Benefits of Wild Blueberries for Dogs
The start of summer means more fruits and vegetables are in season. When browsing the blueberry section, choose wild blueberries for your dog’s food stuffed toy (and your daily smoothie). Here are the benefits of wild blueberries for dogs, and why they should eat wild blueberries several times a week.
Wild Blueberries vs. Blueberries
Wild blueberries are considered a superfood because they are jam-packed with antioxidants. While that sounds amazing, it’s important to note that wild blueberries have double the power of their larger cultivated cousins that are found in grocery stores. You can think of the difference between cultivated blueberries and wild blueberries as the difference between farm-raised salmon and wild salmon. In addition, wild blueberries are smaller than cultivated blueberries, and are called “lowbush berries” because they grew naturally while regular blueberries were planted.
Wild blueberries are found in the frozen fruit section of most natural food stores and have a deep plum color and a rich, sweet taste compared to their cultivated cousins. Plus, these little jewels have been proven to improve memory, prevent certain forms of cancers and prevent heart disease. Once you taste the richness of wild blueberries, it’s impossible to eat cultivated blueberries again.
How to Feed Your Dog Wild Blueberries
Dogs absolutely love wild blueberries; they are a sweet treat that can be easily stuffed into food toys, pulped into your dog’s daily vegetable mix or simply enjoyed eaten from your hand. Given the health benefits of wild blueberries for dogs, it’s best to feed them to your dog daily, if possible. One thing about wild blueberries is their deep color, which can stain light-colored fabrics and carpet, so it’s best to offer wild blueberry foods inside your dog’s crate or food bowl or on sealed tile flooring.
Large dogs can easily enjoy a cup of wild blueberries per day while small dogs should eat a half cup. When in doubt, ask your veterinarian the specific amount of wild blueberries your dog can eat, depending on his weight.
Wild Blueberry Food Stuffed Toy Recipe
- Drop a half cup of wild blueberries inside the toy.
- Drizzle raw, locally sourced honey on top of berries.
Adjust the amount based on the size of your dog’s food stuffed toy. For a cool treat, freeze the toy with berries and honey overnight.