Lucy, who lives in India with owner Nagaraj, was captured hilariously reacting to the spiky outer skin of a jackfruit.
“She loves to eat jackfruit,” Nagaraj told Newsweek. “On this day I was a little bit late to give her her share. She was excited.”
Jackfruit comes from the jackfruit tree—a cousin of the fig tree and mulberry tree. Native to south and southeast Asia, it is served regularly as part of both sweet and savory dishes.
The thick and bumpy skin covers a soft plump fruit and stringy pods which are sweet when ripe. But the fruit is also used in a slightly underripe state in savory dishes to provide a firm, meaty texture.
A relative newcomer to the culinary scene in the U.S., jackfruit has become a popular meat substitute for vegans and vegetarians in recent years, often used to replicate pulled pork.
But is the fruit a good snack for your pup? Dog nutritionist Devin Smith of dogfoodsmart.com told Newsweek: “Generally speaking, jackfruit is safe for dogs to eat, as long as it is given in moderation. The texture of the fruit is incredibly similar to meat, so it typically provides the same level of enjoyment as well as a huge amount of nutrition for your pet.”
A fan of jackfruit as both a tasty snack and a fun toy, Lucy is captured barking and running around the large fruit.
“Lucy is very active and energetic,” said Nagaraj. “She loves water—swimming is her favorite activity.”
Owner Nagaraj is also the CEO of Alpha Minds, an institute for learning skills development in India where he says that Lucy the dog also plays a key part.
“Many of my students are animal lovers,” he said. “They play with Lucy as a stress-buster.”
There are a number of fruits and vegetables that dogs can eat—and often enjoy—but it is important to be cautious that the treat you’re preparing for your pup isn’t going to cause them any harm.
Fruits that dogs can eat include apples, bananas, cucumbers, and mango, but avocados, grapes, and tomatoes should be avoided.
Vegetables your pup may be partial to include broccoli, carrots, and peas but dogs should not eat onions, mushrooms, or asparagus.
If you’re thinking of introducing your dog to jackfruit, Smith had an important reminder: “Something to bear in mind is you should always avoid giving dogs the hard rind of the fruit and the large seeds, as they will be far more difficult to digest. As long as your dog doesn’t have an individual allergy to jackfruit, it should be safe to feed your dog small amounts of the fleshy part of the fruit.”
