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Can Dogs Eat Butternut Squash? Is Butternut Squash Bad For Dogs?

Can Dogs Eat Butternut Squash? Is Butternut Squash Bad For Dogs?

Winter is coming. Before you know it, your nana is roasting butternut squash like there’s no tomorrow, and you’re the one who has to eat it.

So you might be tempted to throw a few pieces down on the floor for your dog to chime in on the party.

Being the responsible person that you are, you may think feeding your dog butternut squash has to be a bit too much, right? 

Well, maybe. 

Keep reading and find out.

Can Dogs Eat Butternut Squash?

Believe it or not, your dog CAN enjoy butternut squash. I know, shocking. Butternut squash can even help with some potential stomach issues. Although many consider it a vegetable, butternut squash is a fruit. 

As we all know, fruits shouldn’t be a part of your dog’s regular diet for various reasons. 

Suppose you decide to give your dog butternut squash. There are a few things to think about which we’ll cover next. 

Benefits Of Butternut Squash

Before we start spitting facts about your grandpa’s favorite winter snack, we’re going to look at a calorie chart. 

One cup (205 grams) of cooked butternut squash provides:

Calories82
Carbs22 grams
Protein2 grams
Fiber7 grams
Vitamin A457% of the RDI*
Vitamin C52% of the RDI
Vitamin E13% of the RDI
Thiamine (B1)10% of the RDI
Niacin (B3)10% of the RDI
Pyridoxine (B6)13% of the RDI
Folate (B9)10% of the RDI
Magnesium15% of the RDI
Potassium17% of the RDI
Manganese18% of the RDI
*RDI – Reference daily intake

The first thing that sticks out is Vitamin A. There’s enough vitamin A in cooked butternut squash for a small town in Wisconsin. 

Vitamin A Is So Beneficial That I Feel Like Making A List So You Can Tell Your Friends All About It:

  • It protects the eyes from night blindness. This is true both for us and our dogs. 
  • It’s great for the skin. Although our dogs don’t suffer from acne as we do, they still require some skin maintenance. 
  • It makes our dog’s coat look nice and soft. Next time you pet your little furry friend, know it’s vitamin A keeping him so fluffy.
  • It strengthens the bones. 
  • Immune system’s wet dream. It promotes white cell production. This means you get sick less often and can recover more quickly. 

Another great source of vitamin A is kale. But can your dog eat kale? Click to find out!

Vitamin C also stands out:

  • It’s getting colder. You might be thinking your dog needs to pop vitamin C pills like Dr.House pops Vicodin, but you’d be wrong.
  • Dogs produce vitamin C on their own. So unless your dog is suffering from vitamin C deficiency, this is not something you should concern yourself with. 

Butternut squash has a good amount of potassiummagnesium, and manganese. They play a big role in bone health and keep our dogs’ hearts functioning properly. 

Finally, since it’s rich in fiber and low in fat, butternut squash can help your dog with constipation and losing weight as well. 

To clarify the losing weight part; Yes, it can play a role in losing weight but only as an occasional treat. We’ll cover the reasons why further in this article. 

Just make sure you’re not stuffing your dog with squash the entire winter, or your pup might have some rough time. 

Do you know what’s great for losing weight? Zucchini – see if your dog can eat it here.

Dh Can Dogs Eat Butternut Squash

How To Prepare Butternut Squash For Your Dog

There is a reason so many cooks like butternut squash. It provides so many great options and rarely gets boring. Hell, you can make a butternut squash soup, and it’ll taste like heaven. My personal favorite has to be roasted whole butternut squash. My dog’s personal favorite is cooked butternut squash, and that’s what we would recommend as well. 

Other options would include roasting or steaming the squash. You can also make a purée if you’re into spoiling your dog that much. See if he/she likes it. If your dog doesn’t enjoy the taste, I recommend you mix some meat and butternut squash.

Dogs might be omnivorous, but they definitely prefer meat in every meal. It would be best if you abstained from adding anything extra, like sugar or salt. 

  • Sugar is never good for dogs. Squash is a fruit, and it contains carbohydrates that are more than enough on its own. Sugar in its purest form can cause diabetes, weight gain, metabolic conditions, and can even destroy your pup’s teeth. I think it’s safe to say nobody wants that. 
  • As for salt, they already get plenty of it in their regular diet. Dogs need salt just like us, but not to the same extent. Unless your dog is suffering from sodium deficiency, a salt shaker should stay on your table. 

What we don’t recommend you do is give your dog raw butternut squash. The skin might contain pesticides, so be sure to peel it. Also, remove any seeds and make them edible for an average human.

By cooking butternut squash for your dog, you’ll avoid any potential stomach issues, like bad digestion, bloating, or constipation. If you’re giving squash to your dog for the first time, make sure to monitor their behavior and stool. If you see anything unusual, stop feeding it squash. 

Its diet is already complete, and you might be causing an excess of some sort. 

Conclusion

Don’t worry; your butternut squash supplies we’ll not go to waste. 

Your tail-wagger won’t say no to this delicious treat, especially if you mix it up with meat. Just remember, no added sugar or salt.

Make sure to prepare the squash before giving it to your dog. Either by cooking it, steaming it, or roasting it. 

Raw butternut squash or any squash can hurt your pup in the long run. 

Although we gave it a thumbs up, feeding your dog squash on a daily basis is not recommended. 

And watch how the pup behaves after having it. Every dog is different. What might be great for your neighbor’s german shepherd may hurt your poodle. 

Dogs should primarily eat meat, and the rest should be an occasional treat.

Learn More: What Can Dogs Eat? A Comprehensive List Of Dog-safe Foods