Goldendoodles love to eat carrots and they can be a healthy part of your dog’s overall nutritional plan if given in moderation. They are great for treats as well as additional nutrition for your dog’s daily meals.
Our mini Goldendoodle has eaten carrots every day since she was a young pup. At nearly 13 years old now, she loves them now as much as she ever did.
We were told by a vet when our puppy was young that carrots make a great treat without adding a lot of calories to the dog’s diet. We took this advice and our dog has been hooked ever since.
We began by using baby carrots and feeding them to her as a low calorie treat when we would train her to do basic commands and tricks. It’s easy to break a small pieces off and feed it to your dog. They love the crunchiness, coolness and taste.
We use them as a treat throughout the day and then as a “dessert” after her evening meal. She always gets three small carrots after her meal and she expects it. It has been her thing for many years and we know to always have them on hand.
Health benefits of carrots
So we know that dogs love the taste and the crunch of carrots but are there any health benefits?
Carrots are loaded with vitamins and minerals and provide the same health benefits to dogs as they do to humans.
With only about 4 calories in a baby carrot, you won’t have to worry about giving your pup too many calories. Calories can add up quick if you are giving your dog commercial treats instead. These usually have more calories, are processed and simply aren’t as healthy of a treat as a simple carrot.
Carrots contain vitamin A (beta carotene), vitamin K, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium and fiber to name a few.
Let’s focus on two areas where carrots will shine for your Goldendoodle and give them a healthier life.
Vitamin A / Healthy Eyes
Carrots are loaded with vitamin A, which comes from the beta carotene found in the vegetable. Beta carotene is then converted into vitamin A in the body.
Vitamin A is needed for good vision so feeding your dogs carrots on a regular basis could be beneficial to their vision over the long term. Our dog hasn’t yet had any vision problems and we are hoping that the carrots have had a lot to do with that.
As your dog ages, it’s important to do all you can for them to promote better vision. Carrots provide a great way to help your dog see as well as possible for as long as possible.
Healthy Teeth
Our Goldendoodle recently had a senior health checkup and the vet was surprised at just how good her teeth were. In fact, he claims he hasn’t seen another dog at 13 years old that has never had a professional dental cleaning with teeth as good as her.
It’s important to note that our mini Goldendoodle has never had a teeth cleaning other than the regular teeth brushings that we give her each week. We generally strive to brush her teeth twice a week but sometimes it could be only once.
We credit the carrots and our consistency with brushing her teeth over the years for her healthy teeth.
Similar to when a dog chews on a bone, a carrot provides a similar way for them to scrape plaque and other buildup off of their teeth, keeping them squeaky clean.
It’s the reason we always give her a few carrots after she has eaten her meal. Well, besides the reason that we just want her to enjoy something beyond her regular meal.
Can dogs eat carrots raw
Your dog can enjoy raw carrots. Raw carrots can be a delicious treat for your dog. They are especially refreshing in the heat of summer when kept in the refrigerator. Your dog is sure to enjoy a cold crunchy carrot in the summer.
The mini carrots that you purchase already bagged are a good option but make sure to get organic to ensure they are free from any added chemicals and pesticides.
It’s also easy to buy full carrots, peel them and then cut them up into bite size pieces similar to baby carrots. This is what we do with ours. We always buy regular carrots and cut them up, store them in a container in the refrigerator for the week or so.
Can dogs eat cooked carrots
It’s easy enough to give your dog baby carrots straight out of the refrigerator but what about cooking them first?
Carrots are healthy for Goldendoodles no matter how they are served. Cooked carrots also provide a lot of healthy nutrients to your dog. Carrots can be added to their food. In fact, if your dog is bored with their regular food, try adding in some small cubed, cooked carrots for some additional flavor.
It will make their food more interesting and give them added nutrition at the same time.
How many carrots can I give my dog
While carrots contain healthy vitamins and nutrients for both you and your dog, too many of them may not be good. They do contain sugar so keep that in mind as you are planning their new carrot regimen.
You also want to make sure to give your dog a chance to get used to them first. If you have never fed carrots to your dog, start off slowly with only a couple a day and see how he or she does with that before increasing the amount.
Also pay attention to their stool. There have been many times when we have seen our Goldendoodle use the potty and could see lots of small carrot pieces in her stool. We know that when she has that, we are giving her too many to eat.
Ways to feed carrots to your Goldendoodle
- Raw – perhaps the easiest way to give your dog carrots is to feed them raw. They love to eat them this way because of the crunchy texture. You’ll love hearing them eat them like this as well.
- Added to their food – simply drop a few small carrot pieces in their food and it will add an extra crunch making there food more interesting, and healthy.
- Added to healthy treats / recipes – there are many healthy recipes that can be found online for dog treats that make use of carrots. Here is one of our favorites for carrot dog biscuits.
- Cooked – we cook peas and carrots and add them to our Goldendoodle’s food on a regular basis. She loves both of them and always looks forward to it.
Things to watch out for
While there are no real dangers in feeding carrots to your dog, there are some things to watch out for to make sure your dog it enjoying it.
Too much fiber
Dogs in general don’t need as much fiber as humans do so the added fiber in carrots may put your dog over the edge. Some dogs experience diarrhea or the need to defecate more often.
If you notice your dog doing this, simply decrease the amount you are giving them until they are back to normal. Our dog isn’t bothered by this because she has become well adjusted over the years.
Carrots not being digested
Sometimes, when your dog poops, you’ll see full pieces of carrot in their feces. This can be a sign that they are not digesting them or you are feeding them too many.
Scale it back a bit on the carrots if you see this happening. We often see this in our dog and we know that when we do, we have probably been giving her too many. We just do better going forward.
Carrots getting stuck in their cheek
After our mini Goldendoodle has eaten raw carrots, we often see her moving her jaws around as if something is stuck. We always know what it is when she does this. She looks at us while she is moving her jaws as to say, “help!”
Carrot pieces get stuck between her teeth and her cheek and she has no way of getting them out. I would imagine that if this happened to me, I would go crazy trying to get it unstuck.
We just have to grab her mouth and work the carrot piece from her cheek to her teeth and then she can chomp it on down. She is always grateful that we have helped her.
Staining carpet or furniture
The orange color of a carrot can make its way onto your carpet or furniture if your dog often eats them in the same places. We have avoided this by training our dog to eat them in a certain place. She eats them in her bed and she always knows to go to that spot when we give her one.
She will occasionally eat them on the carpet or on the couch but not on a regular basis as not to create any kind of stains. She’s as cute as a button walking off proudly with her carrot in her mouth, taking it to her bed to enjoy.
We can look around the corner at her and she is crunching down on it with her head held high in the air as if it’s the best thing’s she’s ever eaten.
Bottom Line
Your Goldendoodle, as well as any other dog breed, will likely love eating carrots. They are cheap and easy to find and will become a favorite of your dog once introduced.
Start out with small bite size pieces and gradually increase depending on your dog’s size and the response they have to them.
I’ve never met a dog that didn’t like a carrot so once your Goldendoodle gets a taste of them, they will probably become a regular item on your grocery list.