Can my dog eat courgette?
Can dogs eat courgette?Yes
Raw or cooked, without oil or seasoning; never feed courgettes that taste bitter.
Yes, dogs can eat courgette – raw or cooked, without oil, salt or seasoning. It has only around 17 kcal per 100 g and provides fibre, potassium and vitamin C; cooked, it is easier to digest. If a courgette tastes bitter, throw it away: its bitter compounds (cucurbitacins) have caused severe gastrointestinal poisoning in people, whether raw or cooked.
How much courgette can your dog eat?
Enter the weight – the amount updates straight away. You can adjust age, activity and neutering below.
How the calculator works
- Daily requirement: Resting energy requirement 70 × 15 kg^0.75 ≈ 534 kcal × factor 1.6 ≈ 855 kcal.
- Treat allowance: at most 10% of that = 86 kcal for all treats combined.
- Calorie limit: 86 kcal ÷ 17 kcal/100 g = 506 g of courgette.
- Guide value for dogs 10–25 kg: 3 × courgette slice (approx. 1 cm thick) at 10 g each = 30 g (cautious guide value set by our editors).
- Recommendation: the smaller of the two, rounded down to half portions → 3 × 10 g = 30 g ≈ 5 kcal.
Sources: 10% rule from the WSAVA guide to treats · kcal value: USDA FoodData Central. Daily requirement as in the dog calorie calculator.
Result · 15 kg · Adult
Up to 3
× courgette slice (approx. 1 cm thick) on a snack day
(≈ 30 g, 5 kcal)
Treat allowance 86 kcal (10% of 855 kcal) · 1 courgette slice (approx. 1 cm thick) ≈ 10 g
Limited by: guide value
Here the guide value for dogs 10–25 kg sets the limit (cautious guide value set by our editors): at most 3 × courgette slice (approx. 1 cm thick). In terms of calories, up to 506 g would be possible.
A cautious starting value set by our editors. Courgette is very low in calories; the amount is limited because too much at once can cause flatulence or diarrhoea.
This applies if it's the only snack that day – if your dog gets other treats too, give correspondingly less.
The app calculates recipes in grams, kcal and portions to suit your dog's weight, age, activity and allergies.Courgette for dogs: amount by weight
| Weight | Maximum per snack day | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| 5 kg | 2 × courgette slice (approx. 1 cm thick)≈ 20 g | ≈ 3 |
| 10 kg | 2 × courgette slice (approx. 1 cm thick)≈ 20 g | ≈ 3 |
| 20 kg | 3 × courgette slice (approx. 1 cm thick)≈ 30 g | ≈ 5 |
| 30 kg | 5 × courgette slice (approx. 1 cm thick)≈ 50 g | ≈ 9 |
| 40 kg | 5 × courgette slice (approx. 1 cm thick)≈ 50 g | ≈ 9 |
- All snacks together no more than 10% of daily calories (WSAVA recommendation). If your dog gets other treats too, give correspondingly less.
- Guide value per weight class – small up to 10 kg, medium 10–25 kg, large over 25 kg: A cautious starting value set by our editors. Courgette is very low in calories; the amount is limited because too much at once can cause flatulence or diarrhoea.
What's in it
- Very low in calories: around 17 kcal per 100 g, with almost 95% water.
- Provides fibre, potassium, magnesium and vitamins A, C and B6.
- Contains the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.
- Filling without providing many calories – an alternative to energy-rich treats for overweight dogs.
What to watch out for
- Courgettes that taste bitter can contain a lot of cucurbitacin. In people, this has led to diarrhoea and even life-threatening damage to the intestine; cooking doesn't make them safe.
- Courgettes from your own garden are most often affected, for example if they have crossed with ornamental gourds.
- Too much at once can cause flatulence, a bloated belly or diarrhoea.
- Large raw pieces can make small dogs in particular gag.
- Fried courgette, courgette bread and seasoned dishes contain fat, sugar, salt or onion and garlic; baked goods sometimes contain xylitol.
