Can Dogs Eat Green Olives? (What To Do)

can dogs eat green olives
Can dogs eat green olives? What do we do when our dogs eat heaps of olives or parts of an olive tree?

Olives, love them or hate them, there is no denying that they are packed to the brim with health benefits. It is no wonder that so many people wonder whether it is OK to feed them to their dog. Well, that is what we are going to answer on this page.

In fact, we are probably going to answer every single olive and dog-related question you probably had! Probably even a few you would not have thought of!

Can Dogs Eat Green Olives?

Yes. Dogs can eat green olives. They are not poisonous. But there is no real reason why they should.

We can’t really see any reason as to why you would want to feed them olives.

The thing is that there is nothing in a green olive that will be beneficial to the dog. While humans may get health benefits from olives, dogs do not. Dogs will not digest the food in the same way, plus they have different nutritional requirements.

If you feed your dog olives, then you are filling up their stomach, which means there isn’t going to be any space in their bellies for the stuff they do actually need!


Most dogs are not really going to enjoy the taste of olives. Although let’s be honest, many people do not like the taste of olives as well. Despite what some people may think, dogs can be quick picky eaters. They may nibble on an olive once and then never want to touch them again! Although, some dogs will just turn their nose up without even tucking in. It is very rare for a dog to actually like olives.

Can Dogs Eat Olives From the Tree?

If your dog must eat olives, then eating them directly from the tree is fine. In fact it can help because the olives are unseasoned and have no harmful preservatives. This is because the olives are as fresh as they possibly can be. They are not going to be covered in anything that may pose a risk to your dog.

That being said, unless you have some sort of magical olive tree, each and every one of those olives are going to have a pit inside. This means that you probably do not want your dog to be eating too many olives from the tree. Their body will not be able to digest the pits properly, leading to various issues.

can dogs eat green olives
Can dogs eat green olives? What about kalamata olives?

Are Olive Trees Poisonous to Dogs?

Just like olives, there is absolutely no risk if your dog somehow manages to munch on an olive tree. They are not poisonous in the slightest. The only time that you should probably be concerned about a dog eating an olive tree is if they are eating a lot of olives from it. This means that they may have swallowed a lot of olive pits, and that isn’t healthy!

It is worth pointing out that most dogs probably aren’t going to chew on an olive tree. Dogs tend not to be fans of eating plants. If they do eat a plant, then it could mean that they have an underlying issue. So, if you see the dog just eating the plant and not touching the olives, you may want to try and get to the bottom of why.

If you grow olive trees and want to stop your dog from getting close to it, make sure that you stick up some fencing. If the dog damages the olive tree, then it won’t really be the dog that is harmed. It will be that beautiful tree. If it is too damaged, it may no longer grow as many olives. Given that a well cared for olive tree can take years to produce – let’s protect them!

French bulldog puppy and mom
A proud French Bulldog Mom watches over her puppies!

What Happens if a Dog Eats an Olive Pit?

Ideally, your dog won’t eat an olive pit. However, if they do, it is not necessarily the end of the world…providing your dog didn’t eat too many. Although, you may want to keep an eye on their health if you suspect this has happened.

The problem is that the dog’s body will not do well with digesting the olive pit. While it will eventually work its way out, it will probably be taking a little while to do so. It will come out reasonably whole. Olives are pretty small, so we wouldn’t really suggest that you go fumbling around in their stools to see whether the olive pit has made its way out.

This is unlikely to cause any issues for the dog. Dogs eat a lot worse than olive pits. However, it is still worth keeping an eye on them. You will want to see if:

  • There are any changes in their behavior. Particularly if they do not seem to be moving around as much.
  • They are not eating and drinking or doing both less than they usually would
  • There seems to be a pain in their stomach area
  • They are not passing stools

If you spot any of these, then it could indicate a health issue. This may not necessarily mean that the olive pit has caused an issue, but it does mean that there is some sort of problem. This means that you absolutely should be heading to the Vet as soon as you can. Do not try to treat the problem yourself. This is something that is only going to get worse.

Help! My Dog Ate Kalamata Olives

Kalamata olives are purple olives. So, if green olives are acceptable, how about the purple version?

Well, it is the same story. It is not recommended that you feed the dog kalamata olives. Again, there will be no health risk to your dog, but there are no nutrients packed into kalamata olives that will have any benefit. All you are really doing is filling up their stomach for no real benefit. 

Once again, you will probably want to avoid your dog actually eating the olive pits because this can impact their health.

puppy at the vet

Are Seasoned Olives OK?

No. Well, not really. It depends on what the olives are seasoned with. Pepper is fine, other flavors are not.

Olives that have been doused in salt or oil will probably not be posing that much of a problem to a dog if eaten in small quantities. However, the oils and salts are not suitable for your dog. Different oils can negatively effect the health of your dog (2013 study).

 If you are giving your dog salt or oil-covered olives multiple times per week, then you are probably going to be running into a few health problems with your furry friend.

Suppose they have been seasoned with anything that a dog may be allergic too, particularly onions or garlic. In that case, you should not be giving them to your animal under any circumstances. There are no exceptions to this rule. While it is unlikely, if the olives have been seasoned with something that dogs cannot stomach well, it could be putting their lives at risk!

If your dog really really seems to be loving their olives, then stick to plain olives. It won’t have any health benefits, but it isn’t going to be detrimental to their health like seasoned olives.

Are Stuffed Olives OK?

Again, this is the same as with the seasoning. It really does depend on what they are stuffed with. Once again, we wouldn’t really recommend that you give the dog anything bar a plain olive. You will probably want to pay special attention to stuffed olives.

Almost always, stuffed olives will have some additional ingredients, which could be deadly to the dog. While there may not be an issue if your dog eats one, you still want to be avoiding it.

If you give your dog stuffed olives (seriously, please do not do this), then the least you can do is read the ingredients list to see exactly what you are putting into your dog’s mouth. While diced bell peppers would be fine (as dogs can eat bell peppers) – sliced onion or chilli can cause problems.

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What Happens if a Dog Eats a Lot of Olives?

While it is unlikely that anything will happen if a dog eats many olives, it is probably still worth taking them to the Vet to be looked over.

The main issue with a dog eating a lot of olives isn’t so much the actual olive part, it is the pits inside them. While a dog could easily pass one or two pits through their system, they may get very, very sick if they try to pass more than this.

We are not saying that eating a ton of olive pits will be deadly for your dog. It probably will not be. However, it is always better to be safe than sorry, right?

Conclusion

In conclusion, there shouldn’t really be any issues with your dog tucking into a few olives. There won’t any benefits to them eating olives, but it isn’t going to poison them. The only time you really need to be concerned is if your dog has consumed a ton of olives with the pits still in them. In that case, just head on over to the Vet and see what they have to say.