Blog / Pets

25 May 2017

6 Fruit and vegetables you should feed your dog

In many families the dogs are loved and cared for and considered as much a part of the family as any human. However, when it comes to their nutrition most people simply feed their dogs conventional pet food and don’t think to give them fruit and vegetables. Contrary to popular belief dogs are not pure carnivores but actually lie somewhere between carnivore and omnivore.

Fruit and vegetables are a wonderful source of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, water and fibre. Just like humans, if dogs don’t have proper nutrition they can become overweight and prone to diseases like cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, respiratory disease and others. Dogs don’t drink much water and since their primary food source is dry they can suffer with dehydration which leads to kidney problems.

Here are 6 fruits and vegetables that are a good addition to your dog’s diet.

Apples

Apples are a great choice for dogs because they are sweet and crunchy and packed with vitamin A, vitamin C and fibre. Fibre has an important role in maintaining proper digestion and chewing it may help to keep your dogs teeth clean. Be sure to remove the apple core and thinly slice it to avoid a checking hazard.

Sweet Potatoes

Cooked sweet potatoes are easy to digest, delicious and full of heart-healthy nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, B vitamins and plenty of fibre. 

Watermelon

Dogs love watermelon thanks to the sweet taste and crispy texture. It’s a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, fibre and it’s high water content makes it an excellent hydrating food. 

Green Beans

Green beans are a great crunchy addition to your dog’s diet and are loaded with fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese.

Spinach

Leafy greens like spinach would make up part of a dog’s diet in the wild. It’s high in iron and magnesium and can help to prevent chronic health issues due to its anti inflammatory properties.

Dandelion Greens

Your dog will love chewing on dandelion greens and they are loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin D, vitamin B, calcium, potassium, zinc, iron and protein.

Dogs eat quickly without chewing their food properly so it’s best if you can thinly slice, chop up or even blend the fruit and vegetables to avoid any choking risk. You can feed these to your dog raw or slightly steamed but don’t add any seasoning or oils. If your dog hasn’t been introduced to fruit and vegetables before it may take some time for him to adjust so have patience and grab an apple too!

You can find suppliers of organic dog food and organic pet food products in Australia listed on the Australian Organic & Natural Directory, as well as organic fruits and vegetables that you can prepare and add to your dog’s diet.

Sources

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/8-fruits-and-vegetables-to-keep-your-dog-happy-n-healthy/
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/good-reasons-to-include-vegetables-in-your-dogs-diet/