Spring is on its way!

Dandelions will be in bloom soon and they

pack a nutritional punch for your dog!

The entire plant can be used, flowers, roots and all, and it packs a nutritional punch for your dog. .Dandelions are very mineral and vitamin rich. They are packed with calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamin, potassium, vitamins A, B, C, D, G and E  protein and fiber. The dandelion leaf has a slightly bitter taste (less in the early spring) and slightly salty due to its high mineral content.

The first Spring food for Honey Bees

Spring is on its way, yes right around the corner.  I’ve been hearing more birds lately and before we know it, we will be seeing Honey Bees on our favorite plants.  Did you know that the Dandelion is one of the first sources of food for the bees?  These bees are so important to us and our plants. They are responsible for pollinating so many of our flowers, fruits and vegetables.  It’s a shame that we have been taught to think of the Dandelion as being a plant to try to get rid of. We should be recognizing it as a helpful plant with many benefits, and be thankful for it. Dandelion is also a very nutritious food for our dogs as well as a medicine.

Dandelion is a perennial in the Aster family. This plant was brought to America by the early settlers.  It was used as a food source but also as a medicine. It grew easily and soon was found everywhere.  It is now found in fields, along country roads, city sidewalks and of course your own front lawn. I have even been finding dandelion leaves at my local grocery store lately.

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How Dandelion can help your dog

Dandelions are so good for you to eat but adding them into your dogs diet is also a great idea.  You can make a tea or tonic that will help support the liver and create a less acidic environment in the urinary tract.

Dogs that suffers from digestive issues, chronic indigestion and gas can benefit from eating dandelion leaves. The leaves are high in potassium which help to stimulate the appetite, liver, digestion and the removal of toxins from the body.

The Dandelion leaf is also a diuretic which helps with kidney stones,

gallbladder disease, congestive heart failure and arthritis.

Dandelion flowers are very supportive of the immune system

because it is high in antioxidants and lecithin.

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Ivy loves to forage for Dandelions

Ivy’s favorite way to eat Dandelions is fresh or dried sprinkled on her food or as a gravy made from tea. I usually make her tea with the dried leaves and pour it onto her food. Ivy is tiny, 5 lbs so I don’t give her very much. If you have a larger dog you can sprinkle 1 teaspoons (for 20 lbs of weight) of dried dandelion right on their food. You may want to give just a little at a time just in case your pet is sensitive to it. Dandelion root is a known digestive and liver tonic. Using the leaves in a tea will add wonderful vitamins and minerals to your pets food.

Where is the best place to find Dandelion?

You can take a nice walk in the woods with your dog and when you come upon a field full of these little yellow beauties, you can take a few home for your salad or to make tea for your dogs dish. You can forage with a small tote bag and bring home enough to make a tonic. Always be sure to harvest ethically and responsibly.  Ask the plant permission, only harvest a tiny fraction of what is in front of you and always leave a thank you gift. A few strands of hair is a wonderful gift.

Dandelion Tonic Recipe for your dogs dish

You can use Dandelion fresh or dried.

-Boil 2 cups of water and add 1 cup of fresh dandelion (whole plant)

-Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes

-Remove from the heat and let cool completely, strain out plants

-Add 1/3 cup of the tonic to your dogs dish (per 20 lbs of dogs weight) per day if desired.

-If using dried dandelion boil 1 teaspoon in 1 cup of water. Reduce heat, let cool and strain.

To dry the leaves you harvested gather them in a small bunch, tie them with cotton string

and hang them upside down. You can also spread them out on an old screen.

This process will take about two weeks

*Always check with your veterinarian if your dog is taking any medications.

A great source to buy dried herbs is Mountain Rose Herbs.  They have a wonderful supply of ethically harvested and organic plants to choose from. I use them often. This is a great option if you are not able to forage for your own plants or buy locally from an herbalist.

*Always be careful to only use plants that have not been sprayed

with pesticides or herbicides