Blueberries for Dogs

Blueberries are small, but increasingly sought after in the dog world. These dark blue berries are considered a little nutrient powerhouse and are therefore turning up in more and more treats and feeding recipes. What makes blueberries as a raw material, and why they can be interesting for your dog, is what you'll learn here.

What is the blueberry?

The blueberry is the fruit of the blueberry bush, a low-growing plant from the heather family. Its small, round berries stand out for their deep blue to purple colour, which comes from a high content of so-called anthocyanins, natural plant pigments.

For use in dog food, blueberries are usually freshly pureed, dried or freeze-dried and worked into treats or recipes in small amounts. Compared with many other fruits, they contain relatively little sugar, which makes them particularly practical as a small snack.

Why blueberries for dogs?

Alongside vitamin C, blueberries also contain fibre and the previously mentioned anthocyanins, which count among the secondary plant compounds. These constituents are considered natural antioxidants and are often associated in nutrition with protecting body cells from oxidative stress.

Because blueberries contain comparatively little fruit sugar, they're well suited as a small, healthy snack in between, without weighing heavily on the calorie balance. Even so, the rule applies: blueberries too should only make up a small part of the daily food ration.

Blueberry in canine nutrition

In canine nutrition, blueberries usually appear as a small but nutrient-rich component in treats or as a topping for the main food. They don't replace a complete meal, but supplement the menu with vitamins and secondary plant compounds. Dried blueberries are also frequently found in snack mixes, because they store and dose well.

Some dog owners even lightly freeze fresh blueberries and offer them as a cooling snack in summer. That way, the berry remains a flexible small building block that can be offered fresh, dried or as an ingredient in treats, depending on the dog's preference.

Precisely because blueberries are so small, the quantity in the bowl can be dosed well and adjusted individually to the dog in question. You'll find more on berries and other raw materials in the dog bowl in our raw materials lexicon.