Can dogs eat bananas?

Our favourite yellow food is chockablock with potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, fibre, biotin, copper and a long list of other vitamins and minerals. Wouldn’t it be great if you could share a slice of your banana with your pup? Well, we’ve got some good news for you…

Can dogs eat bananas?

In short, yes - bananas are good for dogs! Hurrah! “It’s a bit of a double standard, but I won’t eat a spotted (ripe) banana. I will, however, sneak them into the dogs’ bowls along with their meal. Whether you’re making breakfast or banana splits, feel free to add this potassium-packed powerhouse to your pooch’s bowl. Bananas should be ripe, not green; otherwise, your dog will have a difficult time digesting them” says Rick Woodford, author of Feed Your Best Friend Better.

We genuinely believe that bananas are the perfect quick, healthy and tasty treat for dogs. They’ll give your pup a boost of energy (making them great for exercise and training sessions), provide nutrition, a great source of vitamin and best of all - they taste great!

While other fruits or vegetables have parts which are toxic to dogs, the entire banana is safe for dogs. Of course, you shouldn’t feed them the banana peels - but that takes no time at all to remove.

Why are bananas good for dogs?

Okay, so we’ve figured out that it’s safe for dogs to eat bananas, but is banana good for dogs?

Generally, yes. While bananas might not be as nutritious as other fruits, such as apple, they’re easy to prepare and are a good source of vitamins and minerals, which will benefit your pooch. On top of this, they’re low in sodium, cholesterol and fat - so you can’t really go wrong!

Here’s a closer look at some of the benefits of bananas for dogs:

Dietary fibre

It’s essential for dogs to get a fair amount of fibre in their diets - and bananas are a great fibre boost. Simply put, fibre helps those bowel movements run smoothly, easing and preventing dog constipation. So, a dog eating bananas won't lead to constipation. 

Potassium

Your pup’s body simply can’t function well without potassium - and bananas are packed with the stuff! Potassium aids the optimum functioning of enzymes, muscles and nerves - yep, it’s as important as it sounds.

Biotin

Can dogs eat bananas? Yes - and they’ll also give your pup the softest, glossiest coat of their life! Bananas are full of biotin, a vitamin which improves fur, nails and skin.

Copper

There’s no need for copper supplements if your pooch regularly eats bananas! Copper is absolutely essential for a long list of bodily processes, including super important stuff like forming collagen, bone and tissue.

Magnesium

Nobody wants a grumpy, unhappy dog, right? Well, magnesium plays an essential role in your dog’s mood, amongst several other bodily functions. Magnesium gives your dog an energy boost, controls blood pressure and even has a mild calming effect on hyperactive dogs. Win-win!

Side-effects of bananas for dogs

They might be nutritious, but bananas should be given to dogs in moderation. This tasty fruit is quite calorific and could lead to weight gain if fed excessively. Like most fruit, they also contain lots of sugar - another reason they should be fed minimally.

And what about the banana peel? Technically, dogs can eat them - but they probably shouldn’t. Banana peels aren’t exactly easy to digest and could easily lead to tummy pain, not to mention intestinal obstructions. Although your pup might get away with eating a peel, it’s totally not worth the risk - make sure you remove it every time.

How to serve bananas for dogs

When pet owners ask us “can dogs eat bananas?” we always say yes - and altough they are a great healthy snack, the key is, not feeding them too much.

It can be easy to chop up an entire banana and place it in your dog’s bowl - they’ll likely eat the whole fruit in minutes! But it’s definitely not a good idea. Too much banana could cause tummy upset and sickness.

A small dog should only eat 1 or 2 slices of banana a day, while a medium or large dog will probably be okay with half a banana. However, it’s always important to start your pooch off small when introducing new foods - so start your pup off on 1 slice, no matter what their size.

In terms of how to actually serve them to your dog, you could simply peel and slice them up. It’s also fun to freeze them and use them on a hot day, mash them up into your dog’s food, or create your own healthy, homemade treats. Talking of which - check out our favourite…

Peanut butter & bananas brownies for dogs

We just couldn’t write an article about bananas without sharing our favourite banana snack recipe for dogs! We found this recipe in In the Dog Kitchen by Julie Van Rosendaal - make sure you check it out!

These tasty treats are healthy in moderation but still super yummy for your pooch.

You’ll need:

• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (around 2 bananas)

• ½ cup peanut butter

• 2 tbsp canola oil

• 2 tbsp honey

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup wholewheat flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven and coat an 8x8 inch pan with non-stick spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the bananas, peanut butter, oil, honey and eggs. Add the flour, baking powder and peanuts and stir until blended.

3. Spread the mixture into the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is springy to touch.

4. Let them cool in the pan, cut into squares and store in a sealed container in the fridge or freeze.

So, can dogs eat bananas? Yes, and they totally should! No matter how you choose to serve bananas to your dog, we're sure your pup will love them!