Training pets to eat microgreens
Did you find your furry friends nibbling on the microgreens, training pets to eat microgreens is a real thing read on. Don’t worry, that’s totally fine, if they are nibbling on microgreens because they are packed with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, feeding microgreens is one of the easiest ways to up your pet’s vegetable intake.
Yes, dogs and cats are both safe to eat microgreens, especially the younger, tender and leafy one. Although they are unable to digest plant parts, just like us, eating microgreens can help with digestion and gaining vital nutrients that can’t be obtained in meat. Also, eating microgreens help to eliminate indigestible matter (bone, feathers, etc). some case studies also reported that both dogs & cats which maintained a balance vegetarian diet were found to be healthier than those with a meat-based diet, including those exercises vigorously.
How to train my pet to eat microgreens
Studies
Studies show that the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in leafy vegetables can help protect dogs against certain cancers and the effects of aging. So how do you train your animal to eat them?
If you’ve ever bought your dog or cat potted pet grass, there’s a good chance you were actually feeding them wheatgrass.
This grass species is packed with nutrients like chlorophyll and amino acids. It’s also completely safe for canine consumption in moderate amounts.
While mature wheatgrass is a go-to option for adding roughage to any dog’s diet, this plant is equally delicious and nutritious in the form of microgreens!
First, you can start by planting a tray of sunflower microgreens or wheatgrass next to the windowsill. As a general rule, microgreens shouldn’t exceed 10% of your dog’s daily diet. This is true whether you’re feeding microgreens as a treat or meal supplement. In the first few days, your pet may think that is a tray for poops, so it’s better to cover it. After sunflower germinated (about 1-2 days as stated here), your pet will know where to look for them whenever they need them.
If that doesn’t work, another way is to add a small portion of microgreens into their meal, twice a week. And when it comes to picky eaters, microgreens are incredibly easy to disguise. Chances are, your dog won’t even notice the addition to their daily meals.
After feeding them regularly for a while, try to run an A/B test for other microgreens until you find the one that drives them nuts. Also, you can try to mix different microgreens for a better result. The microgreens are meant to complement the main diet, so the volume should not be more than 5-8%.
These are some microgreens suitable for dogs and cats:
THERE ARE SOME THAT WOULD BE TOXIC TO YOUR PET SO CHECK BEFORE YOU FEED
Sunflower
Wheatgrass (Cats & dogs love this!)
Catnips
Lettuce
Mizuna
Parsley
Mung bean
Alfalfa
Kale
Pea
Broccoli
Radish
Red clover
Lentils
Oat
Flex
Barley
Rye
Pumpkin
Cucumber
Spinach
These microgreens should only be fed to adult cats and dogs. Check their reaction.
So let me know how your pet likes the greens, feel free to start out with a simple pet grass kit.