Can Dogs Eat Pears? Precautions & Guidelines

Yes, your dog can eat pears as they are one of the nutritious fruits for your pooch. Pears are loaded with vitamins and are rich in dietary fiber, which makes your dog stay healthy.

Nutrients in pears will also promote your dog’s digestive health. So, there is nothing harm in feeding pears to dogs.

Pears are packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, lycopene, and antioxidants. They also contain fructose.

But, are these the only reasons for your dog to stay healthy? No! Pears also contain various nutrients that provide a lot of health benefits to your doggy.

Let’s look at how pears can be a healthy treat for your pooch.

Health Benefits of Pears for Dogs

If you feed high-quality food to your dog every day, introducing occasional treats of pear may not give it surprising benefits.

But, pears will still provide benefits to your dog and support its overall health. Pears have the following major nutrients in it.

Antioxidants

Pears contain antioxidants that protect your dog’s cells from deterioration, fight against cancer, and aid in preventing problems that occur due to aging.

Dietary Fiber

It is crucial for good metabolism and digestive health in dogs.  Dietary fiber will also help for your dog’s heart health by lowering the cholesterol levels in it.

Vitamin B6

A fair amount of vitamin B6 is present in pears. Vitamin B6 supports regular brain function in your dog. It actually affects your dog’s mood by controlling the secretion of serotonin.

So, occasional pear treats will certainly increase the absorption of this vitamin into your dog’s body.

Vitamin C

It is yet another essential vitamin for your dog. Canines can produce vitamin C on a daily basis. But, getting an extra dose of this vitamin from pears will help to fight against degenerative diseases, especially in older dogs.

Vitamin K

Pears are an excellent source of vitamin K, which is important for proper blood functioning in your dog. It also provides bone strength to your dog.

Potassium

Pears have potassium in abundance. It promotes regular heart functioning in dogs and supports the nervous system.

This fruit also contains

• Phosphorus, copper, and potassium
• Niacin and pectin
• Folic acid

Nutritional facts of pears

In addition to the above-mentioned health benefits, serving every 100g or 3.5 Ozof pears will have

• 1% vitamin A – It supports your dog’s vision, immune system, bone, muscles, skin, and coat
• 9 mg calcium –This will make your dog’s teeth and bones stronger
• 11% carbohydrate – Helps to produce energy
• 9% copper – It maintains a healthy immune system, shiny coat, and bone development in your dog

So, offer your dog a small nibble of your pear at least occasionally.

Feeding pears to a dog can sometimes bring a few risks. That’s why it is very important to cut and slice the pear into bite-sized chunks so that your dog can chew and eat safely.

Risks of Dogs Eating Pears

Pears can lead to the following health issues in dogs.

Diarrhea

This is true for any fruit or vegetable that contains high levels of sugar and dietary fiber that are just too much for a dog’s digestive system.

That’s why it is always necessary to remember that moderation is the only way to feed your dog with any type of human food.

If your dog has too many pears in a short period of time, the sugar combined with fiber will likely cause an upset stomach and result in diarrhea.

A little bit of both will be just fine, but too much sugar or fiber won’t make your dog’s tummy very happy.

Tooth Decay

All sugary food brings a potential problem for teeth. The same is true for pears. Being high in sugar, more consumption of pears will cause tooth decay in dogs.

But if you feed your dog with pears often, you should make sure you maintain your dog’s dental health and brush his teeth on a regular basis.

Brushing his teeth will lower the chances of your dog to develop tooth decay.

Pears are generally safe for dogs. But, feeding too many pears in one sitting can cause vomiting or diarrhea in dogs due to the high content of fiber and natural sugars in it.

Also, feeding pears on a regular basis can lead to weight gain in dogs due to the additional calories in it. So, moderation is the watchword.

Experts advise you to limit feeding of pears to not more than 10% of your dog’s total food intake. In addition, they suggest that treats such as pear slices should make up less than 10% of your dog’s daily nutrition.

So, instead of feeding your dog a whole pear at once, cut the pear into small slices and feed your dog 1 to 2 slices (3 maximum) as a treat or snack.

No. Dogs shouldn’t eat pear core as it will be hard for your dog to digest it.

Pear cores may also contain seeds that are toxic to dogs due to the cyanide content in it. In addition, a large core can cause intestinal blockage in dogs, which will lead to serious health problems in dogs.

Sometimes, the dog’s body will reject the pear core through vomiting. But, it is advisable to consult the local vet right away if your dog swallowed the core of the pear.

No, dogs shouldn’t be fed with canned pears.

Canned pears normally contain more sugar content and it is not good for your dog’s health. High levels of sugar will lead to irritation in your dog’s digestive tract and end up in mild to severe diarrhea.

So, instead of feeding your dog with canned pears, some fresh pears will bring many benefits to your dog.

Serving pears in the right way will ensure your dog gets exactly what it needs from the fruit. But, before feeding pears to your dog, you need to be precautious about a few things.

Precautions Before Feeding Pear To Your Dog

You will prevent unnecessary health risks that might come if the pear is eaten entirely.

Follow these healthy tips before feeding pears to your loved dogs.

• Wash pears thoroughly and remove all seeds and pear pit before feeding pears to your dogs.
• Before feeding, check whether the pear is ripe by giving pressure at the neck.
• If the pear is too hard, don’t give it to your dog.
• If you really want your dog to be healthy, feed pears with skin.

Preparing Pears for your Dog 

Pears are ok for dogs to eat if you prepare them properly. Below are a few easy tips to prepare pear as a treat for your dog.

• Slice the fruit down the middle.
• Cut one half into two pieces.
• Make sure to cut away any remaining part of the core.
• Cut each piece into 1-inch slices.
• Serve one or two fresh slices to your dog. Small breeds should only have one slice.
• Stretch out the treat by cutting a slice into 1-inch chunks.
• Cut and offer your dog pear pieces occasionally, either as a source of hydration during walks or as a treat once or twice a week.
• Use as a topper on your dog’s next meal!

1. Can I feed my dog pears with seeds?

No. You should always remove the seeds before feeding pears to dogs.

Pear seeds contain the toxin cyanide, which can be 100 percent poisonous to your dog. Also, pear seeds can cause a choking hazard in canines.

2. Can puppies eat pears?

Yes, puppies can eat pears.

But, some puppies may be intolerant of pears initially. So, always feed a little number of pears to your pooch.

If your dog is fine with the fruit, feed it a little more. In case of intolerance, stop feeding pears to your pup.

3. Can dogs eat Asian pears?

Yes, dogs can eat Asian pears. In fact, they are incredibly beneficial for dogs.

But, when feeding your dog pear, you need to control its amount. Excess pear can be harmful to dogs due to their high concentration of sugars.