Pear

Pears are on the AKC's yes list: a good source of copper, fiber, and vitamins C and K, mostly water, and easy to portion. This entry also covers Asian pears — the big, round, crisp Pyrus pyrifolia sold in US markets as Asian or Korean pear — which are treated exactly the same way. Two preparation rules do all the work. Remove the seeds: pear seeds contain trace amygdalin, which the body can convert to cyanide. A dog that swallows a seed or two whole is very unlikely to be poisoned, but there is no reason to make it a habit. Remove the core: this is the more common real-world injury. A hard core swallowed by a hungry dog is a choking hazard and can lodge in the intestine. Peel or don't, as you prefer, then cut the flesh into cubes sized for your dog. A few cubes is a serving. Pears are high in both water and sugar, so a large helping produces diarrhea. Keep all treats within 10% of daily calories, and talk to your vet before adding fruit if your dog is diabetic or overweight. The forms to avoid: canned pears packed in heavy syrup, pear nectar, and any "sugar-free" pear product, which may be sweetened with xylitol. Also watch marinades — Asian pear is a standard tenderizer in Korean bulgogi and galbi marinade, and that marinade is built on garlic, onion, and soy sauce. Alliums damage canine red blood cells and soy sauce is a heavy sodium load; the pear in the recipe does not make the meat safe to share. If your dog ate marinated meat, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.