Top 5 herbs

5 top herbs to grow in your dog's garden

Adding fresh homegrown herbs to your dog’s meals can provide many benefits. Herbs offer phytonutrients and fibre, benefit gut bacteria, add moisture to the diet of dogs fed dried food and may even possess medicinal properties.

If you can pick up a few herbs and then immediately prepare them and add them to your dog’s food, the nutritional benefits will be at their peak. When fed like this, even a little goes a long way.

The herbs and plants mentioned here can be bought as young plants, sowed as seeds or foraged for in the great outdoors, and even a sunny window or balcony can be used to grow a few herbs, so don’t be put off if you don’t have a garden. These plants just need a little well-drained soil, water, some sun and a bit of care to give you a tremendous amount in return.

HERB 1: PARSLEY

If you only have space for one herb, parsley is it. Apart from being cheap to purchase, easy to grow and great for jazzing up your cookery, it has a vast array of nutritional benefits.

The most common varieties of parsley are curly and flat-leaf parsley, and the leaf, stem and root can all be used. The flatleaf parsley is more closely related to wild parsley.

Parsley traditionally supports digestive and urinary tract issues and makes a great breath freshener. It is high in antioxidants such as beta-carotene and lycopene, which help fight inflammation and are used to support arthritic conditions. Parsley is also rich in vitamins A, C, B1, B2, and K, calcium, riboflavin, potassium, iron, magnesium, manganese, niacin, phosphorus, fibre and chlorophyll.

To prepare parsley for your dog, finely chop the leaves and add them into a blender with your dog’s normal vegetables. Big dogs can probably handle a tablespoon of parsley daily, but this is just a rough guide, and you should increase the amount given gradually.

HERB 2: NETTLE

Nettles are rich in iron, vitamins A, C, D and B complex, silica, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, beta-carotene and potassium. Nettles are believed to work as antihistamines, to improve anaemia, to relieve urinary retention and to provide relief for dogs who itch.

Only the tops of nettles should be picked, and only when they are young, as mature nettles can irritate the urinary tract and have a bitter taste. Nettle seeds can also be harvested, and these provide a significant boost to the adrenals.

It goes without saying that nettles will need to be picked using gloves, but the process of drying and cooking them does neutralise their sting. Picked nettles can be dried for a couple of days on paper in the sun or hung upside down in small bundles. Once dried, you can crumble the nettle leaves easily.

HERB 3: FENNEL

The delicate, feathery leaves of fennel, along with the seeds and roots, can be used. Fennel is rich in vitamins A, and C, calcium, iron and potassium and is primarily given to improve digestion, ease bloating, aid with reflux and cure mild tummy aches. It is, however, also said to be beneficial for vision, the immune system and bones.

HERB 4: DANDELION

Dandelions are a great addition to your dog’s diet. The leaves are rich sources of vitamins A, D, K, and B complex, iron, manganese, phosphorus and potassium. The flowers are a good source of lecithin and antioxidants. The leaf is said to be beneficial for the liver, gall bladder and kidneys and acts as an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. It is also believed to be beneficial in diabetes.

As dandelions have a bitter taste, adding them to a dog’s vegetable blend is advised rather than feeding them alone. The best ingredients to blend them with, and disguise the taste, are parsley, courgette, chard and a few lettuce leaves.

HERB 5: THYME

Thyme has expectorant qualities to help soothe a cough or cold by loosening mucus and helps to manage bad breath. It also has antimicrobial qualities, meaning it helps your dog to fight bacterial, viral or fungal infections.

Thyme has a strong flavour and aroma, so you want to use it pretty sparingly with your dog. You should introduce it in little amounts to see if your dog likes the taste. Alternatively, you can crush a few leaves and see if they enjoy the scent. The stems are generally woody, so rather focus on picking off a few leaves for your dog.

A WORD OF CAUTION

When harvesting any herb or vegetable, there are a few things to bear in mind so you can use them safely. Firstly, you must know exactly what you are picking. This takes time to learn. If you have any doubts, don’t use it! Secondly, if you are going to forage, ensure the area you are in has not been sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals. Thirdly, some dogs will have allergies to these herbs or simply be intolerant to them. This means you need to introduce them slowly and watch out for any unusual reactions.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Herbs can be a great addition to your dog’s diet and bring with them many health benefits. However, if you are concerned about a specific issue with your dog, these herbs are not a substitute for a vet visit and a full investigation of the problem.