Vegetables are found in most dog food mixes, but what vegetables can huskies eat safely, and which should be avoided?
Many vegetables are safe for huskies to eat in small amounts, such as carrots, beets, cucumber, and lettuce. On the other hand, vegetables like onions, wild mushrooms, and others should never be fed to huskies as they are toxic.
This guide will explore 19 different vegetables you can feed to your husky, as well as tips for preparation and which types of vegetables to be wary of.
Contents
Quick Warning
Portion Control
Before we dive into the list, it’s important to know that vegetables should be considered treats for your husky and fed in small amounts. Vegetables can be great for small treats, but I also like to offer dog treats for my Huskies as well, and my top pick is Zuke’s Minis for this.
- Less than 3 calories per treat
- Perfect size for training
- Corn, wheat, and soy free
- Made with natural ingredients
- Not grain-free
A good rule of thumb for this is 10% of their total daily calories, so keep this in mind when you feed your husky vegetables.
Vegetables might be super healthy, but they lack the primary nutrients your husky needs, like protein and fatty acids, so the bulk of their nutrition should come from high-quality dog food.
High-quality dog food is designed to be nutritionally complete, so replacing this with vegetables that aren’t nutritionally complete will be detrimental to your husky’s health.
Complete List Of Vegetables Huskies Can Eat (19 Different Vegetables)
Now that’s out of the way, let’s get into the list.
Below are 19 different vegetables that are safe for your husky to eat in small amounts. Remember that these should be considered a treat and not a replacement for regular dog food.
It’s also recommended to wash any vegetable before offering it to your husky to remove any potentially harmful bacteria.
1. Asparagus
Asparagus is fine for huskies, but it isn’t as preferable to other vegetables like cucumber and carrots because it can be pretty tricky for your husky to digest raw.
Cooked asparagus is much easier for them to digest, but the nutrient content does decrease significantly through this process.
2. Beets
Beets are totally fine for huskies to eat and have a lot of benefits.
They contain lots of vitamin C, folate, calcium, and fiber and can be fed either raw or cooked, but they need to be chopped up to make it easier for your husky to swallow.
Beets contain sugar and are slightly acidic, which can sometimes cause stomach issues like diarrhea if your husky is particularly sensitive to them.
3. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are also fine for huskies to eat, but the core and seeds should be removed first. It’s also a good idea to steam them first to make the outer layer easier for your husky to eat, but this shouldn’t be an issue if you cut them up into small pieces.
Bell peppers have a lot of nutritional value and are rich in vitamins Am E, B6, and lutein.
In terms of color, red bell peppers are best, but huskies can eat any color and may prefer a particular one for flavor.
4. Broccoli
Broccoli is perfectly safe for huskies in small amounts and contains good vitamin C and fiber levels.
In large amounts, it can cause stomach problems due to isothiocyanate, so it’s important to feed it in moderation. Anything over 25% of your husky’s daily calories is considered toxic, so getting the serving size correct is essential.
5. Brussels Sprouts
Brussell sprouts are another popular vegetable that your husky can eat.
They contain lots of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, but be warned; they can cause your husky to have a lot of excess gas, if you know what I mean…
Like broccoli, Brussels sprouts contain isothiocyanate, but in higher amounts. If you decide to feed your husky Brussels sprouts, you’ll definitely know about it shortly after.
6. Butternut Squash
Huskies can eat butternut squash, although it can be hard to digest if it’s raw, so it’s usually better to steam it first (without adding any flavorings, just plain).
Squash is high in fiber, which can be useful for overweight huskies as it can help them stay satiated on fewer calories and has lots of vitamins.
7. Cabbage
Cabbage is fine in small amounts for your husky to eat, but it shouldn’t be fed in large quantities because it produces a lot of gas, increasing the risk of bloat.
Regarding health benefits, cabbage contains fiber, magnesium, vitamins C and K, and beta-carotene.
8. Carrots
Carrots are one of the most common vegetables for dogs. They’re found in most dog food mixes, and for a good reason: they contain lots of fiber and beta-carotene and are great for your husky to chew on.
It also helps to clean your husky’s teeth while they chew on a carrot, which is another benefit.
9. Cauliflower
Cauliflower is entirely safe for huskies, both raw and cooked.
It’s highly beneficial as it contains lots of fiber and antioxidants and is low in calories, making it an excellent treat for your husky. Just make sure it isn’t prepared with anything else like cheese or added flavorings, and you’re good to go.
10. Celery
Celery is listed as one of the safest vegetables for huskies to eat and for good reason.
