Yogurt can actually be quite a healthy thing for your dog. It has calcium which is good for their teeth and their bones too.
There is also lots of protein in yogurt, which is considered to be good for the growth of healthy cells in your canine’s body. Apart from that, it is also good for their digestion in general and keeps their fur healthy.
But that’s not the whole story.
Dogs and Yogurt: Is It Okay?
If these are the benefits you want for your furry little friend, you should get plain Greek yogurt or any other kind of plain yogurt. Some dog parents like to get probiotic too because it is good for their dog’s gut health.
That’s applicable to dogs of all breeds that could use a little help with their digestion process. But with a product like a yogurt, which is dairy, there are a few ifs and buts.
Here are the specific details you need to know.
But There Are Some Exceptions
You don’t want to give your dog anything that contains any amount of xylitol. This is a sugar that occurs naturally and is added to a lot of commercial yogurt products.
No Xylitol Please
Xylitol is fine when humans consume it but it is actually toxic for dogs. So, you definitely want to check the label on the yogurt you are buying for your dog.
And if your dog has accidentally consumed anything that contains xylitol, you have no choice but to rush them to the vet right away.
In this context, it is perhaps helpful to mention that there has been an increase in xylitol poisoning among dogs, according to the FDA. they say sugar-free ice cream is the main reason behind this rise.
Also Read: Can Dogs Eat Frozen Yogurt?
Lactose Intolerance
This is not uncommon in dogs which means they do not have the ability to digest dairy. If your dog is one of those, you don’t want to give them yogurt.
It will lead to digestive distress and that is a problem because a lot of dogs already have a sensitive digestive system. If you don’t know whether your dog has lactose intolerance, you might not find out unless there is an incident.
If you want to avoid this scenario, you can give them very little yogurt and see how their stomach reacts to it.
No Artificial Sweeteners Ever
Xylitol is just one part of the problem. There are plenty of other artificial sweeteners like saccharine, stevia, sucralose and aspartame, which are all bad for your dog’s health.
The good news here is that they are not toxic like xylitol, but they are very capable of causing stomach upset at a mild level and it’s your job to avoid that.
Plenty of commercially available yogurts also have a lot of sugar and that’s not good for dogs either. You want to make sure that there is no sugar in their diet in general.
You can try getting plain yogurt but if you want to get something that doesn’t have sweeteners and has low sugar levels, you can give plain Greek yogurt a shot.
But before you do that, you should talk to your vet and make sure that you are on solid ground with this experiment.
Also Read: Can Dogs Have Sunflower Oil?
How Does Strawberry Yogurt Fare?
Generally speaking, strawberry yogurt can be a safe snack for your dog. But you should make sure that the favor is natural and it doesn’t have any of the toxic or dangerous ingredients mentioned above.
So, if you are looking specifically for strawberry yogurt, you should see that it’s all-natural and doesn’t cause any harm to your healthy canine.
You also need to make sure that there are no artificial sweeteners or added sugar. You can verify this by checking the label.
If your dog is prone to diabetes, you are making a really bad choice here.
After that, you must make sure that you don’t give too much of this just because it is now on the list of acceptable snacks.
Some of them have ingredients that can be “fatty” for the dog. And if your dog breed is prone to obesity, that’s another terrible choice you are making for your little furry friend.
Now, in case you have regular human yogurt lying around and your dog has licked a little bit of it, they might just be okay. This is acceptable as long as it is just about a spoon of yogurt.
But if it is your decision to get some strawberry yogurt that is safe for your dog and feed them some, you should keep the portion really small.
Also make sure that you give them yogurt only a 3-4 times a week.
Any Other Alternatives?
If you are unsure about strawberry yogurt being safe for your dog, here’s what you can try.
Mix some of it with regular plain yogurt and give very little bit of it to your canine. You must carefully monitor their response for the next day or so to make sure they aren’t feeling the effects of the toxicity.
Strawberries are a good health choice in general because they have lots of antioxidants and vitamin C too. If you’re looking to make a tasty treat, you can blend the yogurt and give it to your dog.
Greek yogurt is repeatedly recommended because it is a good asset to have in the fight against yeast infections. So, this is a good topping for their regular dog food too.
Also Read: Can Dogs Drink Yakult?
Parting Thoughts
Strawberry yogurt is not a bad snack to give your dog. Make sure the flavor is completely natural and it is a good choice because strawberry is a healthy fruit.
You should also make sure it doesn’t have xylitol, which is toxic. Also ensure that there are no artificial sweeteners or added sugar because that can cause stomach upset.
If your dog is lactose intolerant, then give them probiotics meant for dogs instead of yogurt for the same health benefits.
Most people like to keep it down to 1-3 spoons at a time.