Strawberries sit firmly in the 'actually good for them' category, unlike the long list of human foods that end badly for dogs. They're packed with vitamin C, fibre, and antioxidants - basically a tiny nutritional powerhouse disguised as a berry. The same enzyme that whitens your dog's teeth (malic acid) also exists in whitening toothpaste, though strawberries taste considerably better and don't foam up.

The vitamin C bolsters their immune system, though unlike humans, dogs can actually synthesise their own - strawberries just give them a helpful boost. The fibre content supports digestive health without being heavy-handed about it, and the antioxidants work quietly in the background reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. At 91% water content, they're also a sneaky way to increase hydration on warm days, which is useful when your dog has decided that their water bowl is a toy rather than a refreshment station.

A medium dog around 15kg can have 2-3 strawberries as a treat, which sounds modest until you remember the 10% treat rule. Many owners use them as training rewards - low calorie, naturally sweet, and dogs haven't yet developed the snobbery to turn their nose up at fruit. The challenge is getting the strawberries into your dog before you eat them yourself, particularly in British summer when the season lasts approximately three weeks.

Strawberries aren't toxic to cats, which puts them in the 'fine in small amounts' category alongside an impressively short list of human foods. The bigger question is whether cats actually want them - most don't, because cats lack sweet taste receptors entirely (a genuine evolutionary quirk that means your cat genuinely cannot taste that the strawberry is sweet). They're investigating out of curiosity, not because they fancy a snack.