Can dogs eat peas?

Frozen peas straight from the bag are a favorite with many dogs: small, cold and fun to chase across the kitchen floor. Thawed or lightly boiled peas can be stirred into a meal as a topper. Sugar snap peas and mangetout can be given whole to medium and large dogs, or chopped for small ones.

Peas have around 80 calories per 100 g, a little more than most green vegetables because of their natural starch.

For a 5 kg (11 lb) dog, a teaspoon of peas is plenty. A 15 kg (33 lb) dog can have about a tablespoon, and a 30 kg (66 lb) dog up to two tablespoons. Larger amounts can cause gas and soft stools because of the fiber, which gut bacteria ferment in the large intestine.

Peas used as a training reward work best for dogs who are not too excited, as they are easy to drop and lose.

Peas contain purines, natural compounds that the body breaks down into uric acid. Dogs prone to urate bladder stones, such as many Dalmatians, are often placed on low-purine diets, and their vet may advise limiting peas. Dogs with kidney disease on a prescription diet should also have treats approved by their vet first.

Mushy peas are often made with butter, salt and sometimes mint sauce. Pea and ham soup is salty and may contain onion. Peas in fried rice, curries and pies come with seasonings dogs should not have. Keep your dog's portion separate before anything else goes into the pan.