The question of whether dogs can eat dandelions is something that even we dogs ponder, almost daily, on our walks. I mean, they just look so delicious.
The thing about being a dog is that we are always hungry. Always. Even after we have just chowed down on our favorite meal.
Even after our favorite dog treats. And yes, even after we accidentally eat your dinner.
What’s more, we will try to eat anything we see, from your homework (see, it’s not a myth) to your sandwich, and from your ice cream to your flip flops, and yes, even a dandelion.
In this article, I am going to be answering the question of whether dogs can eat dandelions. Logistically, we can eat anything, but whether we should is another story.
As somewhat of an expert being a dog myself (a beagle named Todd for anyone who is wondering), I know firsthand what we dogs can safely eat, and what may make us sick, so you can trust me on this.
Are dandelion flowers poisonous?
I want to begin by saying that I know that there are many plants and flowers that are very bad for dogs.
My owners have told me off lots of times for trying to eat all sorts of poisonous plants like tulips and aloe (the aloe was too spiky anyway). So I understand the fear other owners have over poisonous plants, especially since many of these plants are poisonous to them too!
However, I am happy to report that the dandelion does not seem to be poisonous, at least not for my humans! In fact, they even drink dandelion tea (although I do not understand why they don’t just eat them freshly picked from the lawn, but you know those humans and their tea!).
Dandelions, unlike many other flowers, are very good for humans to eat and drink, with all parts of the flower and green leaves and stalks being safe.
As if that wasn’t cool enough, they are also pretty tasty for humans too and can have lots of great health benefits such as helping heartburn, digestion, skin issues, and even as an anti-inflammatory.
Neat, right? Why they don’t just crawl around on the floor munching them is beyond me….
Can dogs eat dandelions?
Now that you have been reassured by me that your human can eat dandelions, it is time to break the news that dogs can also eat dandelions.
In fact, all parts of a dandelion are absolutely fine for your furry friend. Whether they have a penchant for the petals, or they salivate for the stems, or even if they just love licking the leaves, you can rest safe in the knowledge that your dog’s favorite mid-walk treat will not cause them any harm.
Can dogs eat all parts of the dandelion?
Yes! Just like I told you in the previous section, we dogs can eat all parts of the dandelion plant.
That being said, your dog may only like the flower, or perhaps the stems and leaves, so whatever part they want to eat is absolutely fine!
None of them will be harmful to your furry four-legged friend, and in fact, they could reap some brilliant health benefits from their dandelion dish!
Is dandelion good for your dog?
Dandelion is very good for humans, as you know by now (well, only if you have been listening so far in the article).
However, did you also know that dandelions can have some wonderful health benefits for dogs? You didn’t? Well, now you do!
Dandelions have a number of fantastic nutrients in them, so much so that the humans have given it the term ‘superfood’.
Whilst we dogs think that all food is pretty super, we understand that the reason the humans say this is because of the plethora of health benefits they can gain from the dandelion. The same can be said for us, too.
Dandelion greens are specifically good for dogs because they contain many wonderful vitamins – A, C, K, D, and B, to be exact. As well as this they are also a great source of important minerals and nutrients such as potassium, zinc, calcium, iron, and manganese.
They are also good at helping to keep our digestive system and liver ticking over and working well – so don’t forget those poop bags, humans!
As if that wasn’t enough, dandelion greens are even more beneficial than that green stuff humans insist on cooking all the time – broccoli!
Again, I, and many other dogs, are in disbelief that you would spend such a long time cooking broccoli when you could simply walk out onto the lawn and get the same (or better) benefits from a yummy scrummy dandelion!
Dandelion greens are often featured in gourmet dog food, and many homemade dog food recipes state that you can put them in.
One thing to keep in mind is the importance of ensuring that the dandelions we eat are free from harmful chemicals and pesticides.
For that reason, it is important to ensure that if we ever do eat them when out on a walk, that they are either from an area where no one has treated the soil with chemicals or used weed killer or that you make us avoid them until we get back home to the safety of our own dandelions in our own yard.
Likewise, for any dandelions you have on your lawn, ensure that you never treat them with weed killer. Instead, let your dog chomp on them!
Summary
To summarize, I am happy to report that dandelions are indeed non-toxic. With this in mind, dogs can eat dandelions, and, in fact, doing so could be very beneficial to our health!
So, next time you start to panic when your dog eats a dandelion on your walk, try not to worry, because they will likely be fine, as long as you ensure there are no pesticides used on the ground (which is unlikely in the wild, rural land where they tend to grow anyway.
To end the article, enjoy this photo of a beagle in a field of dandelions. Before you say anything, it’s not me….or is it?….
