Feeding your dog healthy veggies can have so many benefits. But what’s safe or not safe for your dog to eat?
Today we’re taking a look at how to safely feed your dog greens and other veggies.
How to Safely Feed Your Dog Greens
There are a number of different ways you can prepare veggies for your dog. Some ways are easier than others, but any way to give your dog healthy veggies is going to be good for them. Just make sure you are only giving your dog food that is less than 25 percent veggies. More than that can cause gut problems for your dog.
Blanching
Blanching is where you submerge the food in boiling water very quickly followed by a dip in very cold water. This is great for preparing veggies because it cleans the surface of the vegetable. Since you are only dipping the food quickly in the boiling water, you don’t actually cook the food all the way through. This helps retain much of the mineral content and flavor of the food.
Blanching your food is a much healthier option as well because it involves no added oils. Many people who freeze or otherwise preserve food choose to blanch it before freezing as well. This helps retain a lot of the delicate flavor of many veggies.
Steaming
Steaming is also a great choice and really couldn’t be easier. You simply put your veggies into a steamer tray over a boil pot of water. Simply check your food and take the steamer pot off the water when the veggies are cooked through.
Steaming is another way you can preserve food and it keeps the veggies full of nutrients.
Pureeing
After cooking veggies for your dog, you may consider pureeing it. Turning raw veggies into a puree can help make it more digestible for your dog. Just remember that large or tougher veggies like potatoes need to be cooked while delicate veggies like celery or spinach can be pureed raw.
Freezing
Freezing is a great way to preserve your veggies. And it’s easy to do if you are trying to preserve a lot at one time. You can blanch some veggies and toss them in the freezer. Or if you are pureeing your dog’s food, you can freeze it in an ice cube tray for later use.
What Vegetables Are Safe for Dogs to Eat?
While there are some vegetables that you’ll want to keep your dog away from, there are many that you can use to improve your dog’s diet.
Leafy Greens
Your dog probably won’t want to eat spinach or kale raw. But there are a lot of benefits from eating these vegetables. Kale can help boost your dog’s vitamin A and K and iron, while spinach contains many other vitamins as well. If you don’t see your dog eating raw salad, these are perfect for blanching and adding to your unsuspecting dog’s food.
Beans
Green beans are a great way to help your dog lose weight. If they are a little on the heavy side, try cutting back their food a little bit and adding some green beans. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals, but they are also high in fiber. This can help your dog feel fuller.
You can also consider giving your dog black, red, or pinto beans. These are great to help supplement your dog’s diet while also giving them a good protein punch. Just make sure your dog’s diet is less than 10 percent beans and that they are well-cooked at a high temperature.
Root Vegetables
Root veggies like carrots and beets can be a healthy treat for a dog as well. Even sweet potatoes support digestive health. Consider adding some root veggies to help bulk out your dog’s food while also incorporating some important minerals and vitamins.
What Food Can’t I Feed My Dog?
While dogs are capable of eating a lot of the same food you do, there are foods you should never feed to your dog. These foods include:
- Grapes or currants
- Onions
- Garlic
- Wild Mushrooms
- Rhubarb
For the most part, if your dog sneaks a tiny amount of these foods you don’t need to worry. It’s when a dog gets into large quantities of these foods that they get into trouble.
The side effect from eating one of these toxic foods can be as mild as an upset stomach and as bad as organ failure. You should only feed your dog vegetables that you know are approved.