Sweet and juicy and packed full of vitamins and antioxidants, blueberries are the original superfood. Plus, you can’t beat their versatility. Baked into treats, blended into smoothies, mixed in a fruit salad, or all on their own, blueberries are delicious any time.
Is your dog sitting at your feet begging every time you get yourself a dish of blueberries? Have you ever dropped a blueberry on the floor and wondered if you can just let your dog have it, instead of bending over to pick it up?
Fruits and veggies can be an excellent addition to your dog’s diet. Of course, you want to make sure they’re safe before you start adding them to your best friend’s food dish. So can your favorite canine share your favorite fruit?
Let’s talk about blueberries and why they’re a great snack for you to share with your furry pal.
Are Blueberries Safe For Dogs?
Blueberries aren’t just safe for dogs; they can be an amazing addition to the canine diet. Blueberries are full of antioxidants and phytochemicals. Antioxidants help support brain health and have been shown to fight age-related brain dysfunction in dogs. Blueberries contain vitamin C as well as fiber.
Blueberries also contain phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium. These minerals are vital to skeletal health. The addition of blueberries to your dog’s diet adds a source of these important minerals and helps keep your dog’s bones strong and healthy.
Blueberries are a great substitute for commercial treats. They are low-calorie, and their fiber content makes them filling. Blueberries even make a good treat for diabetic dogs since the fiber helps balance their blood sugar levels.
How To Give Your Dog Blueberries
Adding blueberries to your dog’s diet is easy. You can serve them whole, use them as a training treat, or just a quick snack. You can add them to your dog’s food, either whole or mixed in as a puree. You can even serve them frozen on a hot day.
As with any food, although blueberries are safe and healthful for most dogs, some dogs may have sensitivities. Introduce blueberries slowly, and monitor your dog for GI upset.
Wash and rinse the berries thoroughly to remove any residual pesticides, and throw away any berries that are mushy or moldy.
Once your dog tastes blueberries, they won’t be able to get enough. If you want to get creative with blueberries, there are many wonderful recipes. You can make your dog treats at home using blueberries and other healthy ingredients.
Blueberry Recipes For Dogs
Crunchy Dog Treats With Blueberries, Oats, and Peanut Butter
This recipe from Southern Bytes uses ingredients you may already have in your pantry. These treats are hard and crunchy with a texture just like a traditional dog biscuit.
Blueberries
Oats
Whole Wheat Flour
Eggs
Peanut Butter (No xylitol, it is extremely toxic to dogs)
Ground Cinnamon
Optional: Kosher salt
⅛ -½ cup of water
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F
Add the blueberries to a mixing bowl.
Next, add your oats, and mix them up with the blueberries
Add the flour, eggs, kosher salt, peanut butter, and cinnamon to the bowl.
Mix everything together until everything is combined into a crumbly mixture
Add ⅛ cup of warm water to the dough and mix until it sticks together in a ball, add more if needed. The dough should be the consistency of sugar cookie dough.
On a floured surface, roll the dough to about ½ an inch thick
Cut the dough using cookie cutters or the rim of a glass.
Place the treats on a lined baking sheet
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, or until the treats are hard and crunchy
Allow treats to cool
Offer your dog a sample for being the best dog ever!
Blueberry Banana Dog Treats
These dog cookies from Pook’s Pantry were designed with the fragile teeth of senior dogs in mind. These treats should be soft, like a chewy cookie.
3 cups old-fashioned oats
2 eggs (large)
1 medium banana
¾ cup blueberries
½ cup all-purpose flour
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F
Add oats to a food processor. Run for 2 - 3 minutes, until the oats are almost a flour consistency with a few big pieces left.
Add eggs, banana, blueberries, and flour to the food processor and pulse 10 - 15 times to incorporate the ingredients
Run the processor for 30 - 60 seconds until the dough is one consistency then turn off and remove the bowl.
Scoop with a small cookie scoop or spoon, and drop them on a lined baking pan
Wet fingers and flatten the dough into a circle
Bake for 18 - 20 minutes, rotating halfway through.
Cool
Offer to the sweetest boy or girl in the world!
Frozen Blueberry Treats
These no-bake dog treats from Love From the Oven use only 3 ingredients to create a frozen treat that is just perfect for the summer months.
3/4 cups fresh blueberries
4 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp fresh thyme minced
Directions
Place the coconut oil in a dish, and melt it in the microwave slowly.
Using a syringe or a pourable cup, pour about a teaspoon in a silicone mold or ice cube tray. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
Place the blueberries in a blender, and blend until smooth.
Remove the molds from the freezer and add the blueberries.
Sprinkle minced thyme on top of each treat.
Place them in the freezer for another 1 hour 40 minutes, or until frozen solid.
Store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Offer to the cutest pup on a hot, hot day!
It’s so easy to start adding blueberries to your dog’s diet; get started today so that they can start getting all the benefits these yummy blue morsels have to offer. Don’t be afraid to get experimental in the kitchen and try out new treat recipes for your pup. Remember to consult your veterinarian if you have a dog with any health concerns, like diabetes, to make sure that they feel blueberries are an appropriate food for your dog.