Can Shih Tzu Eat Watermelon: Which Parts Are Safe for Shih Tzus To Enjoy?
The Shih Tzu is a people dog through and through. These dogs have been specifically bred to be companion canines to people.
These little “lion dogs” (the name Shih Tzu translates to mean “lion dog”) have been lap dogs and companion dogs for centuries now. As such, they often want to be wherever you are, do whatever you are doing, and eat whatever you are eating!
This can require daily research to ensure that the food you want to offer your Shih Tzu as a treat is safe for dogs. In this article, we tackle whether watermelon is a safe treat your Shih Tzu can enjoy with you.
Can Shih Tzu Eat Watermelon?
The watermelon’s ripe, red inner flesh is safe for a Shih Tzu dog to eat. However, you don’t want to give your dog the hard, green outer rind.
Not only is the rind typically too dense and tough for tiny Shih Tzu teeth to safely chew on, but if swallowed, it could lead to stomach upset or even an internal obstruction.
For best results, always separate the fruit from the rind before offering your Shih Tzu any watermelon to enjoy as a treat.
Watch a Shih Tzu Eating Watermelon
This sweet owner-made YouTube video captures the moment two Shih Tzu dogs get their first taste of watermelon. The sweet fruit is a big hit.
As you will notice, the owner keeps a firm grip on the tough green rind to ensure the little dogs don’t try to chew or swallow it.
Compare the Weight of a Shih Tzu Dog to the Weight of a Watermelon
When you evaluate whether a “people’s food” item is safe for your dog to snack on, you want to start with the dog’s size relative to the snack’s size.
The Shih Tzu is currently the American Kennel Club‘s 20th most popular purebred dog breed out of nearly 200 registered breeds.
They weigh between nine and 16 pounds on average and rarely stand more than 10.5 inches tall. So this is a very tiny dog breed!
Compare this with the size and weight of an average watermelon. According to What About Watermelon, the typical watermelon weighs between 20 and 25 pounds.
According to Specialty Produce, even little personal seedless watermelons can weigh as much as four to six pounds.
This means you never want to leave a whole watermelon out where your Shih Tzu might have access to it. If the entire fruit drops on or rolls over your tiny dog, it can cause injury!
However, as The Honest Kitchen points out, the fruit can have some excellent nutritional benefits as long as it is served as an occasional treat.
What Nutrients Does Watermelon Offer Your Shih Tzu?
As Live Science explains, watermelon gets its name, honestly.
This fruit is about 92 percent pure water.
But that other eight percent is pure nutrition.
According to the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, watermelon contains each of the following nutrients.
Interestingly, the white part nearest the rind has these nutritional properties, although it isn’t as sweet as the red part.
Vitamin A
According to the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), Vitamin A is a critical vitamin to help your dog develop healthy skin, coat, muscles, nerve function, and vision (especially night vision).
Vitamin B6
As Veterinary Practice explains, Vitamin B6 helps your dog maintain healthy skin and other protein structures, including the skin.
Vitamin B6 is also essential to help the body generate and deliver energy in the form of glucose to the cells.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is best known as the immune-boosting vitamin, but it does a lot more than that. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that eases inflammation and allergy symptoms, keeps the mind sharp in the older years, and removes free radicals from the body.
Lycopene
Lycopene is another antioxidant that can fight the damaging effects of free radicals. It also helps promote strong bones, a healthy heart, and cellular development.
Lycopene is also a possible cancer-fighting agent that may limit tumor growth.
Potassium
Potassium is essential to help your dog maintain the right balance of electrolytes for healthy heart function and kidney function. Potassium also supports healthy nervous system activity and muscle activity.
Citrulline
Citrulline is an amino acid that helps your dog’s body make arginine. Arginine, in turn, supports cardiovascular health and good blood circulation.
Calcium
Calcium is a vital nutrient to promote strong and healthy bones and teeth. Calcium also helps with muscle contraction, blood clotting, and cellular health.
Iron
Iron helps dogs make blood cells, particularly red blood cells and hemoglobin. Iron also guards against anemia and helps the cells bring nutrients to every body part.
Dietary Fiber
Dietary fiber is essential to your dog’s daily diet to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal balance. Getting enough dietary fiber is critical for proper elimination and maintaining the good bacteria in the gut.
Protein
Protein contributes a range of essential amino acids that can help every system in your dog’s body work properly. Healthy skin, hair, muscle, and tissues are supported when your dog eats protein.
Are There Any Dangers of Feeding Watermelon to Your Shih Tzu?
Watermelon is a safe food to offer your Shih Tzu if you keep specific basic safety guidelines in mind.
Don’t ever offer the rind.
As you read here earlier, the smaller the dog, the more careful you want to be of never offering watermelon fruit still on the rind.
This is because the rind could easily cause a choking hazard or an intestinal obstruction if swallowed. It could also be tough to digest and cause an upset stomach.
Because the rind is so dense and tough, your Shih Tzu might also break a tooth, trying to chew on it.
Don’t let your dog eat the watermelon seeds.
While some research supports that watermelon seeds offer beneficial dietary fiber and amino acids, this research is for consumption by people, not dogs.
Watermelon seeds might not bother a large breed dog, but for your Tiny Shih Tzu, it is safer to remove all the bases before letting your dog try the fruit.
The seeds may have similar risks to the rind in that they are complex, difficult to digest, and potentially cause choking or obstruction if ingested in sufficient quantities.
Don’t let your dog eat too much watermelon.
Watermelon is wonderfully hydrating and beneficial when eaten in moderation. But if your Shih Tzu overeats all at once, it may upset the balance of the G.I. tract and lead to loose stools or even diarrhea.
How to Serve Watermelon Safely to Your Shih Tzu
There are several fun ways you might want to try serving watermelon to your Shih Tzu.
Dice a slice
One easy way is to dice a slice of watermelon up into small bite-size cubes and feed a few cubes as a treat on hot summer days. This is a great way to ensure your dog is retaining enough moisture.
Make watermelon pops
Another fun way to serve watermelon is to blend some fresh water with a bit of water and pour it into an ice cube tray or a child’s popsicle mold tray. Freeze the watermelon and serve it to your dog as a summer treat.
Combine with yogurt or other fruits or veggies
You can also reduce the amount of watermelon by adding some beneficial yogurt, carrot shavings, coconut or goat’s milk, or other nutrients, pureeing it together, then freezing it.
Watermelon fruit cocktail
Make a little melon cocktail with watermelon, cantaloupe, papaya, or honeydew. Dice it up and serve it as a refreshing snack.
Safety Tips For Your Shih Tzu to Try Watermelon for the First Time
While watermelon is a safe and healthy treat for dogs, you always want to exercise caution the first time your dog tries any new food.
The best way is to offer your Shih Tzu one to two dime-size cubes at the first feeding. Then wait 24 hours and observe how your dog reacts (especially at bathroom time).
If you don’t see anything that causes you concern, then the next time, you can offer a few more watermelon cubes at treat time.
Because watermelon is high in sugar, it isn’t a food to offer daily. Instead, consider adding watermelon into your summertime weekly treat rotation along with other dog-friendly healthy fruits and vegetables.