Sometimes we want to share our favorite foods with our Whippets. But they have different metabolic systems than ours, so what’s good for us might not be as good for them.
That’s why it’s important to know which foods are safe for your Whippet, and which aren’t. Below, we’ve listed 37 fruits, vegetables & other snacks Whippets can (and can’t) eat.
List of fruits Whippets can or can’t eat
Wondering which fruits your Whippet can eat or not? Here is a list of some common fruits your Whippet can or can’t eat:
Apples
Yes, Whippets can eat apples. Apples are a great source of vitamins A and C, as well as fiber for your Whippet. They’re low in protein and fat, making them the perfect snack for senior Whippets.
However, remove the seeds and core first—the seeds contain cyanide which can be deadly to Whippets if consumed in large quantities. Also avoid processed apples like applesauce and apple pie due to added sugar.
Avocado
Avocado is not safe for your Whippet to consume. The fruit, pits, leaves, skin and the actual plant contain persin, so these parts are potentially poisonous to your Whippet.
Avocado oil is safe in small amounts, but make sure you check with your vet before giving it to your Whippet.
The best thing to do is avoid feeding your Whippet avocado altogether.
Bananas
Yes, Whippets can eat bananas.
Bananas are low in calories and high in fiber, making them a great snack for Whippets. Bananas also contain a good amount of potassium, vitamins, biotin, copper, and fiber. They are also low in cholesterol and sodium. However, bananas have a high sugar content which means they should only be given to your Whippet as an occasional treat and not as a regular part of their diet.
Remove the banana peel as it is harder to digest. It can cause gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea or vomiting.
When giving your Whippet a banana treat make sure you remove the peel first because it contains high amounts of pesticides that may be harmful to Whippets; this is especially true if you’ve bought organic ones from the supermarket without washing them first before giving them away to your pets). Also avoid buying processed bananas.
Blackberry
Yes, Whippets can eat blackberries.
Blackberries are low in calories and sugar but high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They’re also full of fiber, which is important for healthy digestion. The only downside is that they have a fairly high acidity level, so they should be given to your Whippet in moderation—just two berries a day for every 10 pounds of body weight should be enough.
Frozen or fresh blackberries are both great options to keep your pup happy and healthy—just avoid processed varieties of blackberries like blackberry jam, jelly, or ice cream as they may contain harmful additives for your Whippet.
Blueberry
Yes, Whippets can eat blueberries.
Whippets are omnivores and can eat a wide variety of foods. Blueberries are high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and also contain sugar, so feed them in moderation (4-5 blueberries per 10 pounds of body weight). Frozen, fresh, dried or mashed blueberries are all fine for most pups. But avoid frozen ones if your pup is small—they can be a choking hazard. Also avoid processed blueberries like blueberry muffins, blueberry yogurt, blueberry pie or blueberry pancake—they may contain harmful ingredients that could harm your Whippet.
Cantaloupe
Yes, Whippets can eat cantaloupe.
Cantaloupe are low in calories but high in other nutrients. Whippets need a good amount of fiber and moisture in their diet, so this is a great snack for them.
However, they are also high in sugar, so give your Whippet only a small amount of cantaloupe at a time. Remove the rind and seeds before giving it to your Whippet to avoid choking hazards.
Cherry
No, Whippets can’t eat cherries.
Although the fleshy part around the seed is safe for your Whippet to eat, the plant contains cyanide. Cyanide destroys cellular oxygen transport in your Whippet, which can lead to life-threatening symptoms quickly. The symptoms of cyanide toxicity include dilated pupils and a rapid heart rate, as well as hyperventilation and coma. Contact your vet if you think your Whippet ate cherry.
Grapes
No, grapes are very toxic to Whippets. Even a small amount of grapes can cause sudden kidney failure in your Whippet. Symptoms of grape poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Seek veterinary help immediately if you suspect your Whippet ate grapes.
To prevent accidental ingestion, keep grapes out of reach of your Whippet by storing them in a high cupboard or locking them away in a container with a lockable lid.
Mango
Yes! Mangoes are safe for Whippets to eat.
Mangoes contain four different vitamins: A, B6, C and E that help support healthy skin and coat. They also contain vitamin K, which helps blood clotting. Mangoes also have high levels of antioxidants and they contain a good amount of fiber as well.
However, remove mango skin and pit before feeding it to your Whippet. The skin is too hard for them to digest, while the pit can be a choking hazard. Avoid processed mangoes like mango sorbet, mango popsicles and mango ice cream because they may contain harmful ingredients like xylitol (a sweetener used in some foods that can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar) or sulfites (a preservative that can be toxic).
The amount depends on the size of your Whippet—but one-quarter cup of fresh mango once a week is safe for most Whippets.
Oranges
Yes, Whippets can eat oranges in moderation.
