5 autumn foods that are good for your dog
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Autumn is one of the best times of year for seasonal fruit and vegetables. Apples and pears are being picked, root vegetables are back on the menu and squashes seem to be everywhere.
Some of those autumn favourites are also perfectly safe for dogs to eat. They aren't a replacement for your dog's usual food, and more isn't necessarily better, but small amounts can be a useful way to add a little variety to their diet.
They're also a good reminder of something we strongly believe at Healthy Happy Dog: everyday whole-food ingredients can contain plenty of useful naturally occurring compounds to boost your dog's bowl no matter what's normally in it. Here are five autumn foods your dog can enjoy too.
Butternut squash
Butternut squash is probably the quintessential autumn vegetable. It's also safe for dogs when it's cooked and served plain, with the skin and seeds removed. Squash naturally provides fibre along with carotenoids, the plant pigments responsible for its orange colour. If that sounds familiar, there's a reason. Butternut squash is closely related to pumpkin, one of the ingredients we use in The Veggie One.
We chose pumpkin because it provides a natural source of fibre alongside a range of naturally occurring plant compounds. So if your dog develops a taste for a little butternut this autumn, they're in familiar territory. Just don't hand over a portion of your own roasted squash if it has been cooked with butter, salt, onions, garlic or seasoning. A little plain, cooked squash is all they need.
Apples
Apple season is in full swing during autumn, and a few small pieces can make an easy crunchy treat for your dog. Apples provide fibre as well as naturally occurring plant compounds. They also have the advantage of being easy to portion: a couple of small pieces can be chopped off while you're eating one yourself.
Remove the core and seeds first and cut the apple into pieces appropriate for the size of your dog. Dogs Trust lists apples among human foods dogs can usually eat in moderation, but specifically advises against giving them the core.
Carrots
Carrots might be available throughout the year, but they're very much at home among the root vegetables of an autumn dinner. They're another source of fibre and naturally occurring carotenoids, including beta-carotene. Plenty of dogs also seem to enjoy the crunch, which makes a small piece of carrot a useful alternative to a more calorie-dense treat.
Carrots can be given raw or cooked, provided they're plain and chopped into sensible-sized pieces. As with all of these foods, start small if your dog hasn't eaten them before rather than suddenly adding a large amount to their bowl.
Sweet potato
Sweet potato isn't quite as traditionally British as the humble spud, but it has become a regular autumn ingredient in soups, tray bakes and Sunday lunches. It contains fibre alongside naturally occurring vitamins, minerals and carotenoids.
Dogs can eat sweet potato, but it should be cooked and the skin removed, as the skin can be difficult for some dogs to digest. Plain is the important bit. The portion you've roasted in oil, salt and seasoning is for you; a small piece cooked separately is a better option for your dog.
Pears
Finally, another fruit that is at its best in autumn. Pears can be given to dogs as an occasional treat and, like apples, they're an easy food to share in very small amounts.
They naturally contain fibre and various plant compounds, although their sugar content is another reason to think of them as a treat rather than something to add to every meal.
Choose a ripe pear, remove the stalk, core and seeds and cut the flesh into small pieces. If your dog has diabetes or another condition that affects what they should eat, check with your vet before introducing sweet fruits such as pears.
A little goes a long way
There's no need to start building your dog's dinner around the contents of the autumn veg box. A good diet still needs to provide the right balance for the individual dog, and extras should remain exactly that: extras.
But if you're preparing butternut squash, chopping an apple or peeling a sweet potato, there's often no reason your dog can't have a little taste too. Served plainly and in sensible amounts, seasonal whole foods can add variety while providing some of the same kinds of ingredients and naturally occurring compounds we look for when creating our own blends.
And if peeling, chopping and cooking a separate selection of vegetables for your dog every day sounds like more commitment than you had in mind, that's one of the reasons The Veggie One exists.
