Vegetables To Add To Dog Food

Base Mix Vs Supplements

When I use a base mix, I do add fewer supplements to my dogs diet. For example, I dont add organic kelp or milk thistle. And although the base mix is great when I dont have a source of bone, I sometimes add the base mix to ground meat and bone because I dont mind if my dogs have a high calcium week that I offset with lower calcium the following week.

Foods Not Safe For Dogs:

The most important thing to know when making homemade dog food for your dog are the foods they should NOT eat.

You can do a quick google search for an all inclusive list or buy a doggie cookbook for reference. Heres a list from the Humane Society of foods that can be poisonous to pets. Be sure to take the necessary precautions if you plan to start cooking for your dog, but also know, theres really not that much to worry about!

Here are some common human foods that should not be fed to your dog:

Charlie LOVES his homemade food and Im excited to experiment with new recipes and treats for him, so if you want to see more recipes for your pup, let me know in the comment section below!

Ground White Meat Turkey

You may have noticed that turkey is a common ingredient in dog treats and dog food. Thoroughly cooked and drained ground white meat turkey, as long as it’s plain and has no additives or salt, is perfectly healthy for dogs. However, there are some parts of the turkey you should never feed to your pup. Obviously, never feed your dog turkey bones as they can splinter and cause serious problems for them. Also, the fat in turkey skin may cause pancreatitis, a condition in which the pancreas becomes inflamed and swollen, so you do not want to feed them the skin either. The seasoning added to pre-cooked store bought turkey and deli meat usually contains onion and garlic which can irritate your dog’s bowels and cause serious digestive issues, such as vomiting and diarrhea.

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Precautions For Raw Fresh Veggies

Dont give carrots or celery stalks to gulpers. Aside from the choking hazard, raw vegetables are harder to digest. A dog who gulps his food without chewing could experience extreme gastro-intestinal upset if they have to digest a whole carrot.

Always make sure you are present and paying attention while your chewer dog enjoys his carrot.

When giving a celery stalk as a dog treat, peel the tough, stringy layer of the outer portion so your dog can chew right through the stalk without the fibrous strings. Those strings can tickle the throat or cause irritation and/or gagging.

Dog Dental Health 101

Keeping your dogs teeth healthy is an important part of maintaining his overall health, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association . Brushing your dogs teeth is the single most effective thing you can do to keep their teeth healthy between dental cleanings, and may reduce the frequency or even eliminate the need for dental cleanings, says the AVMA. Daily brushing is best, but its not always possible, and brushing several times a week can be effective.

Be sure to use a toothbrush and toothpaste made for dogs, not your toothpaste. Wiping the outside of the teeth with dog dental wipes at least every 2-3 days can also remove plaque.

As part of your pets routine care, your vet should check your dogs teeth and gums at least once a year to help prevent tooth and gum pain. The AVMA recommends taking your dog to the vet sooner if theyre experiencing any of the following:

• Any unusual chewing or drooling
• Pain, bleeding, or swelling around the mouth

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A Little Fresh Food Added To Kibble

You dont have to transition fully onto a fresh food diet in order to get some of the benefits of fresh food. A research study published by Perdue in 2005 found that Scottish Terriers who were fed fresh vegetables just three times per week had a significantly lower cancer rate in comparison to those who just ate a kibbled diet.

And though I cannot promise some of the other benefits of fresh food like increased digestibility by adding in a bit of fresh vegetables to your dogs diet. This research suggests those antioxidants and phytonutrients may be very helpful to your pup.

How To Prepare Vegetables For Your Dog’s Diet

How you prepare the vegetables for your dog is almost as important as the veggies themselves. Typically, you want to choose the method that ensures your dog gets as much of the nutrients as possible without developing a disdain for the taste. Here are some effective ways of vegetable preparation that you might want to try:

• Blanching: This is where you submerge the veggies in boiling water and quickly do the same in cold water. It cleans the veggies and helps to retain the vitamins and taste.
• Steaming: This cooks the vegetables yet preserves the vibrant color and most of the nutrients.
• Pureeing: This is the best method that provides maximum benefits as well as digestibility. Some vegetables such as spinach and celery won’t need to be cooked before blending, but others such as sweet potatoes and carrots might have to be steamed or blanched before blending. This method breaks down the vegetable cell walls making them easier for your dog to digest.

As a rule of thumb, you should always make sure that the vegetable content in your dog’s food is below 25%. Again, they might have the biological constitution to digest these foods, but that doesn’t mean that vegetables would be your dog’s first choice. Besides, feeding them too many greens could increase alkalinity or interfere with their gut flora, thus leading to kidney problems.

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Feed Smaller Meals More Often

Dogs with kidney problems often feel better when fed several small meals throughout the day rather than just one or two large meals. You may find that you need to adjust your feeding schedule as time goes on to keep your pup comfy! Hooch has really benefited from smaller meals throughout the day and seems to have much more energy all the way into the evening.

