As dog owners, it’s not uncommon for us to want to spoil our four-legged family members by sharing leftover lunch and table scraps or your favourite snack with them – after all, if it’s safe for you to eat, it must be okay for them too, right? But the answer is not necessarily.
While many human foods, especially fruits and vegetables, are perfectly safe, some are very unhealthy and downright dangerous for dogs.
Dogs digest food differently than humans, and eating the wrong foods can lead to long-term health problems and in extreme cases, even death. As carnivores, they have no need for fruit and vegetables as part of their diet, but an occasional fruit or vegetable as a treat is fine.
Dogs eat vegetables too
If you’re looking for new and fun ways to rev up your furry best friend’s diet, adding fruit and vegetables can be a really healthy way to do it, of course some are better for your dog than others, but consider adding some to your dog’s eating routine.
Asparagus
When cut into bite-sized pieces, asparagus makes a healthy vegetarian option for your dog because of its vitamin K, A, B2, B1, E and C, along with the folate, iron, copper, fibre, manganese and potassium found in them.
Many dogs enjoy fruits and vegetables as a snack, but dogs’ bodies are not the same as humans’, so certain foods that are fine for us to eat may not be safe for dogs.
But what about asparagus? Asparagus is a delicious vegetable that is full of vitamins and minerals, it is a very healthy food for humans, but it is also healthy for dogs.
Asparagus is non-toxic to dogs, so it is safe for them to eat, but there are a few things to keep in mind before feeding asparagus to your dog.
First, asparagus stalks are quite tough, we humans don’t usually eat raw asparagus because it would be too difficult to chew.
Dogs can also have this difficulty, to avoid the risk of your dog trying to swallow the asparagus whole and possibly choking, you should cut it into small pieces before feeding it to your dog.
Watermelon
If you are also looking for one more fruit to add to your dog’s diet, watermelon is your best choice, the health benefits are countless and giving your dog a piece of this fruit makes for a delicious summer snack and in turn will load him up with tons of healthy vitamins A, B6 and C as well as thiamine.
Grapes
Grapes, with their high levels of resveratrol and their anti-cancer and heart disease fighting qualities, make a great choice for your dog’s diet. As an added bonus, the tannins found in grapes also help prevent urinary tract infections.
Sweet potatoes
A great source of vitamins E, A, B6 and C, as well as calcium, iron, folate, potassium, copper, thiamine and iron, sweet potatoes are a wonderful and super tasty vegetable for dogs.
Pumpkin
You can feed your dog pumpkin to load him up on fibre, vitamin A and antioxidants to help relieve diarrhoea and constipation and to promote his overall cardiovascular health.
Apples
Besides the fact that it’s super fun to watch a dog eat an apple, the powerful antioxidants and loads of vitamin C will do wonders for your dog’s diet.
But you shouldn’t feed the seeds to your dog as they contain cyanide, a toxic substance, some experts also advise keeping the stem away from your pet, also and don’t give the core or centre to your dog as it can be a choking hazard, you should cut the apple into slices so it will be easier for your dog to eat.
Also, just as in people, eating too many apples can cause a dog to have belly ache and diarrhoea, so they should be served in moderation.
You can also use apples in recipes to cook or make treats for your dog, a favourite recipe is dog pretzels, an easy-to-make procedure that includes only three ingredients, almond flour, eggs and unsweetened applesauce.
Spinach
We certainly understand the value of spinach in our own diets, but fortunately this leafy green vegetable can be just as powerful for your dog, although high in iron at almost double the amount of most other sources, spinach is a particularly good choice for your dog as it helps prevent inflammatory and cardiovascular problems, along with cancer.
Green beans
Getting your dog to eat his green beans will probably be easier than getting your children to do the same.
Green beans are good for your dog because of their omega 3 fatty acids and vitamins A, C and K, they are also a good source of calcium, thiamin, copper, riboflavin, fibre, potassium, folic acid, manganese, iron and niacin as well as beta carotene, essentially, they are the vegetable superpower for your dog.
Melon
Believe it or not, the same fruit salad food that humans have come to know and love is so good for dogs and that is cantaloupe, they are packed with vitamins that will help with your dog’s eyesight as well as lots of vitamin A and plenty of beta carotene, which helps reduce the risk of cancer and prevents cell damage, they are also a good source of vitamins B-6 and C, fibre, folate, niacin and potassium.
Brussels sprouts
Maybe if your child sees your dog eating his Brussels sprouts, he will jump up and eat them too, if your dog eats Brussels sprouts he will get vitamins K and G, manganese, folate, fibre, potassium and vitamins A, B1 and B6.
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