Hi All

My dogs have recently developed a taste for eating blackberries, off the bush, with noregard for brambles etc. They are very particular about only choosing the black one and leave the red ones all alone.

Is this just an innocent passion for blackberries, or is this a result of some nutritional deficiency that I should be concerned about?

They are fed on a 'complete' dry diet.

Regards

Caroline xxx

Hi Caroline,
My dals all do the same - in fact I haven't found many fruit they don't like (they're not that impressed with limes and lemons, but oranges are lovely!) They pick any fresh fruit I grow in the garden - currants, strawberries, raspberries, apples and pears! I wouldn't worry - even if it was a dietary deficiency, what better way to correct it?
:)

Mine are the same - haven't noticed any problems - although Tara does insist on eating the rotten apples when she could eat the perfect windfalls :D Cherry tomatoes are her favourites tho' :)

Daisy

Paddy used to eat them but I 'try' and stop him now, a couple of weeks ago we were walking through the woods, when he stopped to eat some off the brambles, but to my horror there on the branch next to him was a rat doing exactly the same thing knowing all the diseases rats leave behind we try to avoid areas now with blackberry bushes!!

Mine clear the field of all blackberries and rose hips, have watched wolves doing just the same. Mine would clear the wind falls too if given a chance.

Be careful with windfalls, apples ferment and a large amount can cause at best wind and even drunkeness, at worst excessive gas and bloat!

Another problem with windfalls is the risk of the dog being stung in the mouth or throat by drunk wasps.

Yep! that is why I said 'given a chance'.

Fortunately, Tara does tend to bring them and eat them by the back door so I can see what she's got :) We do try to pick up any windfalls each day, but now we have picked all the apples so there won't be any more :) She is back to 'finding' lost bones now :D

Daisy

Hi,

We feed our dogs BARF and we go out every year blackberry picking and freeze them, purely to feed to the dogs because it is good for them. Blackberries are nice and sweet, thats probably why yours enjoy them, it's nice for them to have a bit of veriety in their diet. :)

manda
x

My two have thoroughly enjoyed the blackberry season. I did manage to keep some back for us humans. The dogs didn't get a look in when we had our blackberry and apple crumble and custard :) :) :)
Lorna