Can Dogs Eat Green Beans?
Yes, your dog can eat green beans. Plain, unseasoned green beans can be a healthy addition to supplement your dog’s diet.
Just remember: all dogs react differently to each and every food. Moderation is key here to avoid gas or diarrhea. If you choose to feed your dog green beans, a larger dog likely will be able to safely enjoy more in its diet than a smaller dog.
Preparing Green Beans for Your Dog
Green beans are most nutritious for your beloved canine when served raw. You can also serve them frozen (my dog’s favorite), boiled, grilled, or steamed, but be aware that the cooking process takes out many of the nutrients.
Dogs tend to gulp down their food and treats. And green beans are large, so you should cut them up into small pieces so they’re not a choking hazard. This is especially important for small dogs.
Additionally, many things we add to green beans when cooking them for ourselves – like seasonings, oils, onions, and garlic (which is toxic to dogs) – can cause stomach upsets, so be sure to serve them plain when feeding green beans to your dog.
Overall, green beans are a healthy treat replacement for high-calorie commercial treats. The low sugar and high fiber content in green beans also make them acceptable for dogs with diabetes.
Plus, they’re portable, so you can take them along when you’re out and about with your pooch. They’re also a hydrating treat for a hot day, not to mention a healthy way to boost your dog’s energy level until dinnertime.
That said, be aware that canned green beans may contain too much salt, which is bad for dogs. If you want to offer your dog canned green beans, make sure they have no added salt.
The best way to serve green beans to your dog is raw or frozen. Because of the aforementioned choking hazard, make sure to cut them up first. Dogs love green beans, so you don’t have to worry about them turning the vegetable down.
Cut up, raw green beans make tasty toppers for your dog’s food. Whether you steam them or offer them raw, your dog will enjoy their crunchy texture.
You can also create a soup for cold weather, by adding green beans, spinach, and sweet potatoes sodium-free chicken broth. Not only will this slurpy goodness hydrate your dog – it’ll boost their immune system, too.
You can find several tasty dog treat recipes using green beans on the Internet. Here are a few I found that look interesting:
But green beans aren’t the only great snack option for dogs. Look beyond commercial dog treats and check out the many fruits and veggies that can boost your dog’s overall health.
Can Dogs Have Green Beans?
Yes! Green beans can be a great addition to a dog’s normal diet and they can make great treats.
Green beans are packed with fiber, low in calories and contain minerals and vitamins, such as Vitamin A, C, and K.
Most dogs will tolerate them in moderation but it’s always recommended to check with your vet before adding any new foods to your dog’s diet.
Green beans are often recommended by many veterinarians for weight loss in dogs and there’s even a green bean diet for dogs.
Replacing a small part of a dog’s regular food with frozen or cooked green beans is a great way to drop some calories and fat from your dog’s diet.
Can Dogs Eat Raw Green Beans? | DogVela
If your pup is overweight or if you wish to add more fiber to his diet, adding green beans to his dog kibble is one solution. Green beans are low in calories and will help your pup feel full because of the fiber content. Green beans are inexpensive when compared to specialty dog foods that promote weight loss. Before adding green beans to your dogs kibble or adding any human food, discuss it with your veterinarian.
Evaluate your dogs body condition. Place both of your thumbs on his backbone and spread your hands across his rib cage. You should be able to feel his ribs. Look at his profile. If he has an hourglass shape that includes an abdomen tucked behind the rib cage, he is an appropriate weight.
Adjust your dogs diet and include an exercise program if he is overweight. Begin feeding your dog twice a day to spread out the food and help keep his metabolism going.
Measure your dogs kibble with a measuring cup. Measure out 1/4 cup less than he normally eats for one of the two meals. After a few days, decrease the second meal by another 1/4 cup.
Stir in 1/4 cup of the green beans after a few days of adjusting his kibble. Do this for one feeding for a few days until your dog adjusts to the added fiber. The added fiber may cause some gas if too much is introduced at once. After a few days, add a 1/4 cup of green beans to the second feeding.
Evaluate your dogs weight again after a few weeks. If he isnt losing weight, cut back on more kibble and replace with an equal amount of green beans.
Pauline Gill is a retired teacher with more than 25 years of experience teaching English to high school students. She holds a bachelors degree in language arts and a Master of Education degree. Gill is also an award-winning fiction author.