A common question most ask, especially as summer is fast approaching. With the hot summer weather, who wouldn’t want to enjoy a cold watermelon treat under the sun, right? And the same is true for your dogs. However, the fact does not change that there are some human foods that your dog can’t handle. And that is what we are here to help you out with.
So, Can French Bulldogs eat watermelon? yes, it is entirely safe for your French bulldogs to eat watermelon. Watermelon can be nutritious for all kinds of dogs in controlled amounts. After all, too much of anything is never good. Just make sure that you remove the seeds and the rind when giving your dogs this treat as they cause harmful effects such as digestive problems and the like.
Other than that, you really have nothing to worry about!
To give you more information regarding this matter, here are some things that you need to know before giving your canine partners this delicious treat.
How Good Is Watermelon For French bulldogs?
Watermelons are considered healthy foods even for humans. They are low in calories and are packed with a lot of nutrients such as Vitamins A, B6, C, and Potassium. Plus, they are quite tasty and thirst-quenching as well.
Aside from that, according to the Animal Kernel Club (AKC) and the National Watermelon Promotion Board, this fruit only contains about 50 calories a cup and is made of about 92% water making them such a great source of hydration during a hot day. It also does not contain fat or cholesterol, making them such healthy treats even for your Frenchie.
Although watermelons contain sugar, you do not have to worry as the fruit’s fiber composition insulates the sugar and slowly releases it into your pet’s bloodstream.
However, you do have to keep in mind that watermelons should not become a part of your dog’s main diet. They should be treated more as snacks or treats as this fruit does not contain all the nutritional needs that your dogs need. We will be discussing this more in the latter part of the article.
Is watermelon 100% safe for French bulldog consumption?
Watermelon flesh is safe for dog consumption; however, there are some parts of the watermelon that you shouldn’t let your furry partners eat. We are talking about the watermelon’s seeds and rind.
This is because if your dog had swallowed watermelon seeds, this could cause intestinal blockage. And mind you, this is not some fancy word for stomach ache or anything of the like. Once your French bulldogs are subjected to these, they will experience a lot of pain and may even be required to undergo an operation or surgery.
A seed or two may not cause a lot of health-related problems for your larger dogs; however, for smaller ones such as your French Bulldogs, it will not take a lot of seeds to cause a blockage. So be extremely careful and make sure that all the seeds are taken care of before you hand over the watermelon treats to your pooch.
Besides that, you should also keep in mind and make sure not to feed your canine partners the watermelon’s rind — also known as the fruit’s outer skin. This is because doing so will result in gastrointestinal problems for your dogs which can cause diarrhea or vomiting.
How much watermelon should your French bulldog be eating?
As previously mentioned, even if watermelons are relatively good for your pups and dogs, watermelons should never be considered as their main diet. This is because your dogs need a lot more nutrients to stay healthy, and watermelons won’t be able to provide for all of it. And as such, watermelons should be considered as a healthy treat instead.
This being said, just how much watermelon should you allow your dogs to consume?
According to Preventive Vet, when giving your dog treats, it should not be more than 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake. From this and the size of your dog, you should tell ideally how much you should be feeding them.
Given that French bulldogs weigh averaging around 25lbs, they should have a daily food intake of about 25 to 30 calories/lbs. Considering the 10% recommendation of Preventive Vet, you should not be exceeding 75 calories worth of treats. Since there are around 30 calories in 100 grams of watermelon, this will give you a limit of approximately 250 grams worth of watermelon on a daily basis.
Go beyond that, and it should have some slight harmful effects on your dogs. If you want your dogs to stay healthy constantly, then make sure that you limit the amount of watermelon or treats you give them daily to this amount.
Watermelon treats ideas for your French bulldog.
There are a lot of different ways in which you can present your watermelon treats to your dogs. All you need to do is tap out on your creative side, and you will see that the possibilities are endless. Doing this will be more fun for your dogs and be more fun for you. However, what exactly are the different things you can do with your watermelons?
Well, to help you get things started, here are some things you should consider trying for your Frenchie’s watermelon treat.
Frozen Watermelon
One of the easiest and most fun ways of serving watermelons which both you and your canine partners can enjoy, is having it served frozen. To do this, all you need is your watermelon and water. The first thing you need to do is to cut the watermelon in half and remove all of the seeds it has, if there are any.
Remember, your dogs will not enjoy having these seeds mixed up on their watermelon treat, and you will not like it as well. Once you have removed the seeds, blend two cups of watermelon flesh with a cup of water. And once adequately combined, you can place them in ice cubes (or any mold you would want) and wait for them to harden before serving.
Jerky-like Watermelon
Another way you can serve watermelons for your dogs is by turning them into a chewy treat. Doing this will result in your watermelons becoming less hydrating, but they will still be fun and tasty for your dogs. All you need to do is have your watermelons sliced and place them inside a dehydrator.
Of course, before doing so, make sure that all the seeds are already taken care of accordingly. If you do not have a dehydrator, you can use your oven for this project. Simply set the temperature to 135 degrees and wait for your watermelons to dry out. It will take roughly around 8 hours to do this same task using your ovens.
Watermelon Yogurt
Lastly, you can mix your watermelon with some yogurt before you serve it to your dogs. All you need to do for this is to blend all the following ingredients: watermelon flesh, ice cubes, and yogurt. Ensure that the yogurt you choose is non-fat or low-fat to make sure that it is not full of additives or sugar.
Once blended, you should have your very own watermelon yogurt treat. Just make sure not to give your dogs too much as too many of this treat can upset your dog’s stomach.
Conclusion
Watermelon will always be a welcome treat for anyone. Most especially on a hot day, nothing can be more refreshing than a slice of watermelon to enjoy. Whether you are going to the beach or a picnic during summer, these fruits will always be staples. And even better, now that you know that they are safe for animal consumption, your dogs can now enjoy them with you.
So, can French bulldogs eat watermelon? Well, they definitely can. Just make sure to remember all the things that you need to before giving your dogs these tasty treats, and you should do fine. As long as you do so, there is nothing you have to worry about at all. Your furry partners will surely be able to stay safe and away from any harm.
Also, make sure that your dogs do not have any existing allergies and the like when it comes to watermelons. You can confirm this by visiting a vet and asking for their honest opinion regarding this matter. They may even advise you regarding some other things that we have failed to mention in this article. After all, we all want the same thing — the best for your dogs and puppies.
If you are looking for other dog treat ideas you can share with your lovable pups, you can check out this article about the Best Treats you can get for your French Bulldogs. These are great tips and ideas about what other kinds of treats your dogs will definitely enjoy.
