# Vegetables help alkalize the body:It is important that your dog’s diet maintain the alkalinity and acidity balance in the body. Organs, such as liver, heart, kidneys, pancreas, gallbladder and hormones, require a more alkaline environment to function efficiently. Proteins like meat make the body more acidic, leading to inflammation. Vegetables and some fruits, on the other hand, have an alkalinizing effect on the body.
The idea of converting from those crunchy little kibbles to fresh food diets can be very daunting to even the most savvy pet parents out there! I get it. I was there once – and I was totally FREAKED OUT that I was going to do something to hurt my dogs. So I tried to look back to see what would have made things easier for me back when I was new to non-kibble diets. And I think it would be have been nice to maybe start with baby steps. Dip my toe in the water to see that the water wasn’t really so cold after all and eventually jump right in.
Pictured below you will see in this particular batch I included a lot of these veggies. This is only because they happen to all be in season right now. I freeze these veggie mixes in batches with other varities, so they don’t get more than a few days of each mix at a time.
When kibble diets (dry food diets) are made, they are cooked at such high temperatures that the natural vitamin and mineral content is destroyed. Meaning, that synthetic vitamins and minerals are added back into the foods to replace them. Synthetic vitamins are not nearly as easy to absorb as they are in their natural form. So to put it in short and simple terms – our dogs are missing out on a whole heck-of-a-lot of vital nutrition. This vital nutrition is essential for fighting immune related diseases and diseases like Cancer.
USE PREDOMINATELY – Mix fewer starchy veggies (carrots, beets, sweet potato) with kale, lettuce (not iceberg), broccoli, cucumber, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, green beans, and zucchini. (There are other veggies that are ok, I just want to give you a simple starting point for the purpose of this blog post.)
Veggies are high in fibre, and if your dog isn’t used to them they can cause diarrhea. So start by adding small amounts first, and monitor their stool. I am not sure there is a magic amount, but if I had a smaller dog (under 30lbs) I might add 2 heaping teaspoons per meal, and my guys (55-65lbs) have 2 heaping tablespoons per meal in their raw meals. A giant breed can likely tolerate more – maybe 3 heaping tablespoons per meal. Just start small, and work your way up to bowel tolerance.
Observe the prohibitions and commandments
Dogs canât eat every type of vegetable or fruit. What are particularly valuable sources of vitamins and fibre and which are not tolerated by dogs?
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Vegetable Purée for Dogs – 3 Basic Recipes
If you’re looking for healthy treats to add to your dog’s diet, try vegetables for dogs. Not only are vegetables a good source of vitamins and minerals that provide health benefits, but non-starchy dog-friendly vegetables are also low in calories and fat. Wondering what vegetables can dogs eat? Well, listen up!
With the help of some experts, we found the best vegetables for dogs. From carrots to zucchini, these veggies for dogs are healthy and delicious! And to help you out in the kitchen, we also learned how to prepare vegetables for dogs.
Can dogs eat raw vegetables? Yes! But there are many other ways to prep veggies for dogs. You can cook, steam, bake, roast, grill or puree these dog-friendly vegetables. But no matter how you prepare vegetables for dogs, avoid using salt! Dogs don’t always care for it and, even on the best vegetables for dogs, it is not good them.
Read below to see what vegetables can dogs eat and how to prepare vegetables for dogs, with suggested portion sizes for treats. Bon appetit!