Suitable foods for dogs - fruit and vegetables

In this article you will learn the following:

• What fruit and vegetables your dog can tolerate
• What fruit and vegetables your dog cannot tolerate
• How you should best prepare fruit and vegetables
• What vegetables you should not use for BARF

More and more dog owners want to feed their pets a diet that is as natural and healthy as possible. As a result, more and more people are turning to alternative diets or supplementing their dog's food with grains, fruit, vegetables or oils, for example. Food supplements are also becoming increasingly popular.

In this blog post, you can find out which fruit and vegetables can be fed to your dog and which varieties are poisonous for your pet. You can also find out more about oils and carbohydratesin other blog posts.

Healthy vegetables for dogs: a detailed table

Vegetables can be a healthy addition to a dog's diet, as well as a tasty snack between meals. Vegetables can be a source of important nutrients such as fiber, vitamins and minerals that help support health and well-being. However, it is important to know which vegetables your dog is allowed to eat and how they should be prepared. The following list shows vegetables that are well tolerated by many dogs:

• Potatoes and sweet potatoes (cooked only)
• Pulses such as lentils, Peas and beans (cooked only)
• Cauliflower and broccoli (cooked only)
• Carrot and carrot
Möhre
• Fenchel
• Mais
• Spinat
• Chicorée
• Salat
• Gurke
• Kohlrabi
• Kürbis
• Zucchini
• Rote Beete
• Spargel

Raw, cooked or pureed? The best way to prepare vegetables for your dog:

When feeding vegetables, the following applies: What you as a human eat raw, your dog can also eat raw. Anything you have to cook yourself should also be cooked for the dog.

For example, you can feed the following raw: Carrots, cucumber, lettuce, zucchini, kohlrabi, pumpkin

Should be cooked: corn, fennel, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, potatoes

In addition, you should puree the fruit and vegetables for your furry friend with digestive problems, as these can be poorly digested in some cases. Please make sure to wash the vegetables well, especially if they are fed with the peel on. Many dog owners also like to use organic quality. You can alternate between the different varieties as you wish. However, be aware that legumes and corn contain more calories because they are starchy.

Suitable Fruit for Dogs: A Comprehensive List

Adding fruit to your dog's diet can be a tasty and healthy addition. Fruit and berries can be a source of important vitamins, antioxidants and fiber that can promote your dog's health. However, it is important to pay attention to the quantity and choice of fruit. Among others, the following types of fruit are well tolerated by dogs:

• apple
• banana
• berries such as blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and currants
• stone fruit such as peaches, Apricots, cherries and plums (only in moderation and without pits)
• Melon
• Orange and kiwi (in small quantities)

You should take this into account when preparing fruit

Fruit can also be combined and alternated - depending on what your dog can tolerate. Suitable fruits include apples, oranges, bananas, raspberries, strawberries and melons.

You don't need to worry about the fructose they contain. For obese animals, however, the amount of banana should be kept low and dried fruit should be avoided if possible. This has a higher calorie content and can also lead to flatulence and diarrhea. Fruit seeds should be removed as they contain hydrocyanic acid.

Please wash the fruit thoroughly before feeding. Here, too, you can let your imagination run wild - from finely chopped to grated to a smoothie - anything that's fun is allowed. Also read our articles Smoothie for dogs and Summertime is ice cream time.

Feed fruit and vegetables in moderation

Changing different types of fruit and vegetables brings variety to your dog's diet. You can let your imagination run wild when adding individual ingredients to your dog's food. However, please make sure that you do not add more than about 10 % to the ready-made food, as this can lead to nutrient imbalances. Self-composed rations and mixed rations of ready-made food and home-cooked food should always be checked by a vet and supplemented with a mineral feed if necessary.

What you should consider when BARFing

When BARFing, you can use almost any fruit and vegetables that are compatible with your furry friend. However, pay attention to the right composition. This is different for every four-legged friend, depending on their size and breed. Therefore, consult your veterinary practice to avoid causing deficiency symptoms by feeding your pet the wrong food. However, you should remove the following vegetables from your furry friend's BARF diet:

• raw potatoes
• unripe tomatoes
• onions
• green or yellow peppers

Caution: The following are poisonous for your four-legged friend

Fruit: Grapes, raisins, avocado

For detailed information on foods that are toxic to dogs, please read our blog What should dogs not eat?

Vegetables for dogs to lose weight

Integrating vegetables into a dog's diet can be a helpful strategy to promote weight loss in overweight animals. Due to their low calorie density, vegetables can aid weight loss. By replacing some of the usual amount of food with healthy portions of vegetables, you can reduce the total calorie intake while providing important nutrients. Alternatively, treats in between meals can be replaced with vegetables such as cucumber or carrots.

However, it is advisable to consult your vet beforehand in order to draw up a suitable diet plan.

Do you have any questions? Contact us at tierarzt@vegdog.de. Unseour vets will be happy to help you.

Your VEGDOGteam