Can dogs eat vegetable peelings and scraps?

Washed carrot peelings, cucumber ends, courgette trimmings, green bean tops and bell pepper flesh trimmed away from the seeds are all fine. Chop long peelings so they do not tangle. A small handful is enough for a medium dog; large amounts of raw peel can cause gas and loose stools.

Wash vegetables before peeling to reduce soil and residue on the scraps.

Raw potato peelings, especially green ones, contain solanine. Onion skins and garlic papers carry allium compounds. Tomato vines and leaves contain solanine and tomatine. Rhubarb leaves are high in oxalates. Avocado skins contain persin, and corn husks and cobs can cause blockages.

Mixed scrap bowls should be treated as unsafe, because it is easy to miss an onion skin among the carrot peel.

Much of the pesticide residue on conventional vegetables sits on or just under the skin. Washing and scrubbing vegetables before peeling reduces this. If you want to share peelings regularly, choosing organic carrots and courgettes is one option, but thorough washing is the most important step either way.

Food waste left to rot grows moulds that can produce tremorgenic mycotoxins. Dogs that raid compost heaps may develop muscle tremors, twitching, a high temperature and seizures, sometimes within an hour or two. Keep caddies lidded and compost bins closed or fenced.

Set aside safe peelings in a separate container while you cook. Use them the same day as a small topper or frozen into a lick mat. Everything else goes in a lidded bin.