Raw Vegetables for Dogs

You might think it incredulous that dogs need to eat their veggies, too, for good health. But many holistic veterinarians have adopted the ancestral way of feeding canines—raw meats, vegetables and fruits—as opposed to providing canines the same food from a bag every day. While dogs don’t need carbohydrates in their diets per se, they do need the trace minerals and phytonutrients green leafy vegetables provide.

  1. Green Leafy Vegetables

    • According to Ian Billinghurst, veterinarian and founder of the Biologically Appropriate Raw Feeding (BARF) diet, which includes many of the same ingredients a dog in the wild would consume, a dog’s raw food diet should consist of about 15 percent “fresh, whole and raw non-starchy vegetables.” Billinghurst recommends green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, celery, “one or two members of the cabbage family” like bok choy or broccoli, herbs like parsley (great for dogs’ breath), and “root vegetables such as carrots and sugar beets or fruit-type vegetables (think tomatoes, or red and green peppers). All of the vegetables should be raw,” Billinghurst says.

    Vegetable Skins-The Most Vital Part

    • Schedule a variety of vegetables to incorporate into the dog’s diet based on what is in season. Varying the selection helps to provide a wide range of nutrients, because vegetables differ in nutrient content. All vegetables should be thoroughly washed to remove any chemicals, and the skins should not be removed. Billinghurst suggests feeding the dog vegetables with the skin intact “since it contains the most vital source of nutrients.”

    Mash Up Veggies Before Feeding

    • Raw vegetables “create fiber and they’re full of enzymes, anti-oxidants, minerals and fatty acids,” Billinghurst says, but while the vegetables should be fed raw, “they need to be completely crushed before they’re available for digestion.” Billinghurst and DogAware.com suggest using a juicer (preferred) or food processor to mash up the veggies before feeding.

    Non-Starchy Vegetables Have Few Calories

    • “Whole, raw veggies are not harmful,” DogAware.com states. “But their cell walls are not broken down during digestion so they provide little nutritional value to dogs. Most veggies have few calories, so they should be added on top of the amount of food you feed, rather than calculating them as a percentage of the diet.” If feeding even mashed vegetables causes digestive upset, holistic veterinarians recommend lightly steaming the vegetables before feeding.

    Make Easy-Sized Meals Ahead of TIme

    • The right mix of nutrient-packed vegetables creates a glossy sheen to your dog's coat.

      Sound like a lot extra work you don’t have time for? Many raw food proponents opt to make a big batch of juiced veggies, say at the beginning of the month or week, and then “freeze them in ice cube trays or muffin tins for easy meal-sized portions,” DogAware.com advises. While feeding fresh broccoli stems or carrots, for instance, is preferred, it’s not always practical for the busy dog owner.

    Vegetables to Avoid

    • Other vegetables to consider adding to the dog’s diet include cauliflower, peas, squash, pumpkin and beans. Never feed onions—they are toxic to dogs. For dogs with arthritis or other inflammatory condition potatoes, peppers and tomatoes can exacerbate swelling and should be avoided.