Some fruits can be great refreshing snacks for dogs, but can huskies eat watermelon, and is it even safe for them to eat?
Watermelon is an excellent treat for huskies, but it needs to be prepared properly. It’s packed with vitamins and minerals and is great for hydrating your husky, particularly in hot weather.
In this guide, I’ll explain how to prepare watermelon for huskies so it’s safe to eat, as well as what benefits it has and why you should offer it to your husky.
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Why Huskies Can Eat Watermelon
Huskies can eat watermelon because it is natural and contains mostly water with vitamins and minerals.
It doesn’t contain anything that is toxic to huskies, apart from a small amount of cyanide in the seeds, which is why they should be removed before offering it as a treat.
Do Huskies Like Watermelon?
I’ve found that most huskies like watermelon, but it does depend on how picky of an eater your husky is.
There are a few ways to prepare watermelon, which I’ll share later in this guide, that can encourage them to eat it, so don’t worry if this is the case!
Nutritional Benefits Of Watermelon For Huskies
Here’s a quick breakdown of the nutritional value of watermelon per 100g (USDA Source) to give you a better idea of what it offers for your husky:
- 91.4g water (over 90% water!)
- 30 Calories
- 0.61g Protein
- 7.55g Carbs (6.2g sugar)
- Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Zinc, Copper
- Several vitamins like vitamin C, B-6, etc
- 0.15g Fat
When we look at nutrition for huskies, protein is one of the most important nutrients to look out for, and watermelon is clearly lacking.
It also lacks any real carbohydrates outside of sugars and has virtually no fat. The real benefit of watermelon is in the micronutrient content and for hydration, as it is mainly water.
Watermelon also contains hardly any calories, meaning you can feed your husky a large amount (but not excessive) without taking up much of their total daily calorie intake.
How To Feed Your Husky Watermelon – 3 Easy Ways
Check out my three different ways of preparing watermelon for huskies and some tips for doing it safely.
Remove The Rind And Seeds First
Before you feed your husky watermelon, it’s important to prepare it right.
Get rid of the green and white rind, as these can cause digestion issues and are potential choking hazards; we only want to use the red part here.
Get rid of the seeds as well; they are also a potential choking hazard and contain small amounts of cyanide as well.
Once you’ve done these things, there are two ways I like to prepare the watermelon for my huskies:
Method #1 – Serve It As Is
The first and easiest way is just to cut up the remaining watermelon and feed it to your huskies as a treat in bite-sized portions.
This works great for obedience training or if you just feel like treating your husky.
Method #2 – Freeze It
If you have more time, cut up the watermelon and place it in the freezer for a few hours.
This gives it a bit more texture, and your husky might spend more time licking it rather than simply eating it in one bite.
This is especially effective in hot weather as it will help to cool your husky down.
Method #3 – Frozen Watermelon & Yoghurt
This one is ideal if you want to give your husky a more substantial snack.
All you have to do is blend two parts of watermelon (rind and seeds removed) into one part of plain Greek yogurt in a food processor. Don’t worry if you don’t have a processor, though, I’ve done this by hand before, and it works fine.
Once mixed, simply divide the mixture into a freezable tray – ice cube trays can work well, but you can use any mold you want.
Leave them in the freezer for a few hours until they are solid, and you’ve got yourself mini watermelon yogurt treats that are great for spoiling your husky.
The best thing about this method is the treats will last in the freezer for up to a month!
Can You Feed Your Husky Too Much Watermelon?
You can definitely feed your husky too much watermelon.
It’s usually recommended that treats make up no more than 10% of a dog’s diet, so you should only feed your husky around 1 to 2 cups of watermelon at most daily.
Feeding your husky too much watermelon can upset their stomach and lead to issues like diarrhea.
Also, remember that watermelon doesn’t contain the macronutrients that should make up the bulk of your husky’s diet, like protein or fats, so you should offer it as a treat only and never as a replacement for a meal.
What Other Fruits Can Huskies Eat?
Watermelon isn’t the only fruit you can give to your husky, check out some of the other options below:
- Bananas
- Apples (remove seed and core)
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
You can find a complete list of all the fruits huskies can and can’t eat here.
In Summary
Watermelon is an excellent treat for your husky, especially in hot weather when they need to stay hydrated. You can also make some nice treats with watermelon if you mix it up with greek yogurt and freeze it.
Make sure to remove the seeds and rind, and make sure to limit the amount that you feed them, as excessive watermelon can cause stomach issues.
Want to learn about other husky snacks? Check out some of our other articles below for some quick and easy foods you can give your husky:
