How to Incorporate Fruits and Veggies into Your Dog's Diet
How To Add Fruits And Veggies To Your Dog's Diet!
When you run out of treats from the grocery store, have you ever considered opening the fridge to see what your dog can eat? There are a lot of great nutritious fruits and vegetables for dogs that people usually have right at their fingertips. Next time you're reaching for the bag of treats, check your fridge as well! There are a surprising number of pet-safe fruits and vegetables that can help improve your pup's diet and treat them with something new and tasty! When you feed your dog fruits and veggies it is important to follow a few safety steps:
- Cut or mash fruits and vegetables to the appropriate size to avoid the potential of choking.
- Incorporate new foods slowly, beginning with 10% or less of your dogs total food.
- Always consult with your veterinarian to establish if your dog has any unforeseen allergies.
The best way to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your dogs diet is to add them into their established meal times. At FurHaven Pet Products we began feeding our dogs a few blueberries to start, then added in some mashed pumpkin the next week, followed by a few frozen apple slices during training. Letting your dogs digestion adapt to these new nutrient dense foods is the key to successfully feeding your pup a more nutritious diet.
Tips And Tricks For Feeding Fruits And Veggies To Your Dog
Nothing is more enticing to your dog than new treats! We made this guide so you can incorporate some nutritious options into your dog's diet, but when feeding fruits and vegetables, you must prepare them so they don't pose a choking hazard to your pup. Make sure you have either mashed them up or cut them into an appropriate size to avoid choking. When feeding these new plant-based dog treats, make sure you don't overfeed as this can upset your stomach, especially those high-sugar fruits we discussed earlier. If you are looking for a slow feeding to mash some banana or pumpkin into, we have our Paws N' Play ready to go!
Can My Dog Eat Asparagus?
Asparagus is a nutrient-dense veggie that is good for both humans and dogs! The health-promoting vitamins and minerals aren’t only beneficial to humans, your dog can gain a lot from eating asparagus too. Asparagus is good for dogs! To prepare asparagus for your dog you should follow a few steps:
- Cut the woody stalk off.
- Cut into bites size pieces to avoid choking.
- Do not season with anything, plain asparagus is best.
- Boil or steam until soft, as this aids in its digestibility.
Benefits Of Blueberries For Dogs
Blueberries are one of the most nutritious berries that dogs will eat, plus you can feed your dog both fresh and frozen blueberries as treats and with their meals. They are advantageous training treats as they are low in calories while containing an abundance of Vitamin C, fiber, and phytochemicals which are important for your dog's health.
Can My Dog Eat Pumpkin to Help Their Upset Stomach?
Pumpkin is an incredible fiber-rich food you can and should be feeding to your dog. Pumpkin is full of vitamins A, E, and C and contains Potassium and Iron which can help to improve your dog's diet and overall health. When feeding your dog pumpkin it is important to feed it plain with no oils or spices which can upset your dog's stomach, something which pumpkin normally helps to treat. Feeding your dog pumpkin is easiest when you use canned pumpkin from the grocery store, just make sure to put any extra in a food-safe, air-tight container in the fridge. If you are going to buy canned pumpkin, make sure to avoid puree that contains Xylitol, as this is toxic to dogs.
Benefits Of Apples For Dogs
With all of this talk about a natural diet for your dog, it should be no surprise that Apples are also a healthy option for your dog. They contain fiber, and both vitamins A and C, but you must be sure to NEVER feed your dog apple seeds. We regularly feed apples to our dogs here at FurHaven Pet Products and will often freeze them in chunks for those pups who need to cool down or enjoy chomping down on some ice cubes.
Can My Dog Eat Brussels Sprouts?
Brussels sprouts are part of a nutritious diet for dogs, however, they do contain isothiocyanate which can cause an increase in flatulence in your pup, so make sure to crack open a window after feeding them to your pup! They contain an abundance of fiber, vitamins, and minerals which can help build a nutritious diet for your dog in addition to their dog food. Just make sure to cook them and break them up into small pieces so they can be easily chewed and digested.
I Love Pineapple, But Can My Dog Eat Pineapple Too?
Pineapple is an incredible high-reward treat for dogs, but you should avoid canned pineapple with added sugars as it can upset your pup's stomach. Make sure to remove the skin and the core, but from there, a few chunks can be used in training or mashed into your favorite slow feeder for dogs. We love freezing pineapple for dogs in the summer to help cool them off and provide something new to chew. Pineapple contains an abundance of vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, and folate plus minerals like manganese, copper, potassium, magnesium, iron, and small amounts of calcium phosphorus, and zinc. All of these are components of a health-promoting diet for dogs and can be included in small amounts.
Bananas In Moderation Are Good For Dogs
Just like pineapple, bananas are full of health-promoting vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for your pup. They can be cut into disks and added to their normal food, or frozen for little summer sweet treats during training. They contain an abundance of fiber and are easily spread into slow feeders too.
The Benefits Of Carrots In A Dogs Diet
Everything comes back to fiber, but carrots also bring beneficial vitamin A and a loud satisfying crunch to help clean their teeth. Carrots are an easy treat to feed your dog, especially when cooked because their soft texture can be easily mashed into a slow feeder. When raw, make sure the carrot pieces are small enough to not pose a choking hazard!