It’s super low in fat and calories and contains lots of good nutrition, such as fiber, multiple vitamins, potassium, folate, and magnesium.
It’s also mainly water (95%), so it’s great for rehydrating your husky on a hot summer’s day. When feeding your husky celery, it’s best to cut it into small chunks to make it easier to swallow.
11. Cucumber
Cucumber is great because, much like celery, it’s mostly water and contains few calories and fat. This means it’s a good treat for overweight huskies and a great snack during those hot summer months.
12. Green Beans
Veterinarians recommend green beans as a treat for dogs due to how many important vitamins and minerals they contain, so they are definitely a great option for your husky.
13. Lettuce
Huskies can eat plain lettuce because it’s nontoxic and mainly comprises water, which means it’s low in calories and a great option for overweight huskies.
A lot of popular types of lettuce, like iceberg, for example, are not particularly high in nutrients like some alternatives on this list (think spinach or cabbage), so it isn’t a good idea to regularly feed your husky lettuce.
14. Mushrooms
Store-bought mushrooms safe for human consumption are also safe for huskies to eat, ideally raw, with no seasonings added.
15. Peas
Peas are another commonly added vegetable to dog food mixes, and they’re fine for huskies to eat as long as they aren’t canned (canned peas contain much more sodium).
Peas are rich in protein and fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals, so they are a good option to offer to your husky.
16. Potatoes
Huskies can eat potatoes in small amounts if they are cooked. Still, there are recent studies that link potatoes to increased levels of canine dilated cardiomyopathy, so it isn’t advised for potatoes to be fed to huskies regularly.
17. Spinach
Spinach is a superfood that can be fed to huskies in small amounts, but it does contain oxalic acid, so it isn’t recommended to feed it to them regularly.
18. Sweet Potatoes
Like potatoes, sweet potatoes are fine for huskies in small amounts, but recent data shows that they might not be appropriate for regular feeding.
It also needs to be cooked and peeled to make it safer for consumption.
19. Sweetcorn
Sweetcorn is perfectly safe for huskies, but removing it from the cob first is best.
It’s high in fiber and other nutrients and can be sprinkled on top of your husky’s regular food as a topper.
What Vegetables Can Huskies Not Eat?
It’s arguably even more important to know the types of vegetables that huskies shouldn’t eat rather than those they can eat.
Here are the vegetables you should never feed your husky and the reasons why.
Onions
Never feed your husky onions.
Onions contain something called N-propyl disulfide, which is highly toxic for dogs and causes the breakdown and eventual destruction of red blood cells, leading to anemia.
In serious cases, onion poisoning can lead to death.
Wild Mushrooms
Wild mushrooms should never be fed to your husky, and it’s a common misconception that they won’t eat toxic mushrooms if given the chance.
Huskies will eat any mushroom you offer them, which can lead to mushroom poisoning if the mushroom is unsafe for them to eat.
Mushroom poisoning can lead to death in severe cases, and it’s crucial to take your husky to the vet as soon as possible if they have eaten a wild mushroom.
Kale
Kale should never be fed to huskies because it is high in calcium oxalate.
Calcium oxalate can cause kidney and bladder stones, so avoiding feeding your husky kale is better to reduce this risk.
Warning
Raw Vs. Cooked Vegetables
Generally speaking, raw vegetables contain more nutrients than cooked as the cooking process removes some of them.
However, raw vegetables can be harder to eat and digest, so it depends on the type of vegetable you feed your husky.
Larger vegetables can be steamed to make them easier to swallow, or you can put them in a food processor instead to break them down.
The main thing to remember is to never add anything to them if they are being cooked. Steaming is the best option here, and don’t add salt or butter or anything else like you usually would for yourself.
Potatoes are an exception in that they should be cooked fully before being offered, but again, recent studies show that they shouldn’t be part of your husky’s regular diet.
What About Fruits?
There are many fruits that huskies can eat, and you can find our complete list here.
Fruits tend to be higher in sugar than most vegetables, but most are still fine for huskies to eat as long as they are fed in moderation.
They also make for great snacks when frozen, like frozen watermelon chunks, for example.
In Summary
There are lots of vegetables that huskies can eat, but it’s important to remember that regular dog food is designed to be nutritionally complete, and most often, it will contain several vegetables already.
If you decide to feed your husky vegetables, ensure they only take up 10% or less of their total daily calories and are prepared correctly.
There’s nothing wrong with feeding your husky vegetables if they have a particular favorite as long as it features in this list.
