Sooo adorable. I take one look at those blue eyes and that happy face and I just want to love a Husky. And how were most of us brought up to show love? Food! Give the Husky food! Whether humans or animals we show our love by giving foody treats. But we also know these days that our dogs should not get fat. And they can not live only on meat. You can and should give them some vegetables. But they can not eat all of the kinds of vegetables that humans consume. What vegetables can Huskies eat? Read on we can help.
So, what vegetables can Huskies eat?
Almost all the vegetables are edible for Huskies. Some are downright poisonous and must never be given to any dog. They are onions, garlic, chives, pickles, avocado, hops, any peppers, raw potatoes, and green tomatoes. Due to deficiencies found in commercial vegan and vegetarian pet foods, it is safer that you do not put Huskies on a vegan or vegetarian diet.
You studied the label on the kibbles that you give your Husky and are sure that it is a high quality, balanced food. But you also sometimes give it a piece of meat or fish as a treat. We know you do! Can you give it some vegetables as well? You can give your Husky many vegetables either raw or cooked. Some are better for them than others and some are more fun for them to crunch raw. Let’s take a look!
Why is it good to feed a Husky vegetables?
One of the best reasons to feed your dog veggies is that they contain fiber. Also known as roughage, it keeps your dog’s bowels healthy. The other good reason is that since you ARE going to give it treats veggies are low in calories and should prevent your dog from becoming a fatty.
There are two kinds of fiber, soluble and insoluble, and you must include both in your dog’s diet. There are lots of benefits to your dog that you find in fiber:
- Soluble fiber: Controls large-bowel diarrhea, lowers cholesterol; slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream which is good against diabetes; promotes healthy gut bacteria.
- Insoluble fiber: Reduces constipation and straining
- Both types: may reduce the risk of colon cancer; results in a feeling of fullness, which guards against eating too much.
In one study it was proved that a decrease in the prevalence of diarrhea in training sled dogs could be obtained by feeding them synbiotics.
A synbiotic is a combination of prebiotics and probiotics. As you can guess it is mostly available as a pharmaceutical product. It can be made of fermented dairy products such as whey in combination with indigestible fiber such as endive.
Best not to try it at home!
These veggies are good sources of fiber for your dog:
- Carrots. It has potassium, which is good for a dog’s muscles, nerves, and kidneys. It also gives vitamins A, K, and B6.
- Broccoli. Great way to get rid of broccoli that you know you have to eat but don’t really want to. Give it to your Husky! Broccoli has a range of vitamins and trace elements and its fiber is easily digested especially if you cook it a little.
- Kale. Not only a human superfood but also for dogs. It packs fiber, iron, thiamine, folate, and riboflavin.
- Kelp. Not really a traditional vegetable but great for constipation or other digestive upsets.
- Pumpkin. Freeze small cubes of pumpkin to give as a treat on hot days and get some fiber into him as a bonus.
Let’s get technical.
Phytonutrients. A big word that means “chemicals produced by plants”.
But there is more to it than that. There are literally hundreds of phytonutrients (aka phytochemicals) but the easiest way to know that a vegetable is packed with them is to look at the color. Red, orange, yellow, and dark green are the best sources of phytonutrients.
What do they do
Although there is not a lot of scientific studies about the benefits of phytochemicals to dogs, there are a few known positives:
- They prevent cancer
- Are anti-inflammatory
- Decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes
- Cucumbers have phytochemicals that fight bacteria that causes bad breath
What are safe amounts of veggies to give a Husky?
Some sources say 20 – 30% of the diet is about the right amount of vegetables for dogs. The RAW and BARF diet fans say 10 – 20% is enough. At least one animal nutritionist recommends staying at the 10% limit. Then there are some that say that one third should be vegetables.
Most recommendations say that Huskies should have a large ratio of protein in their diet and at least one advises that Huskies should not have more than 25% vegetables in the diet.
Be careful about starchy vegetables.
In 2013 one veterinarian already said:
“Even if dogs have the capacity to process carbs, that does not mean that starch is a healthy nutrient for them.” This was long before the whole grain-free diet and the canine dilated cardiomyopathy (CDM) problem.
– Dr. Doug Knueven
He made this analogy that has been cited many times:
“I can digest ethanol and sucrose but that does not mean I am likely to be healthy consuming a diet high in Twinkies and tequila.”
– Dr. Doug Knueven
Which is better, cooked or raw?
Some experts insist, and they have evidence, that your dog will be able to ingest more of the nutrients in vegetables if it is slightly cooked. In the case of raw veggies you can help to release more of the nutrients by pulverizing it before you give it to your dog.
If you overcook the vegetables you destroy many of the nutrients. Remember that soggy, limp, pale, tasteless veggies you used to get at boarding school? You did not get much nutrition from them and neither will your Husky.
Can I feed vegetables to my Husky puppy?
Yes, you can. All root vegetables will be edible for your pup. You would cut it into smaller portions than for an adult dog.
You can freeze cubes of veggies and give to a teething puppy to chew on. Spares your furniture and is a safe alternative to chew toys. If it does not like the frozen treat then thaw it a little bit in the refrigerator before offering it.
Carrots, broccoli, and asparagus make great fresh treats for puppies. So are green beans, cauliflower, and pumpkin. Now, if only you can make the kid eat it as well…
Related Questions
No, Siberian Huskies are not obligate carnivores. They are facultative carnivores which means they eat animal prey as well as non-animal foods. If they do not get green stuff they will eat grass and even leaves. Even wild dogs and wolves do not live on meat alone.
If the table scraps are food that you would give your Husky in any case, then yes. This means whole, lean meat or a small piece of the vegetables listed above, without sauce or seasoning. Overall it is a bad idea because it can lead to begging behavior. It is also one of the causes of obesity in dogs because it is so hard to know when you are feeding too many table scraps and treats.
