Can Dogs Eat Blackberries?
In moderation. Fresh, washed blackberries are safe in small amounts: they are low in calories and provide fiber and antioxidants. Like raspberries, they contain traces of natural xylitol and too many cause diarrhea.
What it gives your dog
Blackberries have about 43 kcal per 100 g, about 5 g of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and anthocyanins, the dark pigments that give them their color. They are soft, small and easy to eat, and they have no pit or dangerous seeds, only tiny seeds that pass through with no trouble.
Like raspberries, which belong to the same family, they contain traces of natural xylitol. With a few blackberries the amount is irrelevant, but together with the fiber it is one more reason to count them out rather than give them by the handful, especially to small dogs. If a dog eats a lot, diarrhea is the usual result. Wild blackberries picked from brambles along trails in late summer can carry dust, herbicide residue or other animals' urine, and the brambles have thorns that get stuck in muzzles and paw pads. Mulberries, the fruit of the mulberry tree, look similar: ripe ones are safe, but the unripe fruit and the leaves have a latex that can upset a dog's stomach.
How to serve it
- Fresh and well washed, whole or cut in half
- Frozen, as a cool treat in summer
- Mashed over their food or on a lick mat
- Wild ones only from places far from roads and sprayed fields
- Never as jam, in pies or in sweetened yogurts
How much can they eat?
Small dog (under 10 kg / 22 lb): 2-4 blackberries. Medium dog (10-25 kg / 22-55 lb): 5-6. Large dog (over 25 kg / 55 lb): 8-10. Occasionally, not every day, and within the 10 % of calories for extras.
Risks
- Diarrhea if they eat many
- Unwashed wild blackberries: dirt, herbicides, parasites
- Bramble thorns in the muzzle or paw pads
- Unripe mulberries and mulberry leaves: irritating latex
- Jams and products with sugar or added xylitol
Frequently asked questions
Do blackberries have xylitol? Are they dangerous?
They contain traces of natural xylitol, like other fruits and vegetables, but in very small amounts. At treat-sized portions, a few blackberries, there is no risk of low blood sugar, although because of that and their fiber we treat them like raspberries: in moderation. The dangerous xylitol is the kind added to gum, candy, "sugar-free" jams and some diet products: always check the label if you give your dog anything processed with blackberries.
Can my dog eat wild blackberries on a walk?
A few will not hurt them, but it is not ideal. Brambles along trails may be sprayed with herbicides, grow next to roads or be in spots where other animals urinate, and their thorns stick easily. If you like to share them, pick them yourself in a clean spot, wash them at home and give them in counted amounts.
Can dogs eat mulberries?
Ripe mulberries, black or white, are also safe in small amounts. Keep your dog away from the unripe fruit and the leaves, because they have a latex that can irritate the stomach. In summer, mulberry trees drop huge amounts of fruit: if your dog eats a lot, diarrhea is the usual result, so pick them up or limit time under the tree.
General information reviewed against veterinary sources. If your dog has eaten something that worries you, call your vet or a 24-hour emergency vet right away, without waiting for symptoms.