Which Vegetables Are Good For Dogs

Vegetables good for dogs include cruciferous vegetables , green leafy vegetables and yellow-orange vegetables. How often you feed your dog vegetables matters just as much as the type of vegetable you use. In a study, it was found that in order to have a positive effect, vegetables had to be fed at least three times per week . The power of vegetables for dogs amazes me every day!

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Which Vegetables Can My Dog Eat

There are a few different vegetables our dogs are fine eating . Any veg you give to your dog should be raw or boiled/steamed with no extra oils, butter or flavourings. Always cut it into bite-sized pieces to avoid choking and feed in moderation, especially if your dog isn’t used to eating fresh veg.

Dog-safe vegetables include:

• Broccoli in small amounts, raw or steamed
• Brussel Sprouts
• Carrots many dogs enjoy them raw, but they can be given steamed or boiled

• Strawberries very sugary so only very small amounts
• Watermelon remove rind and seeds

What Is The Best Meat To Feed Your Dog

What meat is best for dogs with allergies? Dogs are fed high protein meat. Dog breed and age, the type of meat and the dog’s food allergy are decisive factors when choosing the best meat for your dog.

Especially nutritious and lean meats such as kangaroos and salmon can be preferred for dogs. Before feeding any meat, advice from a veterinarian should be sought and your dog’s allergies or health issues learned.

Also, lean ground beef, steak, chicken, turkey, duck, and ground pork are great meat options for dogs.

Make sure that the meat is lean and without spices. Don’t feed your dog with fatty meats like bacon.

Beef: It is one of the most preferred meat types especially in ready-made dog foods. High in protein, iron, zinc, selenium and vitamins B12, B3, and B6, this meat is relatively healthy for dogs.

Chicken Meat: One of the most common meats in pet food today is chicken. It is a food rich in protein, vitamins B3 and B6, phosphorus and selenium. It is leaner than beef and pork. Chicken meat contains Salmonella bacteria. Before feeding your dog chicken meat, you should make sure the meat is cooked well. Your dog may have a food sensitivity or allergy to chicken meat. It should be consulted by a veterinarian for this.

Lamb: It is rich in vitamins B12 and B3, Omega 3 and Omega 6 acids, selenium and zinc. Lamb meat is fatty meat. For this reason, it should not be preferred for overweight or elderly dogs.

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What Kind Of Snacks Can I Feed A Dog With Kidney Disease

Our dogs seriously LOVE snack time, but snack time has had to seriously change! Dogs with kidney disease should avoid meat based chews/treats that are high in phosphorus, so you may find that you need to explore new types of treats for your dog instead. My probiotic rich Pumpkin & Yogurt Bowlsare our dog’s favorite treat these days! They also really enjoy thin apple slices, blueberries, and fresh banana chunks. When it comes to crunchy chews they both are SUPER into dehydrated banana chips, pumpkin, and sweet potato. I swear, our dog’s drool for them like they are the jerky chews we used to treat them with!

A Little Note On Meats

Vegetables are great for dogs, but please understand that dogs are carnivores that need meat and protein in their diet. In fact, they need more protein than humans do to thrive!

While vegetables do contain protein, they dont contain nearly enough for a healthy dog diet. For example, carrots only provide 1 gram of protein per 100 grams!

For optimal health, dogs need a diet that is between 18% and 30% protein.

As a general guideline, the Association of American Feed Control Officials requires adult dog food to contain a minimum of 18% crude protein on a dry matter basis .

So please, add extra veggies into your dogs diet for optimal health, but understand that they cant live solely on vegetables!

Before we wrap up, its important to note that there are veggies that ARE NOT safe for dogs to consume. To help keep your dog safe, Ive compiled a list of things below of some of the veggies that you should NOT feed your dog.

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So We Went To Work & Spent The Days/weeks That Followed Researching Canine Kidney Disease Like Hooch’s Life Depended On It

After reading what felt like every article on the internet we were excited to know that there were a few really easy lifestyle changes we could immediately make at home. We hoped some of this would really help Hooch and make things easier on his kidneys. Here are a few of thebiggest impact changes we’ve been able to make:

Video Answer: List Of Vegetables Healthy For Your Dog L Best Veggies For Your

Wolves and dogs in the wild eat the stomach contents of their prey, and typically their prey are herbivores, making the stomach contents predigested vegetable matter.

Dog’s don’t have the teeth of an herbivore, which are flat and able to grind and crush vegetables and plant matter.

Dogs are carnivores and the primary component of their diet is prey.

Wild dogs will search for rotten fruit and will eat the semi-digested contents of their prey’s stomach.

Some will dig up vegetables and eat grasses and herbs.

Dogs are also scavengers.

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How To Feed Your Dog Veggies And Fruits

Start to introduce fresh fruits and vegetables early when your dog is a puppy. Most can be fed to your dog in their raw or cooked state, although some dogs may prefer one or the other. And always check with your vet to make sure youre providing the best options possible for your doggos needs.

