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Can Dogs Eat Carrots? | PUPPYFAQS

Can Dogs Eat Carrots?

can dogs eat carrots

If you are looking for a healthy, tasty, crunchy chew for your dog that isn’t going to damage your dog’s teeth, you may have found yourself looking through the contents of your fridge and wondered – can dogs eat carrots? 

In this article, we will look at carrots in detail to find out if this vegetable is suitable for our dogs, and what the best ways to feed them are.

In this article, we will discuss:

  • Are carrots safe to feed to dogs?
  • Can dogs eat carrots?
  • What are the health benefits of carrots for dogs?
  • Can you feed carrots to a puppy?
  • Can you feed cooked carrots to your dog?
  • How to feed carrots to your dog
safe for dogs to eat

Yes, dogs can eat carrots.

Raw and cooked carrots are healthy snacks for your dog. While carrots are safe to eat for dogs, it is recommended that you slice them into small pieces. You can also add shredded carrots to any meal.

Are Carrots Safe To Feed To Dogs?

It’s great that you are asking this question because there are indeed some fruits and vegetables that are very safe and healthy to feed to your children and your family, but when it comes to feeding your dog, those same foods may be toxic. 

For example, in the fruits category, grapes should be avoided at all costs, and in the vegetable category, onions and garlic are toxic for dogs, so keep them away!

What about carrots? Carrots are a staple in our diets. We love to enjoy them raw as snacks and in salads, or cooked in soups and many other dishes. 

The excellent news for your dog is that carrots are perfectly safe for them to enjoy regularly. Carrots make a very healthy snack indeed for your dog.

can dogs eat carrots

What Are The Health Benefits Of Carrots For Dogs?

Carrots are a low-calorie food, which is essential when it comes to feeding our pet dogs, as it is so easy to overfeed a dog, and this can lead to obesity and contribute to many other health issues. 

Low-calorie foods and treats are a great way to keep your dog in shape while providing great tasting meals and excellent rewards for training and ethical behavior.

Related Topic: Can dogs eat spinach?

If you want to offer your dog a snack, but it’s not his mealtime yet, instead of reaching for the dog biscuits, why not check out your fridge? 

You are bound to have some juicy raw carrots in there that are a much better option for your dog, and a far more natural and nutritious snack.

Carrots are a very nutritious vegetable and an excellent source of vitamin A, potassium, and fiber, to mention a few of the health benefits.

The number of carrots that you are likely to feed to your dog, along with any other fruits or vegetables, aren’t going to make up a large portion of their diet as a whole because a healthy diet for a dog should be high in protein. 

This means that the health benefits of carrots for dogs are not necessarily going to be as visible as they may be for humans. 

However, the extra nutrients will still benefit your dog, as will their waistline if you are substituting carrots instead of feeding the more unhealthy treat and snack options that are sold for dogs in pet shops.

are carrots safe for dogs

Can You Feed Carrots To A Puppy?

If you have a new puppy, you are probably eager to find healthy treats and chews for your adventurous and mischievous pup.

Firstly puppies need a lot of training, and this means that they are going to go through a lot of training treats! 

Many new puppy owners forget to adjust the amount of food they give to a puppy in their main meals, and instead, they add training treats on top of their pup’s main meals. This can quickly lead to overeating and very podgy puppies. 

Carrots are the perfect substitute for the training treats you get in packets from the pet store because they are healthy and natural. 

Your puppy will also love the sweet taste and crunch of carrots, and you can cut them up into the perfect size for your puppy so that they are safe to chew, and they don’t overeat and put on weight.

When feeding treats to a puppy during training sessions, it is a good idea to bear in mind that training sessions should be kept short as puppies have short attention spans. 

Treats should also always be divided into the smallest possible pieces that will be suitable for your puppy, as it is the reward of receiving the treat as positive reinforcement that is important and not how big or how many treats your pup is getting.

Secondly, a new puppy is bound to be getting into trouble, chewing on things he shouldn’t be around the house. 

Part of this may be an exploration or even boredom, but often it has to do with the fact that your puppy could be teething. 

Chewing is something that relieves the discomfort that your pup is experiencing in their mouths as their new teeth breakthrough.

