Can Boxer Dogs Eat Apples? 3 Best Reasons to Look at the Nutritional Benefits and Risks

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Can Boxer Dogs Eat Apples?

Can Boxer dogs eat apples? The Answer Yes! Boxer dogs can eat apples.

Humans eat apples as a healthy food because they are full of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants but can they be safely consumed by a Boxer dog as a reward or treat for good behavior?

We will evaluate the risks and benefits of feeding Boxer dogs apples and answer whether they are safe for your Boxer to eat.

Can Boxer Dogs Eat Apples?

The answer is Yes! Apples are a healthy treat for your Boxer to add variety and flavor to their treats and help manage their weight.

As with any new food that is introduced into the diet, feeding your Boxer apples should be done in small quantities initially to help prevent any stomach issues or unwanted consequences like diarrhea and gas.

Another reason it is essential to introduce apples slowly is to ensure that your Boxer does not have a food allergy to apples that can cause itching, scratching, and redness of the skin.

For additional information on Food Allergies in Boxers read our article

So, how prevalent is feeding your dog fruits and or vegetables? In a swnsdigital.com article, Average Pet Owners Say That Their Pet’s Food Is Similar To Their Own, they present the results of a survey of 2000 dog owners conducted by One Poll in conjunction with Ollie.

The One Poll survey reported the following results.

When asked the question what do dog owners want to feed their dogs more? The top 10 results had

• # 3 – Blueberries (36%)
• # 7 – Apples (29%)

In addition, the article reported that

• 70% of pet owners like to mix different flavors
• 62% like to add fresh ingredients

If your dog has allergies to proteins like Chicken or Beef and you would like to give your dog apples try Ollie’s Fresh Pork with Apples recipe.

Can Boxer Dogs Eat Apples – Apple Nutritional Information

According to Usapple.org,

• Apples are the #1 most consumed Fruit in the United States (Globally, China is the #1 consumer of apples)
• 7,000 + varieties grown in the US.

Apple Nutritional Facts

According to The Source, a publication from the Harvard University School of Public Health the nutritional content of the apple is

• 95 calories
• 0 grams of fat
• 1 gram of protein
• 25 grams of carbs
• 19 grams of sugar (which are naturally occurring and not added)
• 3 grams of fiber.

Try the Chicken and Apple Treats from Ollie

Can Boxer Dogs Eat Apples – Benefits of Apples to Your Boxer

Feeding your Boxer dog can provide several important benefits besides adding variety and flavor to your Boxer dog’s diet. the include

• Low in calories
• High in dietary fiber
• Rich in antioxidants

Can Boxer Dogs Eat Apples – Low in Calories

Apples are low in calories, most depending on the size of the apple, under 100 calories. They are flavorful and are available year-round. While there are over 7,000 varieties grown in the US alone, not all of those varieties are available in your local market.

However, most varieties are crisp, and juicy and provide an abundance of flavor. When possible try to buy locally or choose organic options. Many varieties of apples are sprayed with pesticides that can remain in the skin of the apple.

Because Boxers have a tendency to gain weight easily if they eat too much, it is important to offer treats that taste good and they will eat but are also low in calories so your Boxer is not packing on additional weight.

Apples fit the bill as a great-tasting treat that adds variety to your Boxer’s treat options but most importantly is low in calories!

For more information read our articles:

Can Boxer Dogs Eat Apples – High in Dietary Fiber

One of the benefits of choosing fruits and vegetables to include in your Boxers daily diet as well as a treat option is that these foods are naturally high in fiber both insoluble and soluble.

So, what exactly are the differences between the two types of fiber?

