Did you know that dogs and people food don’t really mix well?
Feeding your pooch normal ‘human’ food could actually prove to be toxic for your little doggy friend!
It’s important to keep a check on which ingredients can hurt your dog and the ones that are safe. Olives are a staple in certain households, especially if you’re Italian, and olives have several health benefits — for humans!
But can dogs eat olives without any major worries?
If you’re wondering that, you should read on to find the answer…
The Olive Theory: Black, Green, and Canned Olives
Let’s talk about olives for a second, shall we…?
You may be wondering why in the world do you need to know more about olives, well, I’ll explain, but a little later…
Olives are actually fruits from an evergreen tree that grows in the Mediterranean region, and they come in two varieties — Green and Black — but, in order to preserve them, they are canned up.
Can Your Dog Eat Green Olives?
The answer to that is maybe.
You must be wondering why I’m being so vague; I’ll tell you.
Green olives aren’t fully ripe, but dogs can eat green olives if they are fresh from the tree. Your dog can also eat canned green olives but in moderation. I’ll elaborate on that, but a little later in the article…
You’ll have to be a little patient…
Can Your Dog Eat Black Olives?
The answer to this, too, is a solid maybe.
You must be wondering what I’m saying is maybe, an explanation is coming soon, I promise, okay?
Black olives are actually fully ripe, and your dog can eat them fresh from the tree! And can also eat the canned one, but in moderation…
Now let’s talk about the moderation business, shall we?
Read more: Can Dogs Eat Tuna
What About Olive Oil!?
No, I’m not talking about Olive Oil from the popular cartoon show ‘Popeye’!
I’m talking about the olive oil you love to add to your salads…
Anyhow, let’s talk about fluffy and olive oil. Yes, your dog can have olive oil! But dogs don’t really need olive oil in their diet, they’re getting all the nutrition they need from the dog feed you give them!
So My Dog Can Eat Olives, But What’s This Moderation Thing All About??
The answer to that, my friend, in just one simple word, is sodium.
Wait, what!? What does an element in the periodic table have to do with my dog!?
Well, it could actually kill your dog.
Now that I’ve got your attention, let’s talk about sodium and your little furry bundle of joy. Sodium Chloride is the scientific name for kitchen salt. And guess what the liquid in that can of olives (used to preserve the fruit) contains?
Salt!
Dogs can’t eat as much salt as humans can, and they can get salt poisoning. The canned olives are actually manufactured, keeping humans in mind, and contain more salt than your dog can handle.
So, if you’re going to feed your dog canned olives, don’t give that cute little thing more than 2-3 olives now and then! But fresh olives are better for your dog in general, but don’t give your dog a bowl of olives!
Do Olives Have Any Health Benefits For Dogs?
Why yes, they do!
Now that you know that your dog can have olives in moderation, it’s time we discuss the benefits of feeding your furry friend some olives!
Ready?
1. Your Dog Will Become Less Fat
Do people make fat jokes about your dog? Not anymore!
Okay, jokes aside, let’s put our ‘smart caps’ on and talk science.
You must have heard that olives are amazing for people who want to lose weight, well it goes for both man and dog! So, now, both you and your dog can lose weight! Maybe this year, you’d stick to your new year’s resolution…
I’m kidding, I’m kidding.
So olives are actually rich in monosaturated fats that help your body break down fat cells, which means shedding those extra pounds that your doggy might be carrying!
2. Your Dog Will Get Younger (What!?)
Made you look!
Now that I have your attention let me tell you all about how olive oil can help your dog stay youthful!
Olive oil has many antioxidants which help prevent the oxidation of free radical cells in the body. These free radical cells can drastically speed up the aging process!
3. Improved Circulation!
Olive oil helps improve blood and oxygen circulation in your pooch’s body.
Now you must be wondering what this means…well, what am I here for!?
An increase in blood flow helps in cell growth and organ function, which improves the overall health of your doggy friend and keeps him healthy and active!
Increased blood flow also helps lower your dog’s resting heart rate, which basically means that your dog’s heart will become more efficient at pumping blood!
4. Your Dog Will Shine As Bright As The Sun
Made you look again!
So you may know that olive is amazing for your skin and hair, and guess what!? It works wonders with your dog as well!
Olives can help your dog get a soft and shiny coat!
So, you can skip buying expensive shampoo! Also, olives help in keeping your dog’s skin hydrated! So, guess what?
Lesser shedding!
5. Your Dog Will Become Sherlock
What!?
Yes, I did refer to Benefit Cucumber Benedict Cumberbatch’s hit series!
Now, I can’t promise that your dog would become sherlock, but if you feed your dog olives, they’ll surely help improve brain functions.
Although I can’t guarantee your dog would become the Mentalist or Sherlock.
6. It’s Healthy For Your Dog
Olives are healthy in general.
From lowering your dog’s risk of developing cardiovascular diseases to improving immunity, olives do it all!
Olives are amazing for both you and your dog!
I’ve been talking so much about olives that now, I’m craving olives.
Anyhow, you should keep a few things in mind before you go to the store to buy olives…
Olives have all these amazing benefits…
Err….There’s A But….
You must be wondering, now what!?
Well, I want to talk about some considerations you need to consider before feeding your furry friend some olives…
1. Start Slow!
Start with giving your dog a piece (or two!) of olives before you introduce them in the diet. Your dog can react negatively to olives, so make sure if your dog even likes them!
2. Always check for ingredients in stuffed olives
Olives are one of the ‘human’ foods that your dog can eat, but make sure they aren’t mixed with other poisonous or toxic foods!
I’ll talk about things that you should never feed little fluffy there, but more on that a little later…
3. Always give them olives pit-free!
Remove the pits from olives before you feed it to your dog!
Why?
Well, there are two reasons:
a.Your dog can choke on the pit
b.It can break your dog’s teeth!
Now, you may love toothless from ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ but I really don’t think you’d want your dog to hurt! Also, the dentist’s fee!
Things in Stuffed Olives That Can Hurt Your Doggy Friend!
Okay, so here’s a list of things you shouldn’t let your dog eat, and also make sure they aren’t in the list of ingredients we discussed earlier…
Let’s get into it!
Currants
Currants are a species of toxic grapes for your dog. However, currants derived from berries that are usually found in the UK are okay for your dog to eat.
My tip? When you don’t know about the type of currants you have, don’t feed them to your dog. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Garlic
Garlic may be a staple in the exotic recipe that you came across, but it is toxic to your dog because it can damage their red blood cells!
A small amount of garlic won’t cause any symptoms, but it can still damage your little pooch’s red blood cells.
Moldy Foods
So…. did those stuffed olives get a bit moldy after you forgot to refrigerate them?
Feeding them to your doggy isn’t a good idea, then!
Moldy foods may contain something called tremorgenic mycotoxins, which is a cause of seizures and tremors that can last for several days! However, a small amount of mold can cause some stomach discomfort.
Onions
So, the first time I had stuffed olives, they had onion in them as well… that isn’t a problem for us humans, but for fluffy wagging his tail over there, they are harmful!
Onions are toxic to your doggy because they can damage red blood cells, just like garlic.
If your dog eats a lot of onion, apart from really bad breath, he can also become anemic!
So, What Do I Take Away From This!?
All in all, be it green or black, your dog can eat olives if they’re fresh. Your dog’s main problem lies with the sodium content found in canned olives, which can actually result in salt poisoning!
The solution you should keep in mind is that: Moderation is key
As for olive oil, it’s perfectly fine for your dog, but your four-legged friend doesn’t really need olive oil in his diet…
Still have unanswered questions? Please feel free to reach out by visiting our Contact page, and I will be happy to get back to you.
