Can Dogs Eat Cranberries?
Cranberries are a staple food during the holidays and a healthy snack for humans. But are cranberries safe for dogs to eat? The answer is a bit complicated.
Here’s all the info you need on potential dangers and benefits, along with the safest way to feed cranberries to your dog.
Can Dogs Eat Cranberries?
Yes, dogs can eat cranberries—as long as they’re served properly and in moderation.
Are Cranberries Good for Dogs?
When fed properly, cranberries can be a healthy snack for dogs. In fact, cranberries are often found in dog food recipes and dog treats because they’re considered such a nutritious superfood.
Here are some of the vitamins and minerals that make them a superfood treat:
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Vitamin C
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Manganese
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Vitamin E
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Vitamin K
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Vitamin B1
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Vitamin B2
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Copper
Cranberries are high in fiber and antioxidants that help prevent disease and boost the immune system. The tiny seeds inside fresh cranberries are also safe, edible, and nutritious.
Cranberries also contain a chemical compound that can help prevent urinary tract infections, although your dog will probably not be eating enough of them to see this benefit.
Are Cranberries Bad for Dogs?
Cranberries are not toxic or poisonous to dogs. You can feed cranberries to your pup fresh or dried, but they do need to be given in small portions, in moderation, stem-free, and completely plain.
Cranberries could present a choking hazard to smaller breeds. So cut up cranberries into smaller pieces; and for larger dogs, keep an eye on your dog as they eat the treat.
Lastly, ensure you’re actually feeding your dog cranberries and not grapes or raisins. Cranberries look similar to raisins—and are sometimes mixed with other dried fruits like raisins—but dogs cannot eat raisins or grapes because they’re toxic.
How To Safely Feed Your Dog Cranberries
Here’s how to safely prepare cranberries for your dog:
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Wash them: Before serving your dog fresh cranberries, wash them as you would for yourself.
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Cut them up: Even though fresh cranberries are small, it’s best to cut them into halves or quarters when feeding them to small-breed dogs.
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Serve plain: Fresh, plain cranberries are a great treat. No need to dress them up!
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Avoid added sugars and other harmful ingredients: One of the easiest ways to feed dogs cranberries is by using dried cranberries. However, make sure there are no added sugars or other ingredients—or make them at home with your dehydrator.
Once the cranberries are prepped, here are some ways to feed them to your pup:
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As a special treat: You can feed your dog a few fresh, plain, washed cranberries as a treat.
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As a food topper: Cut them up and mix them into your dog’s food like a food topper.
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As a dog-friendly smoothie: Blend some fresh cranberries and other dog-safe fruits like bananas, strawberries, or blueberries into a smoothie. You can even mix in a little plain, sugar-free, xylitol-free yogurt.
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As a frozen treat: Freeze your smoothie mixture in a popsicle tray to make frozen dog treats. Or put some in your dog's KONG® toy to freeze for later.
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As a homemade holiday treat: The holidays are a perfect time to bake a batch of cranberry-studded dog treats, like cranberry and carob biscotti, cranberry and turkey meatballs, or gingerbread icebox cookies.
How Much Cranberry Can Dogs Have?
Any treat for a dog—even the healthy ones—should only make up 10% of their daily diet, while the other 90% should come from a well-balanced dog food diet.
Here are some general guidelines on safe amounts of cranberries to feed your dog, based on their size and breed. And if you’re feeding dried cranberries to your dog, the same portions apply because your dog is still taking in the same number of cranberries—just in a condensed version.
| Dog Size | Serving Size |
|---|---|
| Extra-small dog (2–20 pounds) | 1–2 cranberries |
| Small dog (21–30 pounds) | 2–3 cranberries |
| Medium dog (31–50 pounds) | 5–6 cranberries |
| Large dog (51–90 pounds) | 8–10 cranberries |
| Extra-large dog (91+ pounds) | 10–15 cranberries |
If your dog eats too many cranberries, the acidity will likely give them an upset stomach.
Contact your veterinarian if you notice any of the following symptoms:
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Painful or distended stomach
Can Dogs Eat Dried Cranberries?
And can dogs eat Craisins®? Yes, dogs can eat dried cranberries, including Craisins®.
But while dried cranberries are considered a safe and healthy treat for dogs, there are a few things to watch out for:
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Xylitol: Make sure there are no added sugars, preservatives, or other ingredients like xylitol—which is toxic to dogs.
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Portion sizes: Give them to your dog in small portions in moderation. Because dried cranberries are smaller than fresh cranberries, it’s easy to give too many to your pup, which can upset your dog’s stomach.
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Sugar content: Even if there aren’t added sugars, the sugar content per ounce you give your pup is higher because the cranberries shrink during the drying process. And now they’re a more condensed version of fresh cranberries.
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Harmful mix-ins: Only feed your pup dried cranberries alone, not in a trail mix. There could be ingredients like raisins or chocolate in the trail mix that are toxic to dogs. And certain nuts, like macadamia nuts, can be harmful to dogs or become a choking hazard and potentially cause an intestinal blockage.
Can Dogs Have Cranberry Juice?
Yes, dogs can have a little bit of cranberry juice—as long as the cranberry juice is 100% juice with no sugar added. Serving too much cranberry juice will likely upset their stomach.
Do not give your pup a cranberry juice mix or cranberry juice cocktail. Those will most certainly have lots of sugar, which isn’t good for your dog. They may also contain ingredients that are not safe for your pup.
Can Dogs Have Cranberry Sauce?
No, dogs shouldn’t have cranberry sauce. While cranberry sauce isn’t toxic for dogs, it isn’t the healthiest thing for them to eat.
Cranberry sauce contains quite a bit of sugar. This would be very bad for dogs with diabetes or other sugar-sensitive diseases.
Otherwise, if a healthy dog ate a little bit, they’ll probably be fine. But too much sugar could give your dog an upset stomach and potentially cause diarrhea or vomiting.
Can Dogs Have Cranberry Supplements?
Yes, dogs can have cranberry supplements. There are many dog supplements that contain cranberries to help support dog urinary health, including Nutramax® Crananidin® and Zesty Paws® Urinary Tract Bites Cranberry Bladder Kidney Supplement.
Talk with your vet about which brand they recommend and if they think this is a good idea for your dog, as well as the proper dosage.
Do not, however, give dogs supplements for humans. Dogs have a different body makeup than we do, and there are different vitamins and ingredients—as well as portion sizes—that are safe for them versus what is safe for a human.
