On the list of health foods, celery may top many of our daily diets as a crunchy and fibrous snack. However, are our furry friends able to enjoy the same satisfying crunch? Can dogs eat celery too?
Can dogs eat celery?
Surprisingly, the answer is yes! Unlike their carnivorous wolf ancestors, most dogs are omnivores and can benefit from many different fruits and vegetables for the same vitamin-filled reasons humans do. Celery, in fact, is a healthy treat for dogs for many of the same reasons humans eat it.
Is Celery Healthy for My Dog?
There are many vegetables like celery that are low in fat and sugar, and high in vitamins and fiber that are perfectly safe for dogs to enjoy. Celery is among some of the vegetables that even help reduce canine obesity.
Not only does celery make a delightfully crunchy snack, but it contains vitamins A, C, and K.
Bonus: it can even help freshen a dog’s breath!
Serving Ideas
Dogs can eat celery in a variety of ways. From eating a mid-afternoon snack together to cooking up a post-Thanksgiving meal, here are some ideas for you to consider if you want to feed your dog this convenient vegetable treat:
- Chopping up a celery stick to scatter among your dog’s dry or wet food can add a satisfying crunch to your dog’s meal, especially in the summer.
- Share chunks of celery as an occasional snack. Add some peanut butter and a few pieces of dry dog kibble to make ants-on-a-log! (Note that raisins are not ok for dogs, so your pup will need a dog-friendly version of “ants”)
- Are there any pre-made dog foods with celery? New York trainer, Annie Grossman from School for the Dogs discusses some veggie-filled and healthy dog food options.
Can Eating Celery Be Dangerous for My Dog?
Even though the answer is a resounding yes to the question, “Can dogs eat celery?” this does not mean you should overdo it.
Celery is an added treat to your dogs daily diet, and shouldn’t be treated as a full meal replacement. Please note that if dogs eat too much celery they likely will urinate more than average.
Special note for small dogs: Small dogs may choke on a full stalk of celery, so cutting it up in bite-sized portions is ideal for most pets.
How Much Celery Can My Dog Eat?
Like all foods, share this healthy snack in moderation. Celery is low in calories and sugar–one cup of chopped celery has just 19 calories and 1.5 grams of sugar, along with 2 grams of fiber.
As with any food that is rich in dietary fiber, it’s best to introduce celery to your dog slowly to make sure that she digests it well. Too much fiber can be a shock to her digestive system and lead to gas and diarrhea.
Celery Recipes for Dogs
When it comes to cooking, celery adds a savory flavor to dog dinners, like stews, casseroles, and our epic Turdoggen. If you want to treat your dog to a healthy and delicious dish, try our bone broth for dogs recipe:
Bone Broth for Dogs
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- Author: Kiki Kane
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 9 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 2-2.5 Quarts 1x
- Category: Meal Mix-in
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 pounds beef marrow bones
- 4 raw pig’s feet (not smoked)
- 8 celery stalks
- 4 carrots or 2 cups baby carrots
- 1 Cup roughly chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar (some recipes suggest lemon juice but we do not recommend giving citrus to dogs)
- water
Equipment
- large roasting pan
- Instant pot, crockpot, or stockpot
Instructions
- Place a rack in the middle of your oven.
- Preheat oven to a hot-n-spicy 450º.
- Grease a large roasting pan with the olive oil and place your bone in the center, pig’s feet around the edges, and fill with the celery and carrots in the empty spaces.
- Bake the bones for an hour, flipping the bones and feet halfway through. If things are getting too brown too fast, turn down the oven or just skip straight to loading the Instant Pot.
- Put the roughly chopped parsley in the bottom of the Instant Pot or Crock-Pot. Add the bones next, placing the marrow bones in the center and pushing the pig’s feet around. Top off with as much of the veggies as will fit, filling in some of the cracks. Add the apple cider vinegar, then add cold water, leaving an inch of space under the max fill line.
- Close and seal, cooking in manual mode for the max time of 240 minutes (4 hours). If your pressure cooker only goes to 120, just run it twice.
- If you’re using a slow cooker, set it on low for 24-48 hours to get the maximum benefits of the recipe.
- If you’re using a stockpot on the stove, get the broth up to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then cover and simmer on low 24-48 hours, checking the pot regularly to make sure the temperature is maintained and nothing is burning or sticking.
- Use a natural release, then turn off the heat. When the pot is cool enough to touch, you can use a small strainer to remove the larger piece from the broth. Then strain the broth through a fine-mesh colander to catch any loose bone bits.
- Chill the broth in the fridge for a few hours or overnight until it (hopefully) sets into a gel.
- Scrape the fat off the top of the gelatinized broth, pausing to appreciate how wiggly and jiggly it is.
- Serve it up! You can freeze the broth, heat it up a little and pour 1/4-1/2 cup over your dog’s kibble at mealtimes, or serve alone as a nutritious snack.
For More Information
From apples to asparagus, there is a wide selection of information on vegetables available on our Can My Dog Eat? directory page.
Learn more about feeding your dog a wonderfully varied diet while learning the limitations of a dog’s sensitive digestive system. We offer a collection of articles on foods that are safe, dangerous or even toxic for dogs to eat, including vegetables, dairy, bread, and junk food.
Learn more about the veggies that are safe for dogs in articles such as Can my dog eat cabbage? and Can my dog eat artichokes?
