Can dogs eat dandelion greens?

Yes, dogs can eat dandelion greens. Dating back to ancient civilisations, dandelion greens have a long history of use as both food and human medicine. Their medicinal benefits were known to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. They have also been used in traditional Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for over a thousand years. Every part of the dandelion was also used by Native Americans having likely been brought to North America by early European settlers. But what about dogs? Can dogs eat dandelion greens? Can dogs eat dandelion greens at all? Let’s find out.

Canine nutritionist Gerald Pepin is the author of the book From Table to Bowl which seeks to take the mystery out of feeding dogs fresh food. Here the experienced dog nutritionist explains the benefits and safe serving tips for feeding a dog dandelion greens.

What are dandelion greens?

Loved by herbalists, hated and despised by gardeners, dandelion greens are the leaves of the dandelion. It’s a plant of the aster family believed to have evolved in Eurasia some 30 million years ago. Though considered a weed by many today, the dandelion has been used by human beings both as food and as a herb for much of recorded history. I recommend its use for dogs too!

Vitamin and mineral rich, dandelion greens are low in calories and high in fibre. As I may have mentioned, they’ve been valued for their medicinal properties for thousands of years. They’re a valuable source of vitamins A, B-complex, C, E and K. And they’re a good source of calcium, iron, iodine, potassium and manganese.

What are the benefits of feeding a dog dandelion greens?

You should certainly consider feeding your dog dandelion greens. But since every part of the plant is both edible and beneficial, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t give your dog any or every part of the dandelion plant.

From the flower down to the roots. My wife and I are particular partial to dandelion greens and flowers as part of our summer salads. And dandelion root is also highly prized as a natural herb.

Dandelion greens have traditionally been used to treat a variety of canine ailments including liver problems, digestive problems and difficult skin conditions.

You can buy dandelion greens all year round. You can also pick them from your garden, or anywhere not likely to have been sprayed with pesticides or contaminated with exhaust fumes. Simply wash and add as a vegetable when cooking your dog’s food.

Best of all though, they are more potent as a dried herb. They’re so beneficial, I’ve made them a component of my Dog Food Seasoning, a special blend of herbs and spices that adds extra goodness to homemade dog food.

Uncooked, you can also add them to your own salads alongside the likes of lettuce and watercress. The younger the dandelion greens the better. They’re tasty and highly nutritious, and you can even eat the stalks and the flowers too!

Can dandelion greens provide dogs with liver and digestive tonic?

So, rich in vitamins and minerals, dandelion greens are an excellent and beneficial herb for dogs. They’re an excellent diuretic and can help maintain good liver function as well as aid with digestion. You can add fresh dandelion greens to soups and stews, for both you and your dog, or dry them and sprinkle them on your dog’s food occasionally.

As a canine nutritionist, I highly recommend dandelion greens for dogs!

Are dandelion greens human food that dogs can eat too?

Scientists have proven that not only have dogs and human beings shared the same diet for at least 12,000 years, they have demonstrated that the digestive systems of both species simultaneously evolved to process and benefit from that shared diet. From those same foods. At the time of the First Agricultural Revolution, when man became less reliant on foraging and more dependent on farmed produce, the digestive tract of both species underwent exactly the same genetic adaptation to allow us and our dogs to process that more limited farmed diet. In other words, we know that without any shadow of a doubt, long before the beginning of recorded time, dogs and human beings were sharing exactly the same diet. Eating the same food.

So even if you prefer to call the food that we humans eat “human food” and the food that dogs eat “dog food”, the fact is that human beings and dogs began to form their enduring relationship at exactly the same time as the First Agricultural Revolution, and likely largely because of our shared ability to benefit from the same foodstuffs. Back then, the food that humans ate was not considered human food, any more than the food dogs ate (exactly the same food remember), was considered dog food. The food that dogs and humans shared, the food that helped cement the bond we continue to enjoy to this day, was simply known as “food.”

So while many today speak of dandelion greens as being human food, the fact is, when they were first cultivated several hundred years ago, dandelion greens would have been eaten by both human beings and their dogs. From the perspective of wild dandelion greens, they have actually been used as both food and medicine for thousands of years. Along with all the other foodstuffs that human beings and their dogs shared, dandelion greens would simply have been considered “food”, food that both dogs and human beings could each eat, enjoy and benefit from.

So when you ask yourself, can dogs eat dandelion greens, can I feed my dog dandelion greens, are dandelion greens one of the safe human foods you can share with your dog, the answer is an unequivocal, yes. Dogs can eat dandelion greens because, just as is the case with we humans, they’re something they have always eaten!

Is there a natural dog multivitamin that contains dandelion greens?

So important are dandelion greens to the health of dogs, they form part of our Ultimate Canine Daily, a plant-based multivitamin supplement specifically designed for dogs. It’s a unique blend of 100% natural herbs, spices and superfoods for dogs. Hand-crafted by ourselves here in rural Somerset, it’s a natural supplement formulated for dogs that’s also safe for humans. Made only with 100% natural dog-safe, human-grade ingredients, it’s simply bursting with natural goodness.

It’s a 100% natural herbal supplement for dogs made free from artificial ingredients, fillers, colours and additives. It includes Alfalfa, Barley Grass, Blackberries (dried), Burdock Root, Chia Seeds, Chicory Root, Dandelion Greens, Hemp Seeds, Kelp, Nettle Leaf, Pumpkin Seeds, Spirulina, Thyme and Turmeric.

Rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, protein and omega-3 fatty acids, Ultimate Canine Daily supports digestive health and provides liver, skin, coat, joint and immune support. It’s for daily use for dogs of any breed or size over the age of 6 months.