How to prepare courgette
How to do it
- Wash thoroughly and remove the stalk
- Taste a small piece raw first – if it tastes bitter, throw away the whole courgette
- Cut into small cubes or thin slices, and purée if needed
- For sensitive dogs, steam or boil briefly, without salt or fat
- Introduce it with a small amount and watch how your dog tolerates it
Better not
- Bitter courgette, even cooked
- Fried courgette, or courgette prepared with oil, butter or seasoning
- Courgette bread or courgette cake
- A whole courgette to nibble on
- Seeds from home-grown courgettes saved for next year's sowing
How often?
Can be given more often as a snack or topping, in small amounts. All treats together should stay below 10% of daily calories.
Frequently asked questions about courgette
Can my dog eat raw courgette?
Yes. Raw courgette is safe, but cooked it is easier to digest and less likely to cause tummy ache or diarrhoea. Cut raw courgette into small pieces so your dog doesn't choke.
Can my dog eat cooked courgette?
Yes, steamed, boiled or baked in the oven – as long as it stays plain, without salt, butter, oil or seasoning.
Can my dog eat bitter courgette?
No. A bitter taste indicates cucurbitacins. These bitter compounds have caused severe gastrointestinal poisoning in people, and the courgette remains unsuitable even when cooked. Throw it away. If your dog has eaten some and develops vomiting or diarrhoea, call your vet.
Can my dog eat courgette with the skin on?
Yes. The skin contains fibre and antioxidants. Wash the courgette thoroughly first to remove soil and residues.
Can puppies eat courgette?
Yes, small cooked pieces. Puppies have a more sensitive stomach and more precisely balanced nutritional needs, though – have a quick word with your vet first.
Can my dog eat courgette flowers or leaves?
If your dog nibbles a flower or a leaf in the garden, there's no cause for concern: the parts of the courgette plant are considered non-toxic. Do check what else is growing in the bed, though. Deep-fried courgette flowers aren't suitable for your dog because of the fat.
Can my dog eat courgette bread or courgette cake?
No. Baked goods with courgette contain oil, butter and sugar, which are hard on the stomach and fattening. Some baked goods also contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.
Is courgette good for dogs that need to lose weight?
Yes, as a substitute for treats. Just over 110 g of raw courgette slices has only around 20 kcal and hardly any fat. Still count it towards the snack allowance.
How can I tell if a courgette is bitter?
Only by the taste. Before preparing it, taste a small piece raw. If it is unusually bitter, the courgette isn't suitable for you or your dog.
Why are garden courgettes in particular sometimes bitter?
The ability to produce the bitter compounds has been bred out of cultivated varieties. If they cross with ornamental gourds in a home garden, bitter fruit can grow from the seeds again; drought is also being discussed as a cause. With commercially available seed, this isn't usually to be expected.
Recipes with courgette
Ingredients and method are on the website; the app works out the amounts for your dog.
Similar foods
- YesVegetablesCucumberRaw in thin slices, unseasoned; not bitter-tasting cucumbers or pickled gherkins.See the answer
- In moderationVegetablesBell pepperRipe bell peppers without seeds or stalk, cut small; never hot varieties.See the answer
- In moderationVegetablesTomatoOnly ripe, red tomatoes without any green; never unripe fruit or plant parts.See the answer
- In moderationVegetablesKohlrabiPeeled, unseasoned, ideally cooked or finely grated.See the answer
Sources
- Can Dogs Eat Zucchini? – American Kennel Club (AKC)
- Can Dogs Eat Zucchini? – PetMD (vet-reviewed)
- Vorsicht beim Verzehr von bitteren Zucchini (Mitteilung Nr. 027/2015) – Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR)
- Vergiftungsfälle durch bittere Zucchini – Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit (LGL)
- Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, raw (SR Legacy, FDC 169291) – USDA FoodData Central (kcal value)
- Feeding treats to your dog – WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee (10% rule in the calculator)
Reviewed on · DoggoMeal editorial team
This page is no substitute for veterinary advice. Dogs with pre-existing conditions – for example of the kidneys, liver or pancreas, or with diabetes – and dogs with allergies often need their own rules. If your dog has symptoms or you're unsure, ask your vet.
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