Do you want to provide your dog’s diet with something extra? Then of course you do not opt for unhealthy options like, slices of cheese, salty sausages or crisps, but for super healthy vegetables. In this article, we share the best vegetables that you can add directly to your dog’s food, without worry. These are the 7 best vegetables for dogs!
Before you read on ...
All vegetables mentioned in this article are considered by experts as the best vegetables for your dog and fit perfectly into the healthy lifestyle of your four-legged friend. However, there are a number of essential takeaways when it comes to giving vegetables to a dog. We are happy to share these with you in advance.
- Vegetables alone should never be your dog's main meal. A dog needs the nutrients in meat.
- Treat vegetables as a supplement or addition to their daily diet or as a snack.
- Give vegetables, but in moderation! No more than 10% of the daily amount of food (also applies to snacks)
- Boil and wash the vegetables before giving them to your dog, this will improve digestion and kills harmful bacteria
- Feed small portions. Large amounts at once can be harmful in some cases.
- What is good for humans does not necessarily have to be good for a dog. Dogs need different nutrients than humans.
- Do not add other additions such as salt or pepper to the vegetables.
- Watch how your dog reacts to the vegetable. Every dog's digestive system is different. Therefore, always feed with your eyes.
- Always provide your dog with plenty of fresh water in addition to his food.
- Variety is important
Veggie #1 - Carrots
Are dogs allowed to eat carrots?
The answer is very simple, yes a dog can eat carrots!
Carrots are considered as one of the best vegetables you can give a dog. Carrots are very low in calories and are an important source of vitamins A, B, C, D, E, B1 and B6, potassium and fiber. Carrots are perfect for dogs as a low-calorie snack or as an addition to the daily diet.
Benefits of giving your dog carrots
Carrots are primarily good for the development of your four-legged friend’s coat and skin. It also strengthens the teeth and gives the energy level a significant boost.
- Important source of vitamins, potassium and fiber
- Strengthens the teeth
- Benificial for coat and skin
- Relieves pain when your puppy is teething
- Boosts energy levels
How do I serve the carrots to my dog?
Boil the carrots before giving them to your dog. While raw carrots are not harmful, cooked carrots improve digestion. Grating or cutting them into small pieces can also help.
Give carrots to your puppy!
Did you know that carrots are very good for puppies and young dogs? Especially if it suffers from inflamed or sensitive gums when changing teeth. A frozen carrot has a soothing effect on sensitive gums.
Veggie #2 - Sweet potatoes
A vegetable that you may not expect in this list. Yet sweet potatoes are a very healthy vegetable for your dog. It contains many antioxidants that improves the dog’s vision and muscle strength. In addition, it contains many vitamins such as vitamins A and C.
How do I serve sweet potato to my dog?
Before serving the sweet potato to your dog, it is advisable to remove the skin from the potato and clean it thoroughly. Then cut into small cubes or strips. Cook the sweet potatoes until they are soft. Then let them cool down for a while. You can mash the potatoes into a puree. Your dog will digest this vegetable even better when mashed.
Veggie #3 - Green Beans
Green beans are (one of) the best vegetables for dogs! Green beans are packed with fiber and vitamins A, C and K.
Why Are Green Beans So Good For My Dog?
Green beans are good for your dog’s overall immune system and provide super healthy eyes. Green beans give your four-legged friend a full feeling and are low in calories, making it the perfect counterpart to fatty and high-calorie snacks. So if your dog needs to lose weight, green beans are good snack substitutes.
How do I serve the green beans to my dog?
Boil the green beans first before feeding them to your dog. In addition to being more digestible, raw green beans contain lecithin, too much of which can be harmful to dogs.
How many green beans should I give my dog?
Although they are low in calories, we recommend that you do not give your dog more than 10% of its daily feeding amount. A balanced nutritional diet is essential for a dog.
Benefits of Feeding Green Beans to Your Dog
- Packed with vitamins A, C and K.
- Boosts the immune system
- Your dog is feeling full quite quickly
- Low in calories and therefore good for weight loss
- Perfect snack replacement
A D V E R T I S M E N T
Veggie #4 - Spinach
This leafy vegetable contains many vitamins such as A, B, C and K, calcium (good for the bones), iron, potassium, fiber and folic acid. Spinach provides an energy boost, aids in energy recovery and is therefore a good addition to the diet of a lifeless dog. It itself can reduce the risk of cancer and is also good for the heart.
How do I serve the spinach to my dog?
Dogs are carnivores, which means that their stomach and digestive system is not made for leafy vegetables. Therefore, cook the spinach lightly before serving and do not add any salt or onions.
Benefits of Feeding Green Beans to Your Dog
- Packed with vitamins A, B, C and K.
- Restores the energy level
- Great source of fiber, potassium, iron and folic acid.
- Benificial for your dogs heart
Veggie #5 - Peas
The antioxidants, carotene and flavonoids in peas slow down the aging process of your dog. By adding peas to a dog’s diet, you strengthen the immune system and the stomach, reduce joint pain and give your dog more energy. Perfect as a snack or as an addition to the daily diet.
When should a dog not be allowed to eat peas?
Do not give peas to your dog if it has kidney problems. In proportion, peas contain a lot of purines, about 85mg per 100 grams, in contrast to, for example, carrot (14mg) or cucumber (7mg). Purines are converted to uric acid and an excess of uric acid is harmful to the kidneys and bladder.
Veggie #6 - Cucumbers
Cucumbers are one of the best snacks you can give a dog. And they are often popular with dogs because they are nice and crunchy.
This vegetable, which is full of vitamins, K, C and B1, fits well in a diet where the dog has to lose weight or if it has diabetes. In addition, cucumbers are good for preventing bad breath and the silicon is good for muscles and joints.
Cucumbers have a proven blood pressure lowering effect.
Veggie #7 - Beets
Are Beets Good For My Dog?
Yes! You can give beets to your dog without any doubt. Of course in moderation. Beets contain calcium and are rich in vitamins K and C. Beets are packed with fiber, potassium, manganese and folic acid and therefore have a positive contribution to the digestion and immune system of your furry four-legged friend.
How do I serve the beets to my dog?
You can add beets to the dog’s food, but they are also perfect as a snack! Before adding the beets to your dog’s food, peel them and then wash them thoroughly to get rid of soil and dirt. Then cut into small pieces about the size of a chunk.
You can then dry, boil or bake the beets. We recommend boiling them, because then they soften and are easier to digest. If you choose to bake them, then of course not with butter or other additives. After cooking you can also mash them into a puree.
How many beets can I give my dog?
If this is the first time that your dog is introduced to beets, it is advisable to start with small portions first, then observe how it reacts. If that goes to plan, you can then slowly build up the amount.
Keep in mind that dogs are carnivores by nature and their stomach and digestive system cannot handle many vegetables at once. We therefore strongly recommend not to exceed the amount of snacks and vegetables by more than 10% of their daily amount of food.
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A D V E R T I S M E N T
Note: These vegetables are harmful to a dog
Although dogs are allowed quite a lot of vegetables, there are also a number of very harmful vegetables. You absolutely do not want to feed these to your dog. Is your dog consuming any of these vegetables on a large scale? Then immediately consult a vet.
- Avocado
- Onions and related varieties
- Unripe tomatoes, the stems are also poisonous
- Garlic and chives
- Mushrooms and many other kinds of mushrooms
- Nuts and seeds (especially walnuts and macadamia nuts)
- Raw potato (and the plant)
Every dog is different, judge your dog the way you know it!
The information in this article is purely informational and does not replace the advice of a veterinarian. Are you unsure about the health of your dog? Always consult a specialist.
