As an avid organic vegetable gardener, you would assume I enjoy eating healthy, especially fruits and vegetables. But did you know that you’re number one furry friend enjoys healthy eating, too? Seriously! And we all wants best for our beloved pets, don’t we? Of course. But I’m not talking fancy bags of food from your local pet center. On the contrary. I’m talking garden produce. Beans and leaves, roots and fruits. Yep. The works. I know some people who ONLY feed their pets fresh vegetables, while others include raw salmon, eggs, and more. They do so, for health reasons. Pets are like people in the sense that a healthy weight and exercise are good for them. As their caregiver, it’s your job to see they get what’s good for them.

With summer fast approaching, it’s harvest time in my neck of the woods, but it’s only the beginning of the gardening season for my northern friends. So why not stake out a “pet garden” and grow what’s good for them?

Best Fruits and Vegetables for Your Dog

While these are certainly not the only fruits and vegetables your dog can eat, they are the best choices. Dogs can eat apples, bananas, pears, and others, but since I can’t grow those in my garden, I didn’t list them.

Blueberries

Blueberries have resveratrol which is good for fighting heart disease, plus the tannins found in blueberries also help prevent urinary tract infections. Blueberries are also rich in antioxidants which prevent cell damage in humans and canines alike. As an added bonus, they’re packed with fiber and phytochemicals as well. Raspberries and strawberries are also edible, but not as good a choice as blueberries.

Brussels Sprouts

Perhaps my all-time favorite veggie, Brussels sprouts are packed with vitamins A, B1, B6, K and G, plus manganese, folate, fiber, and potassium. CAUTION: These green balls of vegetarian delight can cause gas in humans and dogs alike. And I don’t know about your little “pumpkin” but mine has enough gas problems as it is! Tread lightly with this healthy treat!

Carrots

Carrots are a wonderful option because they’re low in calories, high in fiber and beta-carotene. As and added bonus, crunching on a carrot is great for your dog’s teeth. What I hear is “perfect pup” snack.

Celery

Another great crunchy choice, celery is known to freshen up your dog’s unfortunate doggie breath. As if you’re not sold on that one benefit alone, celery is contains vitamins A, B, and C, plus the nutrients needed for excellent heart health.

Cucumbers

Easy to grow and loaded with vitamins K, C, and B1, these fruits are mostly water which makes them the perfect garden snack for overweight dogs, as they hold little to no carbohydrates, fats, or oils. Plus, they contain potassium, copper, magnesium, and biotin.

Green Beans

Green beans are good for your pooch because of their omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, C, and K. If that wasn’t enough, they also contain a list of healthy ingredients, like calcium, copper, fiber, folic acid, iron, niacin, manganese, potassium, riboflavin and thiamin, as well as beta carotene. Talk about super-greens–these are it!

Peas

Peas are great, specifically snow peas, sugar snap peas, and garden or English peas. These varieties have vitamins, minerals, and are rich in protein and high in fiber. You can feed your dog fresh, frozen, or thawed peas, Don’t give them canned peas, due to an excess of added sodium.

Pumpkin

It’s the perfect fall snack for your pooch, because once your kids are finished carving the pumpkin, you’ll need something to do with the flesh. Well, cooked pumpkin is loaded with fiber, vitamin A and anti-oxidants which can help alleviate diarrhea and constipation, and promote overall heart health. But skip the sugar, as in pumpkin pie. It’s not good for us and it’s not good for your pet.

Sweet Potatoes

Similar to pumpkin, sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins E, A, B-6 and C, as well as calcium, iron, folate, potassium, copper, thiamine and iron. Not only delicious, they’re high in fiber. However, give your dog only peeled, cooked and unseasoned sweet potatoes. You don’t want any belly aches. (Learn how to make sweet potato slips for your garden!)

Watermelon

If you’re looking to add lycopene to your dog’s diet, skip the tomato and head for the watermelon. It’s your best source, plus it’s loaded with water, the perfect hydration for a hot sunny day. As for vitamins, think A, B-6 and C, as well as thiamin.

Learn How-To Grow Your Garden

How’s that for a top 10 list!? Gardening is not only good for you, it’s good for your pet. Don’t have a garden? Learn how-to grow some of these fruits and vegetables from my How-To Grow Section. As always, I love to talk gardening. Let me hear from you!