Looking for ideas on how to incorporate fruits and veggies into your dogs diet? They can be offered in a number of ways, such as:

• Baked into a yummy veggie casserole with quinoa or rice

• Formed and baked into crunchy treats

• Cooked, steamed or raw bite-sized chunks mixed in with regular meals

• Handed out as training incentives

• Whirled greens and/or fruits into a dog-licious smoothie

• Given instead of bones and rawhides, such as raw carrots

So, go ahead, and spoil your pup with healthy and safe fruits and veggies that’ll make their tail wag! And be sure to check out the many other Wellness guides on Wag!

A high-quality diet is essential for keeping your dog happy and healthy. If your dog may be at risk of developing food allergies or digestive issues, check out our pet insurance comparison tool. Brought to you by Pet Insurer, Wag! Wellness lets pet parents compare insurance plans from leading companies like Figo and Healthy Paws.

Fruits Dogs Can And Cant Eat

ApplesYes, dogs can eat apples. Apples are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as fiber for your dog. They are low in protein and fat, making them the perfect snack for senior dogs. Just be sure to remove the seeds and core first. Try them frozen for an icy warm weather snack. You can also find it as an ingredient in apple-flavored dog treats.

Avocado No, dogs should not eat avocado. While avocado may be a healthy snack for dog owners, it should not be given to dogs at all. The pit, skin, and leaves of avocados contain persin, a toxin that often causes vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. The fleshy inside of the fruit doesnt have as much persin as the rest of the plant, but it is still too much for dogs to handle.

BananasYes, dogs can eat bananas. In moderation, bananas are a great low-calorie treat for dogs. Theyre high in potassium, vitamins, biotin, fiber, and copper. They are low in cholesterol and sodium, but because of their high sugar content, bananas should be given as a treat, not part of your dogs main diet.

BlueberriesYes, dogs can eat blueberries. Blueberries are a superfood rich in antioxidants, which prevent cell damage in humans and canines alike. Theyre packed with fiber and phytochemicals as well. Teaching your dog to catch treats in the air? Try blueberries as an alternative to store-bought treats.

Pumpkin

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Are Fresh Vegetables Good For Dogs

Some fresh veggies are good: yes. If your dog enjoys a crunchy vegetable such as carrot or celery consider yourself lucky! Dogs can be given the occasional raw, fresh vegetable such as a carrot, celery stalk or cucumber. Carrots and celery, in particular, can help clean the gum line of dogs who enjoy chewing their vegetables.

Other vegetables such as squash and brussel sprouts should not be given to your dog for raw eating because they are too hard to digest. But you can definitely blanch or roast them for an extra special dog treat.

A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if you would eat the vegetable raw. If not, dont give it to your dog raw.

Broccoli, beans and cauliflower can be eaten raw, but digest better when blanched or cooked.

Recommended Serving Size For Homemade Dog Food:

The amount of homemade dog food that your dog will require is dependent upon how much your dog weighs and how active he or she is. This amount varies from dog to dog. I suggest talking to your vet and getting their advice on a good starting point.

You can also monitor your dog to make sure they are maintaining their weight and staying happy and active.

This recipe makes about six cups of food, which is three days worth of food for Charlie who is about forty-five pounds. You can easily adjust this amount based on the weight of your dog. Also, feel free to scale this recipe up and double or even triple it, if you wanted to cook less often.

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Best Vegetables To Add To Dog Food

Although dogs are primarily carnivores, that doesnt mean that they cant benefit from the delicious nutrients that vegetables have to offer. Not only is including veggies in your canine friends meal a great way to bulk up their diet with some yummy vitamins but it might also be a great way to save up on the cost of dog food as we all know vegetables are great for adding bulk and theyre usually quite cheap. So lets take a look at the hows and what of the best vegetables to add to dog food.

Vegetables Dogs Can And Cant Eat

AsparagusNo, dogs should not eat asparagus. While asparagus isnt necessarily unsafe for dogs, theres really no point in giving it to them. Its too tough to be eaten raw, and by the time you cook it down so its soft enough for dogs to eat, asparagus loses the nutrients it contains. If you really want to share a veggie, something more beneficial is probably best.

BroccoliYes, broccoli is safe for dogs to eat in very small quantities and is best served as an occasional treat. It is high in fiber and vitamin C and low in fat. However, Broccoli florets contain isothiocyanates, which can cause mild-to-potentially-severe gastric irritation in some dogs. Furthermore, broccoli stalks have been known to cause obstruction in the esophagus.

Brussels SproutsYes, dogs can eat Brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants that are great for humans and dogs, alike. Dont overfeed them to your dog, however, because they can cause lots of gas. Cabbage is also safe for dogs, but comes with the same gassy warning!

CarrotsYes, dogs can eat carrots. Carrots are an excellent low-calorie snack that is high in fiber and beta-carotene, which produces vitamin A. Plus, crunching on this orange veggie is great for your dogs teeth and it is included in many dog foods.

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