Are dates safe for dogs to eat?

Around the holidays, there are a lot of things that pop up on charcuterie boards and in recipes. From dates and nuts to meats and cheeses, we may have extras left over after a gathering. And if you have a dog (or dogs), then we all know that one or two of those extras may end up being given as a treat to our pups.

Considering how often we snag a bag of dried dates to snack on in general, it makes sense that we would want to know whether or not this was something our pups could snack on with us. And since there are certain fruits that our dogs can’t have, we always want to check before we give some of these goodies to our dogs.

So the big question we have is whether or not our dogs can safely snack on some dried dates.

Can dogs eat dates?

While we know that dogs should not be eating grapes or raisins, what about dates? Are these safe for our pups to nibble on, at least once in a while?

According to the American Kennel Club,

"While dates aren’t highly toxic for dogs like grapes, that doesn’t mean dates should be a go-to treat…Dogs are omnivores, and while they don’t need to eat dates or other fruits, adding measured quantities as part of a balanced diet can have some benefits. But it’s all about ensuring the fruits in question are safe for dogs, preparing them correctly, and feeding them in moderation."

Basically what this means is that while we can give a date to our dogs once in a while, it is definitely something that we want to be mindful of. While this is a dried fruit that is safe for our dogs to eat, it is all about moderation.

Knowing that dates are actually a dog safe treat, we won’t feel so bad if one falls off the charcuterie board and our pup snags it as a holiday snack tax.

What do you say fellow dog lovers? Are you surprised that this is a dried fruit that can be given to our dogs? Did you know this already? We want to know.