Carrots can be offered to a teething puppy whole or in large chunks that can’t be swallowed whole, and they are perfectly safe chews for your pup to gnaw at. 

A carrot will keep your puppy busy for a reasonable amount of time, and because they often come straight out of the fridge, they are refreshing and soothing on your pup’s gums. 

It would be best if you supervised your puppy while they chew on the carrot, especially when they chew down to the end bit, in case the end chunk poses a choking hazard.

carrots

Can You Feed Cooked Carrots To Your Dog?

You may be happy to hear that it is also perfectly safe to feed cooked carrots to your dog. Some dogs prefer the different flavor of a cooked carrot, and perhaps the warmth and softer texture of a cooked carrot can make them more appealing for your dog if they aren’t keen on a raw carrot.

It may not be necessary to cook the carrot entirely, as doing so can significantly reduce the health benefits of the vegetable, mainly if you boil them. 

Steaming or cooking only slightly in a microwave won’t make too much of a difference to the nutrient content, though.

Offering an older dog, a carrot that is slightly cooked might be more relaxed for them to enjoy if they don’t want to munch too slowly on dog chews due to teeth or jaw issues and old age.

golden retriever puppies eating

How To Feed Carrots To Your Dog

There are many creative ways that you can feed carrots to your dog, and we have rounded up a few here for you to try out.

  • Cut carrots into cubes, slices, or sticks for a tasty, fresh, and not to mention crunchy treat. These can be popped into a container or bag and then taken out on a walk so that you have healthy treats for your dog while out and about or while training your dog in the park. You can even pop one into your mouth if you fancy it!
  • Prepare the carrot ahead of time as above and store in a jar of water in your fridge to keep them fresh and crunchy, but ready to go when you need them. This will save you from having to chop up and prepare a raw carrot every time you want to treat your dog.
  • Offer your dog a whole carrot to crunch on when you want to keep him occupied for a little longer. You don’t need to peel the skin off either as it is added fiber. Be warned that some dogs love to make a bit messy when crunching up carrot, so feed it in an environment that is easy to clean up afterward. High pile carpets are probably not the best idea for a messy carrot chomper.
  • Freeze a whole carrot to make the chew last even longer! This is an excellent idea in the summertime, as it will be nice and cooling for your dog and they will enjoy it all the more.
  • Warm up some chopped up carrot slightly and top your dog’s main meal for added yum factor and a little fiber and health boost. You can also use leftover carrot peelings if your dog likes them, and avoid waste.
  • Use pieces of carrot to play hunting games in the house on those rainy days when you can’t take your dog out for a long walk. Your dog will love sniffing those treats out, and enjoy some mental exercise too, which is just as effective in tiring a dog out as a physical exercise. It’s a win-win for everyone! Don’t forget to make it easy for your dog to find the carrot pieces if he is not used to this game, by “hiding” the carrot in plain sight first. Next, you can allow your dog to watch you hide pieces of carrot out of sight, like behind a cushion, so that he has to work harder to find them. Finally, you can work up to leaving your dog outside of the room while you create your carrot treasure hunt, meaning that he will have to use his nose to sniff that carrot treats out!

Summary: Can dogs eat carrots?

Isn’t it awesome when you discover a treat for your dog that is super cheap, readily available from your fridge, and healthy too?

Hopefully, your dog will love carrots, and you can take advantage of this great vegetable as a crunchy and nutritious addition to their diet.

can dogs eat carrots

Liz

I'm a self-employed blogger, life-long pet parent, and lover of dogs. I have always loved animals, especially puppies. So when my family got our first dog 15 years ago, it was love at first sight. We named her Sassy because she was so small, cute, and had a sassy personality! Once we got her home, I wanted to know everything about caring for her, so I researched online. Eventually, this led me to create the PUPPYFAQS website, where I write about nutrition, health, and care of puppies and the latest news in the world of puppies. In my spare time, I volunteer at my local shelter, which is run by volunteers who are passionate about helping homeless dogs find their forever homes. If I'm not working or volunteering for dogs, you can find me spending time with my family, friends, and my puppy. I have been writing professionally online since 2009. In addition to PUPPYFAQS, I also write for several other pet-related publications.

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