Can Dogs Eat Bananas? Is Banana Good for Dogs? + Treat Recipe | Pupford
Part of being a good pup parent is knowing how to spoil your dog while still keeping them safe. And many pup parents wonder whether dogs can eat bananas or not!
Note: We’ve got a few more articles like this if you’re wondering about other specific foods. See:
39 Vegetables and Fruits Dogs Can and Can’t Eat
But if you’re focusing on bananas for dogs and all that good stuff, stay right here.
Here are the main topics we’ll be covering today about bananas and dogs:
- Are dogs allowed to eat bananas?
- Health benefits of bananas
- Ways to incorporate bananas into my dog’s diet
- Bonus: DIY banana treat recipe
Let’s start out by answering the question everyone came here for... ⤵️
CAN DOGS & PUPPIES EAT BANANAS?
The short answer: yes, dogs can eat bananas!
If you have a little extra banana from your meal or snack, feel free to share it with your dog. In fact, it can be beneficial to do so.
Or, you can even try out our tasty and popular Banana Chips for dogs here!
Bananas are safe for your dog when they’re fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried. Just be sure that if you’re going the freeze-dried banana chip route, that you select a variety with no added sugar, sweeteners, or other ingredients that may be harmful to dogs.
The only thing you'll want to avoid giving to your dog is banana peels. While they aren't necessarily toxic, they can be extremely difficult for your dog to digest!
🐶 Don't miss out, try our tasty & popular Banana Chip Treats. Shop here! 🍌
HEALTH BENEFITS OF BANANAS
There’s a reason why we’re encouraged to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables: each one is packed with different nutrients. Bananas are no exception -- and remember, it’s important to expose your dog to a variety of vitamins and minerals too!
- Bananas are high in potassium, boasting 358mg per 100g (the average medium banana is about 125g)
- Bananas are a good source of fiber, which can help ease digestive issues
- Bananas are a good source of magnesium, which promotes bone and muscle health
- Bananas also contain iron, biotin, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C, while being low in cholesterol, sodium, and fat
However, this doesn’t mean the more the better. Bananas are high in sugar (12g per 100g) which does give them a wonderfully sweet fruit taste, but can also drive the calorie count high. Make sure you are carefully controlling the portion size you’re giving your dog -- it’s best to use bananas as a special treat rather than a main diet staple.
This leads us right into our next section…
HOW TO INCORPORATE BANANAS INTO YOUR DOG'S DIET
As we mentioned earlier, bananas should be used sparingly as a treat rather than as a main food source for your dog. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find a variety of ways to incorporate bananas into your dog’s diet for an exciting treat, especially as a vegetarian dog treat option. Here are some ideas:
- Fresh -- Don’t underestimate the appeal of fresh fruit. Fresh bananas are easy for your dog to eat, and they’ll really enjoy the sweet taste. To help your dog eat their bananas safely, either cut them into very small pieces or mash them up.
- Frozen -- Stick some banana in the freezer for a cooling treat on a hot day, or just to make the treat last longer. Again, just make sure you serve it to your dog in bite-sized pieces that won’t become a choking hazard.
- Banana chips -- Your dog will love the exciting crunch of a banana chip! It’s best to make banana chips yourself so you can be sure of the ingredients, but if you choose to buy them instead, make sure you do an ingredient check!
- In your dog’s lick mat -- Lick mats are a great way to keep your dog engaged and busy for downtime or for things like grooming. Soft, ripe bananas are perfect for smearing into a lick mat to keep your dog busy. You can read more about lick mats here!
- In a Kong -- The soft texture also makes it great to put inside a Kong. Making your dog work for their treat is a great way to keep them occupied and give them a little mental exercise while they enjoy a treat.
Bananas pair really well with peanut butter (just be sure to avoid Xylitol), Greek Yogurt, blueberries, and other delicious and other healthy ingredients -- which makes them perfect as part of a dog-friendly recipe for special occasions.
🐶 Don't miss out, try our tasty & popular Banana Chip Treats. Shop here! 🍌
BONUS: DIY BANANA TREAT RECIPE
We recently came across this super simple, super easy banana treat recipe, so we just had to share! We found this one on the Damn Delicious blog (thanks to her super cute corgis, Butters and Cartman), but there are a lot of other similar recipes out there -- all of which can be customized to your dog’s taste!
Here’s what Butters and Cartman recommend:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Farenheight
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat
- In a large bowl, mix 3 cups old fashioned oats, 2 mashed ripe bananas, ¼ cup peanut butter, and ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- Combine by hand (flour your surface if it starts to stick) and flatten to ¼-inch thickness
- Separate into treat-size sections (or use a cookie cutter for extra cute factor) and bake for about 10-12 minutes
- Let cool completely before serving
You can practically smell these through the screen! Plus, these healthy and delicious treats are perfectly suitable for humans too, so no judgment if you save a few for yourself!
RECAP OF DOGS EATING BANANAS
To recap, dogs and puppies of all ages can eat bananas! Just be sure to not give too many as bananas are relatively high in sugar.
Does your dog like eating bananas? Do you have any other tried and true banana recipes that your dog loves? Let us know in the comments below!
Also, be sure to check out our related article, 39 Vegetables and Fruits Dogs Can and Can’t Eat, for more on which fruits and vegetables are safe for your dog!
And don't forget to try out our Banana Chips for Dogs here!
🐶 Don't miss out, try our tasty & popular Banana Chip Treats. Shop here! 🍌
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