Dogs are pretty omnivorous- this means that they eat practically anything. Raw and cooked meat, fruits, vegetables… you’ll know from all the times you’ve slipped your Rottweiler some scraps from the dinner table when they’ve looked up at you with those huge, brown eyes.
But just because a dog can eat things doesn’t mean it should. So, what about bananas?
Great news! If you have a Rottweiler who is bananas about bananas, you’re giving them a delicious treat and something that’s good for them, too. The only thing to remember is that all fruit should be given in moderation, and bananas should certainly be given to your Rottweiler as an occasional treat.
Are Bananas Good for Dogs?
Bananas are healthy for practically all animals. They’re enjoyed worldwide, not just by primates but by dogs, horses, goats, squirrels, and even birds.
They’re a fruit packed with fiber, vitamin B6, Vitamin C, potassium, and more. All these are used by the body in some way, aiding digestion or keeping our bones strong.
Bananas are easy for dogs to metabolize. This means that when you give bananas to your Rottweiler, they convert the fruit’s natural sugars into energy.
It means they come in handy when your Rottweiler’s doing plenty of exercises, for example, if you’re both on a long walk together. Sharing a banana will give you both an energy boost.
Rottweilers are prone to heart conditions, including SAS, or subaortic stenosis, when the aorta, or the artery that carries blood away from the heart, becomes too narrow. Bananas improve blood circulation and keep blood pressure at the right level, so they help keep your Rottweiler heart healthy.
Everything in Moderation
Their natural sweetness means that bananas are a welcome treat, especially to dogs, but even though the sugar they contain is natural instead of processed sugar, they’re still too sweet to be given to dogs too often.
Bananas can be given in small amounts once or twice a week to your dog, but if your Rottweiler has a particular love for them, they can be used in small chunks as a training treat for your Rottie needs to get the hang of a particular trick!
Can Rottweilers be Allergic to Bananas?
Any mammal can be allergic to practically any food at any time. There’s no hard and fast rule that some animals are allergic to bananas, but others aren’t. It’s all down to the individual animal.
Therefore, it may very well be the case that your Rottweiler is allergic to bananas. It’s unlikely because bananas are not a known irritant in the way peanuts or kiwi are. Still, it’s been known.
If you offer a few pieces of banana to your Rottweiler, they’ll likely gobble them down with gusto because they have no idea about allergies, and they simply love the banana’s flavor!
Too much banana is not only bad because of the sugar content but because it can cause constipation.
They contain fiber, so it sounds a little like a contradiction, but it’s all about moderation. A little bit can help move their bowels, but too much can be counterproductive.
It’s always better to serve ripe, yellow bananas as these are softer and much easier to digest. Hard, green bananas that are not yet ripe will cause gas, and no Rottie owner wants to encourage that in their dog.
If you notice that your Rottie shows signs of an allergic reaction soon after eating a banana, then be sure to contact your vet immediately.
Such signs include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Swelling of the face or throat
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Vomiting
Whether it’s banana or any other food, if your Rottweiler shows this kind of reaction to anything they eat, take the food away from them immediately and get them to the vet.
What Part of the Banana Can a Rottweiler Eat?
There’s no part of a banana that’s going to be a problem if your Rottweiler eats it. Some dogs are very picky about their foods, and others will inhale anything put in front of them.
But, let’s face it, the banana peel is not much appetizing. So, will your Rottweiler snuffle it out and eat it? Very possibly. Will it do them any harm? Probably not.
But Rottweilers do have sensitive stomachs. And the beauty of bananas is that the flesh is very easy for them to digest.
The peel is not so easy, and you may find your Rottweiler struggles to digest it, causing bloating, gas, and discomfort.
So, peel it before you give it to your pup, and throw the peel onto the compost heap or your organic material trash can.
Remember that it’s only good to serve your Rottweiler fresh bananas, not dried ones. Unless you’ve dried the fruit yourself in a freeze drier and can vouch for no added sugar, of course.
Dried fruits bought commercially are usually preserved with huge amounts of sugar or honey, which will wipe out all the good that may have been contained in the banana. So, fresh only.
How to Feed Your Rottweiler Banana
Bananas don’t need cooking, and it’s not as though they need an explanation of how to be served. Your Rottweiler doesn’t care for a Michelin-star meal’s fancy presentation!
Simply sitting on the couch and enjoying a banana yourself may result in you breaking off a chunk or two for your Rottie.
After all, they’ll be sitting with you as they always are, looking deep into your eyes, salivating as they watch you munch.
But even if you’re not enjoying a banana yourself, there are ways to serve them to your Rottweiler.
These include:
- Putting some banana slices on top of their food. Your Rottweiler won’t care that its ground beef now has a little banana flavor. It’s all delicious to them.
- Take a fresh banana with you on a walk. Once you remove it from your pocket, your best friend will be trotting at your side, excitedly waiting for you to unpeel it.
- Get a puzzle toy, such as a Kong, and fill it with low-fat yogurt and fruit. Put it in the freezer, and then bring it out again on a hot day. It will keep your Rottweiler cool and entertain them and stimulate that busy brain for a while as they try and lick up every morsel.
- Make dog-friendly treats like these here, and include some fresh, chopped-up bananas in the recipe. Your Rottweiler will go crazy for them, and it’s a great way to keep their treats preserved for a longer time than storing fresh fruit in your pockets.
Natural Treats are Always Better than Commercial Ones
We’re all tempted now and then to give our Rottweilers store-bought treats, but they will always be better off with natural ones, where you know every ingredient that has gone into them.
So, next time you’re at the store, get a couple of bananas and try them out with your Rottweiler.
Remember to feed them to your pet in moderation, and you may find that you’ve hit on a great little treat that’s good for them, too.
