Whenever you are about to eat something, there is always a familiar sight of your four-legged furry friend sitting beside you waiting for you to share your food with him and in the process drooling all over the place. This is a very common situation and any dog parent can relate to this. But, as we know, we can’t give all the things that we eat to our pet pooches as well. There is a lot of difference between our and a canine’s digestive system. And, food items like chocolates, various nuts, salty snacks et cetera are highly harmful for our sweet companions. But what about vegetables? Are they beneficial for your pooch or should you be worried about feeding veggies to your doggy? Let us find out!
Like most other things, Vegetables are also neither fully beneficial for your dog nor fully harmful for them. There are certain vegetables that are good for the pooch and then there are some which you should keep as far away from your pet as possible. So, what advantages do veggies bring with them? How are they favorable for a canine’s health and development? The below-mentioned list describes various benefits of feeding vegetables to a dog:
Now, as I mentioned earlier there are some veggies out there that you should surely never feed to a dog. These vegetables in some way or another can prove to be tremendously harmful to the canines and they are as follows:
All of the above-listed veggies are known to be tremendously toxic for the canines and thus, should never be given to a pooch.
Now, that all the bad stuff is out of our way, we should focus on the vegetables that are wholesome for the canines. These veggies can be given to a dog either as rewards or as a part of their meals. And there are many ways to serve these veggies to a pooch such as cooked, roasted, baked, steamed, grilled and even raw. These safe and healthy vegetables that a pooch can enjoy are as follows:
Rich in: Vitamin A, C and K, Dietary fibers, Potassium.
Portion size (at a time): 2-3 pieces.
Rich in: Vitamin K, A, B1, B2, C and E, Dietary fibers, Magnesium, Copper, Iron Potassium.
Portion size (at a time): 2-3 pieces.
Rich in: Vitamin K, Dietary fibers, Manganese, Magnesium.
Portion size (at a time): 1-2 pieces.
Rich in: Vitamin C, K and A, Manganese and Dietary fibers.
Portion size (at a time): 1-2 pieces.
Rich in: Vitamin A, C, B5 and B6, Dietary fibers, Potassium, Magnesium.
Portion size (at a time): 1-2 tablespoons of mashed sweet potato. Can be mixed with the canine’s dry food.
Rich in: Vitamin C, K and B6, Choline, Folate.
Portion size (at a time): 1-2 Florets.
Rich in: Vitamin K, C, A, B1, B2, B3, B6, Folate, Phosphorus, Protein, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Zinc, Potassium.
Portion size (at a time): 10-15 peas. Peapods should be separated.
Rich in: Vitamin C, B6, Manganese, Potassium, Dietary fibers.
Portion size (at a time): 1-2 wedges.
Rich in: Vitamin C, K, A, B1, B6, Manganese, Potassium, Folate.
Portion size (at a time): 1-2 sprouts.
Rich in: Vitamin C, K, A, Dietary fibers, Folate, Manganese.
Portion size (at a time): 1-2 florets.
Some Honourable Mentions:
So, there you have it, these are some of the best vegetables that your pooch can thoroughly enjoy, but as with the case with any other eatable item, Moderation while feeding these veggies to your dog is extremely important. And, if your dog shows any signs of adverse reaction to any of these veggies, then you should immediately consult a skilled veterinarian and should try to avoid that vegetable in the future. A dog’s health and fitness always come first and you should never compromise on that. If you unsure about any aspect of your pooch’s diet or health, you should consult a vet as soon as possible.