It’s time for lunch or dinner. You’re excited, your beagle is excited, and you’re both hungry.

Today’s one of those days when you decide to add olives to the mix, whether it’s a healthy salad or a chicken tray-bake, and you’re ready to chow down. But there’s your puppy now, sitting at your side with those big, round eyes of his.

We all know the struggle of saying “no” to our dogs, so of course we’ve all tossed something we know they love once in a while. For the most part, we all know what is fine for them to eat, but can beagles eat olives? Does it matter if the olive is black, or if it’s green? Are olives toxic at all, like garlic and onions? 

A lot of questions come up as you stare into those begging eyes, and you realize you really want to share an olive or two with him. It’s fine, right? He might not even like it. But if he does, well, now is the time to find out whether it’s even safe to share with him, or if it’s as bad as sharing grapes.

Are Olives Safe for Beagles to Eat?

The short answer: Yes! The “but”: In moderation; preferably plain and unsalted, because that’s healthier for their digestive systems.

Unsalted is important because dogs need very little sodium in their diet, and we humans have a history of consuming more salt than we necessarily need. Knowing if the olive is plain is also important. When we cook, we like to add garlic, oils, all sorts seasonings to our meals; all of which canines shouldn’t consume.

While they aren’t inherently toxic to beagles, one warning: If you eat olives that still have the pit in them, make sure to remove the pit before sharing with your beagle. Chewing on it can damage their teeth, and is a general choking hazard. If a dog successfully swallows one, it can still cause digestive issues.

If you do choose to share, don’t be surprised if he decides he doesn’t like it, though. It’s surprisingly rare for a canine to enjoy this type of food. (Even though it seems like beagles are motivated by ANY kind of food)

So in a nutshell: Dogs can absolutely chow down on olives with you, and if they love it, then all the more reason to share. Much like anything else you share however, make sure to limit the amount your dog eats.

On the upside, both black and green olives are jam-packed with antioxidants, healthy fats, minerals, and vitamins. This makes olives a healthy addition to a human’s diet. Dog’s don’t necessarily need all of these benefits, but they don’t cause much harm outside of the higher sodium levels. 

What is the Difference between Black and Green Olives?

The main difference between black and green olives is the time they’re harvested, with the green olives being harvested early than black olives. Technically, black olives are more ripe.

Despite the variation in color, they still come from the same plant and offer the same nutritional benefits. Green olives are not technically ripe, whereas the black olives are fully ripe. Because green olives aren’t fully ripe, they will taste bitter, and the salt from brining will be more distinct, whereas black olives taste rich and smooth.

Aside from that ripeness difference, the nutrition breakdown of both types of olives is generally the same.

Are Olives Bad for Beagles?

Overall, olives are not bad for beagles, and can actually make for healthy snacks as long as they are plain, unsalted olives. As explained before, olives are safest in moderation. If anything is bad for them, it will be everything that was previously mentioned: Pits, salt, and other additives.

Additionally, if olives are cooked with other ingredients like onion and garlic, that obviously will make them bad for beagles, so be very careful and make sure you’re sharing whole, unprepared and unsalted olives if you choose to give them to your dog.

As explained earlier, dogs need very little sodium in their diet. Dogs need between 0.25g/100g and 1.5g/100g sodium to maintain a healthy diet. Even one olive can contain double the amount of sodium necessary for a canine’s diet. An excess of salt in a dog’s diet will lead to dehydration, can be toxic, and lead to high blood pressure over long periods of time.

To avoid the olives that contain too much sodium from the start, check the container’s nutritional facts. I recommend skipping over olives that are canned, or pickled. Both automatically come with high sodium levels, so avoiding them is for the best.

If your beagle is particularly thirsty after eating olives, it may mean that they’ve likely had too much sodium.

Health Benefits of Olives for Dogs

As long as olives are shared in moderation, they should be perfectly fine for your beloved canine companion. Now that we know it is relatively safe to share with our furry friends, another question may come to mind: are there any health benefits of olives for dogs. The following are a few examples of health benefits dogs can get from getting olives:

• Improved coat and skin health
• Improved teeth and bone health
• Improved heart health
• Improved immune system
• Prevents arthritis
• Prevents cancer
• Prevents dog diabetes
• Prevents dry skin in ears
• Prevents dandruff
• Promotes weight loss

Olives are packed with important vitamins, such as vitamin A, E, and K. They are also known to carry a fair amount of the minerals calcium, iron, and copper. I’ll dig into all of these benefits in more detail:

• Vitamins

Vitamin A offers important benefits such as promoting healthier coats and skin, as well as ensuring that the dog’s muscles and nerves are fully functional.

Olives are especially high in vitamin E, which is crucial to have in a dog’s diet. Deficiency of vitamin E can lead to retinopathy, as revealed in a study that was published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research. It was also revealed low vitamin E levels can lead to suppressed immune systems.

Vitamin K is crucial for ensuring the dog’s bones form properly. It also promotes natural blood clotting, which can help prevent potential bleeding problems.

• Minerals

The minerals, calcium, iron, and copper can offer their fair share of crucial benefits for dogs, some of which aren’t commonly known. Everyone knows calcium promotes strong bones and teeth, but other benefits include is how it works with vitamin K to provide proper blood clotting. Another benefit it provides is how it improves a dog’s muscles and muscle growth. At the same time, the iron and copper in olives work with vitamin A to promote healthier coats and skins. Other benefits include improved tissue repair and connective tissue strengthening.

• Healthy Fats

Lastly, olives contain a common healthy, monounsaturated fat called oleic acid. This fat offers many benefits for humans and dogs alike, with the most notable benefit being reduced rates of heart disease. Eating olives, preferably in small amounts for canines, will promote heart health, weight loss, and reduce inflammation. It will also prevent certain age-related symptoms, such as arthritis in dogs.

Along with the minerals, for dogs like beagles, another big benefit from eating foods high in oleic acid is helping to protect from developing dry skin, which is a common issue for this breed. It is also said that oleic acid has been linked to preventing cancer, further proving the case of how sharing a few olives with your dog can have great benefits. Finally, there have been studies revealing that oleic acid also improves insulin sensitivity. This ultimately leads to your dog’s blood sugar levels being better regulated, and gives them less of a chance of developing type 2 diabetes. 

Final Thoughts

With the knowledge from this article, you can rest easy knowing that olives are not toxic for your beagle, but still should be shared just in moderation, and should only ever be given whole and not processed or cooked with other potentially harmful ingredients.

If your beagle gets into a whole jar or can of olives, depending on the ingredients and sodium content, you may want to consider a vet visit or giving them some electrolytes to balance out the salt consumption, but ultimately a few olives here and there will just make for a pleasant treat to give your dog.