Can Dogs Eat Sunflower Seeds? – Is That Good for Dog Health?

There is no denying the fact that dogs love to explore new things with their mouth. They want a taste of everything and even ends up eating it. In fact, my Labrador once ate his leash! I never thought it that possible!

What I’m saying is that dogs really don’t know what’s good for them and what’s not. So, it is your duty as the owner to know what you should and shouldn’t feed your furry companion. In this blog post, I’ll answer the question many dog owners have: Can dogs eat sunflower seeds. Let’s get right to it!

Can Dogs Eat Sunflower Seeds?

The Seed Talk: All or None?

Dogs can enjoy seeds like us humans. But, there’s a catch. Not all seeds are fit to be consumed by our doggy friends! Fruit seeds like watermelon or melon seeds are fine for dogs. But, fruit pits are an entirely different story! Pits are different than seeds and can even be a choking hazard for your doggy friend.

So, I’d advise you steer clear of pits of fruit like avocado, cherry, peach, etc. Now that we have a general idea about pits and seeds, I’ll answer your question: Can dogs eat sunflower seeds?

Also Read: Best Dog Food for Pitbulls – Check Out This Guide

Dogs and Sunflowers: Can Dogs Eat Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds make an excellent snack for humans. And they’re healthy, too! Guess what? Your dog can eat sunflower seeds, but, there are a few precautions that you need to keep in mind before feeding fluffy some of those seeds! Let’s take a look at the precautions:

Fair enough, right? So, this simply means that you can feed your doggy friend your favorite snack if its shell-free, unflavored and unsalted.

How Much Sunflower Seed is Too Much?

Excess of everything is bad. Even sunflower seeds! Has your vet told you how many calories your dog should eat in a day? If not, ask them! Or use an online calculator for help. Out of the number of calories, your doggy should eat in a day, only 10% should come from treats and we include the yummy sunflower seeds as treats. Sunflower seeds have 6 calories per gram.

Let’s assume that our dog eats 600 kcals per day, and that we’ll only be feeding the dog sunflower seeds as a treat. This means that the doggy can have 60 grams of sunflower seeds throughout the day as a treat! But, there’s a catch. Sunflower seeds are really high in fat content. Make sure you feed them to your throughout the day rather than as a meal. After all, we don’t want your doggy friend to get fat! Moving on…

Also Read: Best Dog Food for Small Breeds – to Make Them Healthier

The Health Benefits of Sunflower Seeds!

Wondering if sunflower seeds provide health benefits to your doggy friend? Let’s talk about that now! Here’s the thing: sunflower seeds help to improve your fluffy friend’s skin and coat thanks to fat content as well as the other nutrients the seeds contain. Take that with a grain of salt. I’d like to state that even though sunflower seeds are really not the healthiest for your doggy, they aren’t inherently bad or toxic either.

Sunflower seeds are also really high in nutrients like vitamin E, monounsaturated fats, iron, minerals, etc. and they are also free from any saturated fats. Did you know that an ounce of sunflower seeds can help your dog meet his daily quota of vitamin E? Although, your dog can simply get that in his feed if you buy some high-quality dog food.

Should I Feed My Dog Sunflower Seeds?

We all know that some common human food (like tomatoes!) can be toxic for our doggy friends. So, it is always wise to look something up like “Can dogs eat seaweed?” before feeding it to your doggy friend! Today I answered your question: Can dogs eat sunflower seeds? The answer is yes. But, there are two conditions that you need to meet:

Keep in mind that you should give salt to your dog in moderation as excessive consumption salt can even cause sodium iron poisoning! Did you like this blog? Let me know in the comments section! Got any questions? Comment them below and I’ll help you out… Wondering What does dog food taste like? Check this article out!