Vegetables for dogs: what to look for
If you want to give dogs a piece of vegetable in between meals, you are choosing a healthy snack for your four-legged friend. The vitamins, fiber and carbohydrates they contain are good for the dog. Read here which varieties are particularly popular and which you should not feed.
If you want to give your dog fresh vegetables from time to time, they should always be fed unseasoned, washed and unsprayed. In addition, vegetables should make up no more than about 30 percent of the daily diet. You can usually safely feed the following varieties.
These vegetables are popular with dogs
Among the most popular – and very well tolerated by most dogs – vegetables are carrots. They can be fed raw, grated, boiled or steamed and provide dogs with a good dose of beta-carotene for eyesight, skin and hair health, among other things. They are considered very digestible and are often served as an ingredient in bland diets.
Cooked potatoes are also popular sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals. In addition, most dogs tolerate pureed zucchini or pumpkin well. Sweet potato, kohlrabi and beet can also be fed – those who want to feed their dog broccoli should steam it first, puree it and then feed it in very small quantities.
Not all varieties are healthy
Onions, avocado, culinary herbs, garlic and leeks are some of the foods that dogs should not eat. The same goes for green leafy vegetables. It is also important that you do not feed different varieties raw. These include potatoes, beans, eggplant and green tomatoes – in general, tomatoes should only be eaten by dogs in very small amounts. If you are not sure whether your dog tolerates a species or not, it is better to always ask your veterinarian for advice, because every dog is different and intolerances can occur even with vegetables that other dogs can eat without problems.
If the dog does not eat vegetables
Since vegetables are important for the species-appropriate nutrition of dogs, your dog should definitely have 20 to 30 percent vegetables per meal in the dog food. For four-legged friends who do not like vegetables or fruit, you can also use special vegetable or fruit mixes from the specialty store. This alternative is usually not equal in quality to fresh vegetables or fruit, but provides your picky dog with the necessary nutrients. For example, there are vegetable mixtures that can be given in powder form over the food or meat. Be sure to look for high quality in the mixes and take a look at the ingredients. Unnecessary ingredients have no place in the feed.
