Can Dogs Eat Olives? Explained with Reasons + Facts

If you are a person who likes olives in pizza, salads, sandwiches or any other appetizers, you might be wondering whether you can give olives to your dog to eat or not. Olive is quite popular as a healthy source of nutrition and for a great taste too. But the question is, can dogs eat olives? Is olive safe for dogs to eat? Let’s find out.

Before jumping to the conclusion, let’s have a quick look at the pros and cons of eating olives.

You can click here to jump to the conclusion directly.

About Olives

Olives grow as small fruits on olive trees.

Olives are soft and fleshed fruits, making them a regular ingredient when preparing various kinds of salads, sandwiches, pizza, and other fast food items. Generally, all leaves are green when they are immature and they become black when they are given. Some olives remain green even when they fully ripen.

It is also used to produce olive oil that is the most used cooking oil in the world. If we are looking from the nutritional aspect, Olive serves with calories, what, fiber, fat, protein and carbohydrates.

The fat and protein contents serve as the main healthy elements of olives. Other than this, Olives also contain calcium, copper, iron and Vitamin E. Olives can be found as organic varieties, and also the processed varieties. The process varieties come as pickled or canned or stuffed olives.

Can Dogs Eat Olives?

Yes, Dogs can eat olives, but in a moderate amount and without the pits. As we have already seen, Olives are full of healthy nutrients. But when a dog is already having a complete balanced diet, olives are not necessary because the dog is already getting the required nutritional elements from the existing diet. In that case, the excessive fat and protein contents from the olives are unnecessary and feeding your dog with olives is just adding extra calories to the existing diet of your dog.

Remember, Moderation is the key here. There is nothing wrong if you give your dog one or two olives now and then. But it should not be considered as a regular part of the diet.

Are Olives Bad for Dogs?

There are some risks associated with olives when it is given to our dog friends. As we have already covered the health benefits of Olives, now we must discuss some of the negative sides as well.

First of all, the pits of olives can be very harmful to dogs if they happen to accidentally swallow it. Swallowing the pit may lead to hazardous situations like choking, obstruction or blocking the airways of your dog. In that case, you must take your to the veterinarian as soon as possible.

Other than that, some variants of olives are highly processed such as pickled olives or canned olives.

The canned olives are generally loaded with brine or saltwater which means excess salt contents. But, excess salt is very harmful to our dogs. The extra sodium from the salt may result in the dehydration of your dog. When your dog consumes saltwater accidentally, the excess salt/Sodium can also hamper the healthy fluid balance of your dogs. Reportedly, Saltwater is so dangerous for dogs that it may even lead to the mortality of your dog. So, salted olives as well as other food items that are high in the salt level must be avoided in any case.

As for the pickled olives, they may contain garlic and other savory ingredients with pungent tastes that may be enjoyable for us humans but very harmful for our dogs. So canned olives, pickled olives and stuffed olives are never recommended for your dogs.

Are Olives Good for Dogs?

In a moderate amount, it can be beneficial for dogs from the nutritional aspect.

If you go for Organic olives that do not contain any added salt or Ginger or any other savory ingredient and remove the pit, then It is safe to feed your dog a few olives now and then.

Conclusion: Can Dogs Eat Olives?

In a moderate amount, Yes. Dogs can eat olives without the pits. There is no harm in giving them a few olives now and the but with their pits removed properly. Because, the pits may cause many troubles like choking, obstruction or blocking the airways. Also, you must ensure that the olives do not contain any added salt or brine (saltwater). The olives must not be in any pickled form or stuffed with Gralics or other herbs that are potentially harmful to dogs.

If you truly want to share some olives with your dog, your best bet would be going for pure organic olives without any additives or stuffings in them. But you must not make olive a regular part of their diet. Otherwise, a few olives now and then are okay for dogs.

See More: Can Dogs Eat butter? The Definitive Answer: Explained

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