• Soluble Fiber – Soluble means that it dissolves when mixed with a liquid. In this case, the water in the GI tract binds with the soluble fiber to form a gel. This gel then helps to slow the digestion of food in the GI tract, which also helps to slow the absorption of nutrients by the body.
  • It is commonly found in many fruits and vegetables with Apples being a good example.
  • One of the main benefits of soluble fiber is that it may help to lower total cholesterol and help reduce heart issues by helping to lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation in the body.
  • Psyllium is a standard fiber often used in many over-the-counter (OTC) fiber Supplements
• Insoluble fiber – Insoluble means that it doesn’t dissolve or break down in the water in the gut. This type of fiber stays intact as it moves through the GI tract and adds bulk to the stool.
  • Insoluble fiber can be found in whole wheat products and most vegetables and a variety of fruits.
  • Apples have an abundance of insoluble fiber, namely cellulose.

For additional information, read our articles

Try Chicken and Apple Bark Treats from Just Food For Dogs

Can Boxer Dogs Eat Apples – Rich in Antioxidants

What are antioxidants? According to a journal article Antioxidants In-Depth, National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health (NCCI),

• “Antioxidants are man-made or natural substances that may prevent or delay some types of cell damage. Diets high in vegetables and fruits, which are good sources of antioxidants, have been found to be healthy” Source: Antioxidants In-Depth, National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health (NCCI),

Antioxidants are believed to help reduce cellular damage in the body which can lead to disease. Examples of antioxidants include

• Vitamin C, which is found in Apples
• Anthocyanin
• Quercetin
• Catechin
• Chlorogenic Acid

For the bottom 4, refer to the table above for their function and which part of the apple they can be found in.

Can Boxer Dogs Eat Apples – We Tested Our Boxer Dogs

We ran a small test to determine if our Boxer dogs would eat apples. We have two adopted rescue Boxers

• Duke – 9.5-year-old male Boxer, who has been part of our family for 8 years.
• Katie – 7-year-old female, Puppy Mill Survivor who we adopted in July 2022.

We conducted a small test using 3 varieties of apples, that had the skin, core, and seeds removed and were cut into small bite-size pieces to see which ones if any they would eat. The three varieties tested included

• Gala
• Honeycrisp
• Fuji

The results are listed in the table below

Key Learnings

• Duke has always been a finicky eater, always smelling something before he eats it. Therefore, it wasn’t surprising that he was reluctant to try the apples. He did, however, like the Honeycrisp apples, probably because of the sweetness compared to the other two varieties.
• Katie, as a Puppy Mill Survivor, who rarely got the chance to eat, is now a voracious eater and will eat most things presented to her. Therefore, as expected Katie was willing to eat all three varieties of apples.
• This small study demonstrates that feeding apples to your Boxer will be based on their personal preferences. It may be beneficial to try several varieties of apples to find the one(s) they like in order to get them to eat apples.

Try NULO FREESTYLE JERKY STRIPS DOG TREATS – CHICKEN WITH APPLES from Only Natural Pet

Can Boxer Dogs Eat Apples – Potential Risks

As with most things in life, there are benefits but then there are often risks associated with it. In the case of feeding your Boxer dog apples, there are potential risks that include

1. Pesticide Residue – Apples are often sprayed with pesticides to reduce the damage to the crop from insect infestations. While this helps develop nice-looking apples, pesticide residue can be retained on the skin. These pesticides can be harmful to dogs. Therefore it is essential to wash the apples thoroughly before feeding them to your Boxer.
   • We recommend peeling the apple before feeding it to your Boxer to reduce the risk of pesticides.
2. Core and Seeds – the core and seeds of an apple contain small traces of cyanide, a poison. It is very important to remove the core and seeds from the apple before you feed them to your Boxer to prevent illness.

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Can Boxer Dogs Eat Apples? – Summary

Can Boxer dogs eat apples? The answer is absolutely yes!

Apples provide a number of benefits to your Boxer

• They add flavor and variety to their diet
• Low in calories to help with weight management
• Contain lots of fiber which is suitable for their digestive system
• Contain antioxidants that are good for their immune system and potentially their heart health

It is essential to peel, core, and de-seed the apples prior to feeding them to your Boxer to prevent illness from pesticides and small traces of cyanide.

We fed our Boxers apples and they enjoyed them. Feed your Boxer apples as a healthy, tasty alternative to their usual treats.