogs?
No, peaches aren’t bad for dogs as long as they’re fed in moderation. Peaches are mostly made from water, so there is little inside them that is considered bad for dogs. In fact, a peach is typically around 89% water, 10% carbs, and 1% protein. There is negligible fat, no sodium, and it is considered a fairly low-sugar fruit. Nectarines have an almost identical composition, so they too are not too bad for dogs either.
That being said, overeating peaches can cause your pooch to develop a pup-set tummy. Basically, any kind of fruit or vegetable has the potential to cause vomiting or diarrhoea if your dog eats too much of them because they are full of fibre, sugars, and acid which can upset a dog’s stomach in excess. Just like most things in the world of nutrition, balance and moderation is the key to keeping your pooch happy and healthy.
The only real problem with peaches is their stone. The peach pit, or stone, contains amygdalin. Amygdalin is a naturally occurring compound but it is turned into toxic cyanide when digested. A single peach pit shouldn’t contain enough amygdalin or cyanide to kill your dog, but it might make them ill. It’s also better to just avoid the risk altogether.
Perhaps the more immediate problem is that the hard stone could damage your dog’s teeth, and it’s rough, spiky texture can irritate your dog’s throat and stomach if swallowed. Plus, the stone is a potential choking hazard.
If you happen to have a peach tree, make sure your pup doesn’t eat any leaves or fallen fruit as they could ingest a lot of amygdalin and become poisoned. Plus, the fallen fruit can start to ferment, becoming alcoholic and intoxicating your pooch. Peach trees are from the “prunus” family, which also includes cherries, apricots, and plums and all parts of these trees are considered poisonous plants for dogs.
How many peaches can dogs eat?
Well, you definitely shouldn’t feed your dog a whole peach. But a slice or two should be fine. Because peaches are safe to eat, there isn’t any risk of toxicity unless your dog eats the stones.
The best rule to follow is the 10% rule. That means 10% of your dog’s calories for the day can come from treats, including peaches, but 90% of their calories need to come from healthy, balanced meals.
The main reason peaches should be fed in moderation in this way is to ensure your pup doesn’t get an upset tummy from eating too many, and to make sure they aren’t ingesting too much sugar.
Recap: Are dogs allowed peaches?
Yes, dogs can eat peaches and they are perfectly safe to offer your pooch as a sweet and tasty treat. Your dog can also eat nectarines because these fruits are the same species as peaches. Just remember to keep it in moderation to prevent pup-setting their stomach and never let your pooch eat the stone found inside either nectarines or peaches.
Keep peaches as a really special treat, don't feed them as part of your dog's main meal as they're really sugary.
Instead, feed a complete and balanced dinner like Pure, which is nutritious, natural and wholesome, giving your dog total nourishment with every bite. It's also super delicious too, ensuring clean bowels and waggy tails. Keep the peaches for the days where they've been super well-behaved.
