Is Zucchini Safe for Dogs? A Guide to Feeding Your Canine

Can Dogs Eat Zucchini?

Before becoming a vegetarian, I didn’t really eat zucchini.  In my search for awesome vegetarian recipes, I’ve come across a few that call for zucchini.  Now it’s a much more regular part of my diet, especially in the summer time.  I can make a mean grilled zucchini sandwich!  Did you know that zucchini is safe for dogs?  Until I started eating it more myself, I never thought of offering it to my dogs.

Do Dogs Even Like Zucchini?

Mine do!  Surprisingly, even my picky puppy Fen will eat it.  Most people don’t eat it raw, but it’s perfectly ok to offer pieces of raw zucchini to your dog.  Of course, you can also feed it cooked – as long as you cook it plain without any seasoning.  I wouldn’t offer your pup fried zucchini, even if you enjoy it yourself.  But grilled, baked, steamed, or boiled are all fine for your dog.  I personally prefer it grilled, so my dogs have only ever tried it grilled and raw.

Benefits Of Feeding Dogs Zucchini

Zucchini is relatively low in calories.  If your dog enjoys it and needs to shed some pounds, grated zucchini could make a good food topper.  If your dog will chew on it raw, it can also be used as a healthy, low calorie snack.

Zucchinis contain lots of good stuff like vitamins B and C, calcium, folate, beta-carotene, and fiber.

Any Precautions?

Nothing major!  Like any new food, you’ll want to introduce zucchini slowly.  Too much of it at once, especially if your dog has never had it before, may cause stomach upset.  If you are feeding cooked zucchini that you prepared for yourself your best bet is to feed only plain pieces to your dog.  If you do decide to share some kind of zucchini dish, make sure all the other ingredients in the recipe are dog safe!

Remember that no one food, no matter how healthy it is, will be a complete diet for your dog.  Zucchini is an awesome snack, but it should only be fed in addition to a healthy, well balanced diet.

This post is a part of the 2016 Blogging from A to Z challenge!  You can learn more about our challenge theme here.