It's the same with dogs as it is with people, not everyone tolerates food in the same way. Dogs can usually tolerate melons to a certain extent, but ripe watermelons should be preferred due to their lower sugar content.
Is melon good for dogs?
Melons, especially ripe watermelons, are tolerated by dogs in small quantities and can serve as a refreshing thirst quencher. They contain important nutrients such as magnesium, vitamins A, C, potassium and beta-carotene. Peel melons before feeding and test their tolerance first.
Test small quantities first
If your dog has never eaten melons before, you should first test feeding them with a very small amount. It could well be that dogs get diarrhea from eating melons. Nevertheless, if tolerated, melons with their high water content can not only be a mid-summer thirst quencher for dogs, but can also contribute to the animal's he alth with the following nutrients:
- Magnesium
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Potassium
- Beta-carotene
Always feed melon in pieces
Melons are also fed to various animal species in animal parks as a change on the menu and as a thirst quencher. However, when buying melons, you should make sure to either only feed the dog the melon by hand or to remove the rind before feeding the melon. Watermelons are often treated with special substances that could be harmful to the dog's he alth to ensure a better shelf life during transport.
Tips & Tricks
Mash some seedless watermelon and pour the mixture into an ice cube tray. This gives you a refreshing and inexpensive thirst quencher that you can also share with your four-legged friend as dog-friendly ice cream. But not all dogs like (ice) cold food and some do not tolerate it well. Therefore, test carefully whether your dog gets the homemade melon ice cream or whether you prefer to give him the melon at room temperature.
