Vegetables in Dog Food

Healthy, nutritious ingredients are what we all want in our dogs’ diet, and what could be healthier than vegetables? Well in fact, for dogs, some vegetables aren’t healthy at all, they can be poisonous or affect absorption of other nutrients so always check first before feeding any human foods to dogs (and avoid all members of the onion family).

Good vegetables that are safe to eat and provide nutritious benefits are out there, look for anything orange (apart from an orange) for super benefits from carotenoids, natural antioxidants that can boost immune defences where they’re needed. Good examples would be carrots, pumpkin and sweet potatoes.

Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, chard and cabbage can be a great snack or meal addition. Providing vitamin C, vitamin A and key minerals like magnesium, copper and iron as well as dietary fibre to maximize good digestion. With these greens, too high a level can affect absorption of some nutrients and could cause kidney stones, so are best as occasional treats.

Peas and beans are a great dietary boost, these legumes are energy and protein powerhouses providing a source of B vitamins and minerals like calcium, zinc and magnesium. It’s important to prepare peas and beans as you would for people by soaking and cooking, as otherwise they are not digestible to dogs.

Whilst vegetables are healthy for dogs, they need to be a part of a balanced diet to ensure dogs are getting all the nutrients they need to stay healthy. They can be fed alongside their complete biscuits to bulk meals out for hungrier dogs or as rewards for good behaviour. Of course you can also find vegetables in our complete foods, we include sweet potato, potato, carrots and peas across our ranges as nutritious additions to our recipes.