We pup pawrents know that our doggos love doin’ a chomp on just about anything within reach. Unfortunately, canines can’t differentiate between what’s good and bad—especially in a garden where everything looks like food—so we gotta be careful about what we plant. Sniff out what to plant in a dog-friendly herb garden below to keep your slobbery sweetie safe.
Parsley
Parsley can be good for pups—as long as you feed them the right kind. Curly-leafed parsley is safe whereas spring parsley is toxic. Curly-leafed parsley is a popular herb for dogs and is often used as a breath freshener in dental treats. It contains vitamins C, A, and K, which help with immune support, vision, and healthy blood clotting, as well as folic acids and antioxidants, which promote kidney and urinary health. What’s not to ruv?
Rover rollin’ her eyes over the same ol’ thing? Feed her parsley as an ingredient in homemade treats or sprinkled on top of her regular food. Just be sure to feed parsley sparingly—it’s a diuretic and pups should only get parsley snacks in smol doses.
Dandelion Greens
Dandelions might be every lawn pawfectionist’s nightmare, but dandelion greens are actually good for puppo! The leaves and stems of dandelions are natural sources of vitamins A, C, K, D, and B, and they’re often used by herbalists to improve liver function and aid digestion. That being said, keep paws off any dandelions growing in the wild cuz they may have been sprayed with chemicals by hoomans who don’t like them. Woof to the wise—stick to your own yard!
Wanna serve some to your smol fry? After picking your greens, rinse and chop them, let them dry, and either sprinkle them on your dog’s food or steep them to make tea. Once the tea cools off, add it to bud’s bowl of food or water as a surprise treat!
Rosemary
Grrreat news, puppers! Rosemary is not only safe to eat in small quantities, but can also be used as a natural flea repellent if used in the bath. It contains antioxidants that may prevent cancer and heart disease, is good for tummy upset because of its antimicrobial properties, and can even improve memory and mood. Use rosemary as an ingredient in homemade dog treats, sprinkle it on top of food, or serve it fresh from your floof-friendly garden. Note: rosemary should not be given to dogs that suffer from seizures.
Basil
Transport pup to her own lil’ Italian bistro by treating her to some basil. Basil is anti-inflammatory, contains high levels of antioxidants, can help prevent many types of illnesses and cellular damage, calms anxious pooches, and eases arthritis pain. Tail waggin’ yet? Feed floofs basil sprinkled on top of their food or as an ingredient in homemade treats.
Do you have your own dog-friendly herb garden? What’s your favorite thing to grow? Woof at us in the comments and tag @SidewalkDog in pics of your pupper enjoying the spoils!
Featured photo: Myléne
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