Can Dogs Eat Applesauce? Yes, If It's Plain and Unsweetened

Why plain applesauce is safe for dogs

Apples are a fruit the American Kennel Club lists as safe for dogs, and applesauce is simply apples cooked down and pureed. Cooking softens the fruit and the straining removes the core, stem and seeds, which are the parts of a whole apple that cause trouble. What is left is mostly water, natural fruit sugar and soluble fiber.

The AKC specifically says plain applesauce is fine for dogs, provided you choose an unsweetened version and serve it in moderation. Being smooth, it suits older dogs with sore teeth.

Read the label before you share

The ingredient list matters more than the brand. Look for a jar or pouch that says unsweetened and lists apples, water and perhaps ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and nothing else. Regular applesauce often adds sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, which brings empty calories and can loosen stools.

Be careful with sauces labeled sugar-free or low-sugar: check that no xylitol or birch sugar appears, because the ASPCA warns that xylitol can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar in dogs. Cinnamon-spiced and apple pie varieties may also contain nutmeg, which can upset dogs in larger amounts. Squeeze pouches blended with grape juice or other fruits should be skipped, since grapes can harm dogs.

How to serve applesauce

The simplest way is a spoonful on top of your dog's regular food or offered from a spoon. For a summer treat, the AKC suggests freezing plain applesauce in an ice cube tray; for a small dog, use a mini tray or fill each cube only a third of the way so the portion stays small.

You can also make it yourself: peel and core two apples, chop them, simmer with a splash of water until soft, then mash and cool. Add nothing else, not even cinnamon. It keeps four or five days in the fridge.

Spreading a few safe pieces across a snuffle mat or packing them into a puzzle toy turns a small treat into a few minutes of sniffing work.

How much applesauce by weight

Applesauce is a treat, not a meal, so keep it small next to a complete dog food. As a guide: dogs under 20 lb can have one to two teaspoons; dogs of 20 to 50 lb can have about one tablespoon; dogs over 50 lb can have up to two tablespoons. That amount once a day at most, and preferably a few times a week, is plenty.

Too much at once tends to show up as soft stool or diarrhea within a day. If your dog is overweight, diabetic or on a prescription diet for the gut or kidneys, ask your vet before adding fruit, since even unsweetened applesauce carries natural sugar.

Applesauce for puppies

Puppies can try a little plain applesauce once they are eating solid food well, typically from around eight weeks. Start with no more than half a teaspoon for a small-breed puppy and a teaspoon for a large-breed puppy, then wait a day to see how their stool looks.

A puppy's diet needs to come almost entirely from puppy food, which is balanced for growth in a way fruit cannot be. Keep applesauce an occasional lick, such as during nail trims.

Signs applesauce disagreed with your dog

Mild reactions are the usual story: loose stool, gas or a gurgling stomach several hours after a larger serving. These typically pass within 24 hours if you stop the applesauce and keep feeding their normal food with plenty of water. A true allergy to apples is uncommon but can show as itching or hives.

If the jar listed xylitol, call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 right away, even if your dog seems fine, as signs such as vomiting, weakness, wobbling or seizures can follow. A fee may apply. See a vet the same day for repeated vomiting, bloody diarrhea or a dog that will not eat.

Other ways to share apple

Fresh apple slices give more crunch and fewer calories than a sauce. The AKC suggests one or two slices for most dogs, with the core, stem and seeds removed, since the core is a choking risk and the seeds contain a small amount of a cyanide-forming compound.

Plain canned pumpkin (not pie filling), a few blueberries or a spoonful of plain yogurt are other soft, lickable options. Apple juice, apple pie and caramel apples are not good swaps: they are high in sugar, and pie and dessert recipes can contain nutmeg, raisins or xylitol.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your pet.