This doggy loves dill, so my tail is wagging extremely hard to report that dill is in fact safe for dogs like me to eat.
That’s right humans! If your pup pinches a pawful of potato salad that’s sprinkled with dill, or if they sneak a lick of a dill-filled tzatziki dip, there’s no need to panic.
In fact, dill is actually good for dogs and it has a number of potential positive health benefits, so whether you’re hoping to simply spice up your dog’s diet or add some herby nutritional goodness, you can confidently add dill to the list of dog-friendly foods.
Does that mean all herbs are good for dogs? What exactly are the benefits of adding dill to your dog’s diet? And what does any of this have to do with pickles?
Throughout this article, I hope to answer all of these questions and more, so keep reading to find out!
The Health Benefits of Dill For Dogs
Humans aren’t the only ones to benefit from dill, so here are the 3 main ways in which dogs can benefit from this delicious herb too.
Aids Digestion
We don’t mean to be greedy, exactly, but I can’t deny that dogs don’t take the best care with being choosy about food sometimes, what will all the free snacks that are left on the streets and all, and this can sometimes lead to digestive issues.
Dill can be a great natural remedy for dogs that helps relieve gas, nausea, cramping, and poor appetite for when your dog has overdone it on the unidentifiable food objects.
Freshens Breath
Don’t think we don’t notice how some of you humans pull back when we try to smother you with our loving, slobbery kisses.
Unfortunately, our meat-based diet and, you know, the lack of opposable thumbs with which to brush our teeth, dog breath can be… less than fresh.
Dill can help deal with the bacteria that can be the cause of your dog’s foul mouth, which is yet another reason to keep some handy for your dog.
Abundant with Antioxidants
I don’t know why exactly we’re against -oxidants, but if you are too, then dill is definitely for you as it contains plenty of these bad boys!
These have a number of health benefits for dogs including reducing the risk of cancer, diabetes, and joint or organ disease. Sign me up!
What Other Herbs Can Dogs Eat?
Dill isn’t the only herb that’s safe for dogs, so you can experiment with different flavor combinations to find out which are your dog’s favorites.
We might be dogs, but that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate a bit of gourmet doggy dining.
Here’s a list of some of the other herbs that are safe for dogs to eat:
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Peppermint
- Basil
- Parsley
You can incorporate herbs into your dog’s diet by using dry or fresh and adding a sprinkle (or even just a pinch for smaller dogs) to the rest of their food at dinner time.
They’re a great ingredient to use in home-made dog treats due to their flavor and healing properties.
What Herbs Are Toxic to Dogs?
If after hearing about all the benefits of herbs has you planning on starting your own garden, you’ll need to make sure you don’t end up planting any of the herbs that are not safe for dogs to eat, which includes the following:
- Chamomile
- Chives
- Garlic
- Hops
- Leeks
- Onions and shallots
- Marijuana – yep, sadly no dooby for Scooby.
You should always avoid feeding your dog food that contains any of these ingredients, and if you do have them growing in your garden make sure they’re sectioned off so your dog won’t be able to pull a Houdini and find their way in anyway.
You know how us hounds can be.
Are Pickles Dangerous For Dogs?
All this talk about dill probably has you thinking about pickles – I know I certainly am. Mmmm. Like when you take the first crisp bite out of its crunchy green goodness to get a taste of the salty-sour flavor which is best when savored… Sorry, I got slightly carried away there.
More important than my fond memories is the answer to this question: are pickles dangerous for dogs? Unlike dill, pickles kind of land in the gray area as they’re not officially deemed dangerous or unsafe to eat, but they’re not recommended by veterinarians, either.
I like to live on the wild side of danger and there’s pretty much nothing that could stop me from chowing down on a pickle given the chance, which is the exact reason why my human knows to hide the pickles somewhere out of my paw’s reach, save for special occasions.
They’re not toxic to dogs, and in a general sense they’re hardly even harmful, but their high sodium content means in high quantities, they could cause a few problems.
To put it into perspective, a dog eating too many pickles would be like if a human ate too many McDonalds – it won’t kill them or have a huge effect at first, but over time could lead to serious health consequences.
I guess it really is always the things you love that kill you.
Solving The Dill Dilemma
As I’ve paw-nted out to you throughout this article, dill is definitely safe for dogs to eat. It can be a tasty, healthy addition to our diet that can positively affect our health and happiness.
You can do all the research in the world on what foods dogs can and can’t eat, and I highly recommend that you do as there are so many things that can make us poorly, but ultimately, if your dog doesn’t enjoy the flavor or if they dislike the taste, they’re not going to eat it.
If dill isn’t something that your dog enjoys, why not try cooking with one of the other herbs I mentioned earlier?
These can have their own benefits, and variety is what makes up a balanced and exciting diet to keep us happy.
