It feels good to give your dog something they enjoy, so when your dog is looking up at you with those puppy-dog eyes looking for some table scraps, you have probably wondered what vegetables and other foods dogs can eat.
It’s tempting to think that any healthy foods for people will be healthy for your dog but that’s not always the case and some foods that are healthy for humans can actually be harmful to dogs so it’s important to know which foods are safe.
So what vegetables can dogs eat? Below, you’ll find the vegetables that dogs can safely eat.
1) Broccoli
Broccoli can be a safe treat for dogs in limited amounts. Broccoli is low in fat and high in fiber and vitamin c.
On the other hand, you need to be careful to not feed your dog too much broccoli because it contains isothiocyanates, which can lead to irritation of the digestive system in dogs. If you give your dog broccoli, it should be given just as a treat here and there and kept under 10% of their daily food intake.
Both cooked and uncooked broccoli can be given to dogs but as always, uncooked vegetables contain more vitamins and nutrients. It should not be seasoned when you give it to your dog.
Another thing to be aware of is that broccoli can be a choking hazard, especially for small dogs. You can’t be sure that your dog will chew it up enough before trying to swallow it, so you should cut or break it up into small pieces before giving it to your dog.
2) Brussels Sprouts
Brussel sprouts are very healthy, as they’re rich in vitamins and nutrients. That includes protein, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, potassium, and more. They also contain antioxidants and are anti-inflammatory.
These nutrients are good for bone/joint health, immune health, a healthy coat, and more.
Just be sure to not give your dog too many at a time and break them up before giving them to small dogs so they don’t become a choking hazard.
Also worth noting that brussels sprouts can cause gas/flatulence. It’s not harmful to dogs but you may not want to deal with that if brussels sprouts give your dog particularly bad gas.
3) Cabbage
Cabbage can be a healthy snack to feed your dog in moderation. It’s a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K.
This will help with your dog’s digestion/to keep them regular and improve immune health. Vitamin K is important for blood and bone health.
Cabbage can also cause gas in dogs so that’s something to be aware of.
4) Carrots
Carrots are great healthy snacks for dogs and many dogs love the taste and texture.
Carrots are a good source of fiber, vitamin A, potassium, and other vitamins and nutrients.
In addition to their nutritional content, carrots can be good for teeth health by removing residual food chunks and plaque during the chewing process.
As with other vegetables, carrots can be a choking hazard, especially for small dogs, so be sure to cut or break them up accordingly.
5) Celery
Many believe that celery has no nutritional value but that’s actually not true. Celery contains plenty of vitamins and nutrients, including fiber, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and more.
Celery is also a source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Celery, like carrots, can help to clean your dogs teeth and freshen breath by dislodging other food.
Celery is especially a great option for overweight dogs because it’s so low in calories.
6) Green Beans
Green beans are another great healthy treat for dogs.
Green beans are packed with vitamins and nutrients, including fiber, calcium, iron, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. They’re also low in calories, making it a great for getting to or maintaining a healthy weight.
It’s OK for dogs to eat green beans whether they’re raw or if they’re cooked. However, many ingredients that are often prepared and cooked along with green beans aren’t suitable for dogs.
Some things that you should not include with green beans if you give them to your dog include: onions, garlic, salt, spices, and oil. These foods can be harmful to dogs.
7) Green Peas
Green peas can be another healthy vegetable to give to your dog, as long as they’re not the canned kind, as they often have high levels of sodium.
Peas are rich in vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin K, iron, potassium, protein, magnesium, and zinc. Your dog may even already be familiar with the taste because peas are often used as an ingredient in dog food. They’re also low in calories so they’re good for weight management.
Peas contain lutein, which is an antioxidant and known to be beneficial for eye health.
One exception with peas is to not give them to dogs with any known kidney problems because they produce uric acid in the body, which can cause kidney stones and be harmful to unhealthy kidneys.
8) Spinach
Spinach can be an acceptable human food to feed to dogs in small amounts. The reason that it’s best to keep spinach to a minimum is that in dogs it contains oxalic acid, which can be harmful to the kidneys and make it difficult for the body to absorb calcium.
Otherwise, spinach can be good because it contains antioxidants, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin K.
What Vegetables Can Dogs Eat — Conclusion
Vegetables can be a great alternative and healthier snack to traditional dog treats that you might find in pet stores or sections of stores like Walmart or Target. Pet treats marketed as healthy options can actually be harmful because they contain sugar and other unhealthy ingredients.
These vegetables, on the other hand, can be healthy treats, as long as you give them to your dog in moderation.
Now that you know what vegetables dogs can eat, you may be curious as to what fruits dogs can eat. Learn what fruits you can safely feed your dog in our article What Fruits Can Dogs Eat? 16 Safe & Healthy Fruits for Dogs. Also, if you feed your dog food that’s not dog food, you should be aware of the foods dogs can’t eat.
