Can Dogs Have Pickles? Everything You Need to Know

Anyone who enjoys the salty snack may wonder: Can dogs have pickles? While pickles themselves aren’t necessarily toxic for dogs, they contain tons of sodium and may include ingredients that are harmful to dogs, so pickles generally aren’t a good snack for dogs.

Here’s everything you need to know about these questions and more: Can dogs eat pickles? Can dogs have pickle juice? Can dogs have sweet pickles?

Key Points on Pickles and Dog Health

While cucumbers have numerous benefits for dogs, the process of pickling turns the tasty treat into a dietary gamble for dogs.

Pickles Contain A Lot of Sodium

The biggest problem with pickles is that they contain very high sodium levels. Dogs should already get their recommended daily dose of sodium in their balanced diet, so the excess sodium in pickles can cause problems ranging from increased thirst to stomach upset to heart disease to sodium poisoning.

If a pickle falls off your burger and your dog eats it off the floor, they’ll probably be fine, but if your pup gets into a whole jar of pickles and drinks a lot of the brine, you should contact your veterinarian for advice.

Pickles May Contain Toxic Ingredients

Sweet pickles contain sugar, which isn’t necessarily toxic to dogs, but it is bad for them. Other pickles may include toxic ingredients like onion, nutmeg, or xylitol.

Safer Alternatives Exist

Since there are so many safer foods you can share with your dog, it’s best to pass pickles and give your dog something else, like pieces of cucumber.

Answering the Question: Can Dogs Have Pickles?

While a small bite of pickle now and then is unlikely to harm your dog, the risks of pickles for dogs aren’t worth the potential benefits. Stick with cucumbers, instead, and skip the salt.

Cucumbers vs. Pickles: Which Is Better for Dogs?

The brine used to turn a cucumber into a pickle is extremely salty and may also contain other problematic ingredients for dogs such as sugar, onions, spicy peppers, nutmeg, or xylitol (an artificial sweetener). As a result, cucumbers are a much better snack for dogs than pickles.

The Advantages of Dill for Dogs

By itself, dill is excellent for dogs because it contains beneficial antioxidants. However, you’re better off sprinkling this herb over your dog’s food rather than giving them a salty dill pickle.

Risks Associated With Pickles for Dogs

The biggest risk associated with pickles for dogs is the high sodium content in the brine. It can potentially cause salt poisoning in your dog. The other risk associated with pickles for dogs is that they may include other problematic ingredients beyond the high salt content, such as sugar, onions, nutmeg, spicy peppers, or the toxic artificial sweetener xylitol.

Exploring Pickle Variants and Their Safety for Dogs

While the most common type of pickle used in the United States is pickled cucumber, countries around the world pickle a wide variety of foods. However, since the brine used to make any kind of pickle is extremely high in salt, you shouldn’t share any pickled foods with your pup.

Pickle Alternatives for Dogs

Cucumbers are an excellent snack for dogs before you add too much salt during the pickling process. Rich in moisture and low in calories, cucumbers are one of the best foods to share with your dog if you enjoy giving them “people food” as snacks.

Should Dogs Eat Pickles?

No, dogs should not eat pickles. The high salt content can make dogs sick, as can other ingredients that are sometimes used in the pickle-making process. While a single pickle slice is unlikely to warrant a trip to the vet, you should avoid feeding your dog pickles regularly.

Can Dogs Have Pickle Juice?

No, dogs should not drink pickle juice. It contains a lot of sodium, which could make your dog sick, and may contain other potentially harmful ingredients like sugar, onions, xylitol, or nutmeg.

Are Homemade Pickles Safe for Dogs?

While homemade pickles that don’t contain sugar, xylitol, onions, or nutmeg might be relatively safe for your dog in very small amounts, it’s still best to avoid giving dogs pickles due to the high salt content in the brine used to pickle foods.

Determining the Proper Amount of Pickles for Dogs

If you do want to share an occasional bite of pickle with your dog, less is more. A small bite of pickle every now and then may be fine, but too many pickles can make a dog sick.

Safe Cucumber Portions for Dogs

Cucumbers are a much safer snack for dogs than pickles. Still, remember that treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s diet. With that in mind, small dogs can eat 1-2 cucumber slices per day, medium dogs can eat 4-6 cucumber slices, and large dogs can handle as much as a small handful of cucumber slices.

Immediate Steps if a Dog Ingests Pickles

If your dog eats a single small bite of pickle, they will probably be fine. If your dog eats a large quantity of pickles, you should contact your veterinarian with the information from the pickle jar to determine whether you should bring your pup in for treatment. 

Beyond Pickles: Can Dogs Eat Raw Meat?

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Dogs’ digestive tracts are still nearly identical to wolves’ digestive tracts, and raw dog food is proven to be more digestible than other types of dog food.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can dogs have pickles?

No, dogs should not have pickles due to their high salt content. If your dog sneaks a single pickle that dropped from a burger, they will probably fine, but large quantities of pickles can make dogs sick.

Can dogs eat pickles?

No, dogs should not eat pickles due to their high sodium content and potential to contain other problematic ingredients.

Can dogs have dill pickles?

No, dogs should not have dill pickles because they have a problematically high sodium content.

Can dogs have fried pickles?

No, dogs should not have fried pickles—or any other fried foods, for that matter. Fried foods are high in fat and may trigger pancreatitis in dogs.

Can dogs have pickled beets?

No, dogs should not eat pickled beets because they are very high in sodium, which can make dogs sick.

Can dogs have pickled ginger?

No, dogs should not have pickled ginger since it contains a lot of salt, which is problematic for dogs in high doses.

Can dogs have sweet pickles?

No, dogs should not have sweet pickles. The sugar used in sweet pickles is bad for dogs, as is the salt used to turn cucumbers into pickles.

Can dogs eat fresh cucumbers instead of pickles?

Yes, dogs can eat fresh cucumbers. A few slices of cucumber per day can make an excellent low-calorie snack for your dog.