Sharing is caring, but not when it can land your dog in the vet.
If your dog sits and stares at you every time you chop a salad, good news – there are plenty of fruits and veggies that are not only safe, but brilliant low-calorie treats, training rewards and fibre boosts. Others can be toxic.
Here’s the doggie-safe list you can stick on the fridge.
The golden rules before you share
1. 10% rule: Treats, including fruit and veg, should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calory intake.
2. Wash, peel, chop, seed: Always wash produce, remove seeds/pips where needed, and cut into bite-sized pieces to prevent choking.
3. Introduce slowly: One new food at a time. Too much fibre too fast can result in gas and diarrhoea.
Safe vegetables
These can be given daily in small amounts:
1. Carrots
The perfect crunch! Low-cal, high in beta-carotene and fibre and are great for teeth. Plus, frozen carrots are amazing for teething puppies.
How to serve: raw sticks, grated over kibble or lightly steamed.
2. Green beans
All green beans are safe – raw, steamed or canned (no added salt though!). Low in calories, high in iron and vitamins.
Great for dogs on a weight-loss plan.
3. Sweet potato/butternut
Packed with vitamin A and fibre. Must always be cooked and plain. Never raw.
How to serve: Cubed, boiled or baked. A spoonful mashed into dinner.
4. Peas
Peas, sugar snaps and mangetout are safe and full of protein and B vitamins.
Note: Avoid if your dog has kidney issues, as peas contain purines.
5. Cucumber
The ultimate diet treat: 95% water, almost zero calories. Perfect for hot summers and overweight dogs.
6. Broccoli (in moderation)
Safe, but only in small amounts. Stems can cause choking and too much (over 10% of diet) can cause upset stomach due to isothiocyanates. Keep it to a few small florets.
7. Celery
Fresh breath bonus! Low-cal and full of vitamins. Chop small as the strings can be a choking risk.
8. Spinach & baby marrow
Spinach is safe in small amounts but high in oxalates, so don’t overdo it if your dog has kidney issues. Baby marrow (also known as zucchini is excellent raw or cooked.
Safe fruits
Fruits are higher in sugar so keep portions smaller – think tablespoon-sized treats.
1. Apples (no core or seeds)
Crunchy, high in fibre and vitamins A and C. Always, remove seeds and core – apple seeds contain tiny amounts of cyanide.
How to serve: Sliced.
2. Blueberries
A superfood for dogs, blueberries are filled with antioxidants, fibre, vitamin C. Perfect training treats.
3. Watermelon (seedless)
Hydration hero – the watermelon is 92% water and low-cal. But, remove the rind and black seeds before giving them to your pup. Ideal for summer – freeze cubes for an icy treat.
4. Banana
Great moderation. High in potassium and fibre but also high in sugar. Half a small banana a few times a week max.
Tip: Mash a little on a lick mat and freeze it.
5. Strawberries
Sweet, high in vitamin C. cut the tops off and dice. High in sugar so only give 2-3 berries at a time.
6. Mango
Delicious and rich in vitamins. Must be perfect and remove the large stone – it’s a choking and intestinal blockage risk.
7. Pears
Low-cal and high in fibre. Remove pips and core, and slice up.
8. Pineapple
A few small chunks raw, fresh pineapple (not canned in syrup) are great and help some dogs stop eating poop.
DANGER! The no-go list
The fruit and veg that you must never give.
1. Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants
Even one can cause acute kidney failure and death. This even includes grape juice. Recent veterinary research points to tartaric acid (and potassium bitartrate) in grapes as the main toxin that causes acute kidney damage in dogs.
2. Onion, garlic, leeks, chives and spring onion
All Alliums. When ingested, it destroys red blood cells and cause anaemia – this includes powdered and dehydrated.
3. Avocado
Persin in leaves, skin, pit and flesh can cause vomiting/diarrhoea. The pit is also a major blockage risk.
4. Macadamia nuts (not a fruit, but crucial)
Highly toxic to dogs – causes weakness, vomiting and tremors though the mechanism of toxicity is not known.
5. Cooked corn on the cob
The corn itself is fine, but the cob causes fatal intestinal blockage.
6. Cherry, peach and plum pits
The flesh is fine in small amounts but the pits contain cyanide and are blockage hazards.
7. Green tomatoes and green and raw potatoes
Raw or green potatoes contain solanine while the green parts of tomatoes (stems, leaves, unripe green tomato) also contain solanine. Only plain cooked white potato in small amounts is okay, but sweet potato is a healthier choice.
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