My dogs love fruits and vegetables. They would eat them all day long if given a chance. Every time I take out the cutting board, they are eagerly at attention, hoping for some scraps. I tell myself that when they are sitting there, looking at me with longing, that they are not actually begging, they are just watching intently so that I don’t hurt myself!
They are so predictable. The cutting board is placed on the counter, the veggies are taken out of drawers, and the pitter-patter of paws across the kitchen floor can be heard. This doesn’t happen when I am slicing bread; they don’t care. They want the crunchy yummy goodness of fresh fruits and veggies.
I have heard of teenagers eating you out of house and home, but dogs eating you out of fresh produce?! That was new to me. But that is exactly what has happened at our house over the past few years, so I decided to get creative.
I started doing a lot of research on what dogs can and cannot eat for people’s food. The ASPCA was a huge source of information. I also checked with our vet to ask what she thought was best for our furry friends.
To my surprise, a lot of my favorite fruits and veggies were also healthy options for my pets! I no longer had to feel guilty about the longing eyes as I pulled out the cutting board. I was able to share with them. They love getting the ends off of carrots when I am chopping them up for soups or a stir-fry. They are so excited to get a slice of apple when I am prepping pies (before adding the sugar and cinnamon, of course). They are also so very happy that I add green beans to their food dishes on Sundays.
My dogs may be a little spoiled, but I feel like they are now invested in our gardening adventure. When they are out in the yard with me, they will go over and sniff the plants. They are constantly checking on the progress of all of our great fruits and vegetables. They know better than to try to eat anything off of the vine! They have to wait until I get that cutting board out before they get their portion.
If you had told me a year ago that my dogs would be interested in my gardening adventures, I would have thought that you were crazy. But now that they get so many fresh, great treats, they are VERY interested. After all, sharing is caring.
So if you are like me and are already thinking about what you can plant in your garden next year, you may want to keep your furry friends in mind! By the way, we have a great chart to help show you what fruits and vegetables are okay to share with your pets; check it out today.
