Introduction
You may think I am just weird or maybe you are like me, but my dog is truly my best friend. I share everything with her: my secrets, my daily walks and, you guessed it, my food of course.
Olive oil is a staple in my diet. I drown my salads in it basically because of all the health benefits but can dogs have olive oil too? The answer is YES! It’s just good for my pooch as it if for me.
When Is Olive Oil Bad For Dogs?
Before I launch head first into the reasons why olive oil for dogs is good, let’s examine the flipside first.
External Use
While I use olive oil regularly as a hair treatment, it isn’t recommended for dogs in the same way. The reason is that olive oil applied directly to your dog’s coat may encourage him/her to lick that area continuously.
Unlike other shampoo for dogs, olive oil can not be used for the same purpose.
This can cause skin irritation or make dry or cracked skin even worse. Besides, it’s just plain messy.
Sensitive Stomachs
If your dog has a sensitive stomach or is sick with a tummy ailment, letting dogs eat olive oil is not good as it may irritate his/her gastrointestinal tract. This can cause vomiting and a runny tummy.
Take note of how your dog behaves after including olive oil in his/her meals. If he/she has a bad reaction it’s best to not give it to them again. (Besides, that’s even messier!)
Too Much Of A Good Thing
Everything in moderation as everyone knows, right? Too much oil olive could cause your pooch to pick up weight as it has a considerable fat and calorie content. If your pooch is prone to pancreatitis, too much could cause that to flare up as well.
Why Is Olive Oil Good For Dogs?
Now for the good news: Instead of wondering if dogs can have oil olive, let’s look at why dogs should have olive oil.
Healthy Coat
Adding olive oil to your canine’s diet will improve the health of their coats. I noticed that after introducing olive oil into her diet that my dog’s coat was shinier and full of luster after a month.
Healthy Skin
If your pooch has a dry and flaky skin especially during winter, the antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E in olive oil will help improve this within a few days. Your dog’s skin is moisturized from the inside out.
Olive oil has a good effect on dogs that have dry and flaky skin, especialy during winter.
Free radical cell oxidation which causes premature aging is also prevented. This will also improve your best friend’s longevity. Blood flow is improved as olive oil helps with circulation and increases energy levels too.
Brain Food
Rich in antioxidants, olive oil may protect your dog against cognitive decline. Various studies have indicated that a type of polyphenol in olive oil is responsible for the risk of Alzheimer’s and even dementia being lessened.
For intelligent breeds of dogs like golden retrievers, German Sheppards, and Border Collies as well as those that are older, olive oil will definitely improve their overall brain health.
Immune Booster
The carotenoids, Vitamin E, chlorophyll, and polyphenols in olive oil boost the immune system which helps your canine fight off infections particularly during seasonal changes. In addition, oleic acid, squalene, and terpenoids help decrease the risk of cancer.
Easy Breathing
Olive oil reduces the effects of asthma in humans and may help certain breeds of dogs like bulldogs and pugs breathe easier.
The Multiple Benefits Monounsaturated Fats
- Let's check this big plus of olive oil (video).
- The risk of diabetes, as well as heart and cardiovascular disease, is reduced.
- In the correct dosage, olive oil can help with weight loss as it breaks down fats in the body.
How To Give To Your Dog Olive Oil?
Now that we have reviewed why olive oil is actually great for dogs too, let’s explore how you should go about giving it to your pooch.
How Much Olive Oil Can I Give My Dog?
- A daily dosage of one teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil is recommended for small dog’s weighing 20 pounds.
- For each 20 pounds upwards, an additional teaspoon can be added.
- For larger dogs around 90 pounds, a tablespoon each day will suffice.
- Olive oil need not be added every day. You can choose to administer it to your pooch every second day.
- You can add half of the olive oil to the first meal of the day and the other half to the second.
Serving Suggestions
- Simply add the oil olive (as specified above) into your dog’s kibble or wet food. Most dogs simply love the taste of olive oil!
- Add a little turmeric and cinnamon and it will even make stale kibble instantly more palatable for your pooch!
- Certain brands like Merrick Classic Grain-Free Canned Dog Food.