Oranges provide Vitamin C, potassium, fiber and moisture. Whippets will love the taste of this fruit and you can give them the fleshy part to enjoy. Remove all traces of peel, skin, pith and seeds before giving them to your Whippet as an occasional treat.
1-2 sections as an occasional treat are enough for most Whippets.
Peaches
Yes, Whippets can eat peaches.
Peaches are high in fiber and vitamin A, which is great for their coats. However, remove the pit before serving it to your Whippet as it contains cyanide.
Also, avoid processed peaches like peach cobbler or peach pie, as they may contain harmful additives that can upset your Whippet’s stomach. Stick with small amounts of cut-up fresh or frozen peaches as a snack or treat.
Pears
Yes, Whippets can eat pears.
Pears are a great snack because they’re high in copper, vitamins C and K, and fiber. They can also lower your risk of having a stroke by 50 percent.
Just be sure to cut the pear into bite-size chunks and remove the pit and seeds first, as the seeds contain traces of cyanide. Skip processed pears like canned pears as it may contain sugar syrups or other additives. One small slice is ok for most Whippets as pears contain sugar.
Pineapples
Yes, Whippets can eat pineapple.
Pineapple is a tasty snack for your Whippet. It contains vitamins, minerals, bromelain, and moisture. The only part of the fruit that is safe for your Whippet to eat is the soft inner fruit. Remove the spiky skin and hard inner core before feeding your Whippet pineapple. Avoid processed pineapples like canned pineapple or pineapple cake—these contain harmful chemicals that could harm your pet.
2/3 small bites of raw pineapple are enough for your Whippet to enjoy the benefits of eating this delicious treat.
Pumpkin
Can Whippets eat pumpkin? Yes! Pure pumpkin itself is a great choice and a very healthy snack for Whippets.
Pumpkin helps with your Whippet’s skin and coat, but it’s also good for digestion and can help remedy both diarrhea and constipation in your Whippet.
Never feed your Whippet pumpkin pie mix—it has sugar and other additives that aren’t good for Whippets. Canned pumpkin is ok for your Whippet but make sure it’s 100% pumpkin—not mixed with spices or other ingredients. Many pumpkin supplements and pumpkin pup treats are available on the market today. The amount varies with your Whippet’s size and activity level, but start with a teaspoon per day.
Strawberry
Yes, Whippets can eat strawberries.
Strawberries contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They’re also low in calories and high in fiber. Fresh and frozen strawberries have the same benefits as cooked ones. But don’t forget to cut the strawberries into small pieces before serving them to your Whippet.
Plus, remove the stem so that he doesn’t choke on it. Always avoid processed strawberries or products made with them, since these may contain additives that aren’t good for your pooch.
Watermelon
Yes, Whippets can eat watermelon. However, that doesn’t mean you should feed them an entire watermelon.
Watermelon is high in water content, which means it’s low in calories and carbs—perfect for a Whippet who needs to lose weight! It’s also rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, B6, C and K; folate; niacin; zinc; potassium; phosphorus; magnesium; iron; copper; manganese; riboflavin; thiamine and selenium.
The flesh of a watermelon is safe for Whippets to eat, but it’s important not to give your Whippet the seeds or rinds because they can cause digestive distress—not something you want for your pup. Just giving them half a cup of diced seedless and rind-free watermelon per 10 pounds of body weight.
List of vegetable Whippets can or can’t eat
Wondering which vegetables your Whippet can eat or not? Here is a list of some vegetables your Whippet can or can’t eat:
Broccoli
Yes, Whippets can eat broccoli.
Broccoli contains Vitamin K, Vitamin C and minerals. It also contains fiber, which is good for digestion. Broccoli stems and florets, both are safe to eat, either cooked or raw. However, always cut them into small pieces, as they could be a choking hazard if swallowed whole by your Whippet. Offer 1/4 (0.25) cup broccoli per 10 pounds of body weight of a pup.
Cabbage
Yes! Cabbage is actually a great food for Whippets. It contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and it’s rich in fiber and moisture.
Cabbage comes in many colors, but all of them are safe for Whippets. Red cabbage is more nutritious than green cabbage—it has 10 times more vitamins than green. You can feed your Whippet either the color of roasted cabbage as long as you make sure it isn’t cooked in oil or salt.
You should offer them one bite of roasted cabbage per 10 pounds of body weight per day.
Carrots
Yes, Whippets can eat carrots. In fact, they’re an excellent low calorie treat! Carrots contain all kinds of vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are great for your Whippet’s teeth. They also crunch on this orange veggie, which is great for their teeth.
You can give your Whippet raw, frozen or cooked carrots. However, cooked carrots are better since they’re easier to digest than raw ones. But if you choose to give your Whippet raw or frozen carrots, make sure you chop them into small pieces to avoid a choking hazard. Carrot cake is fine as long as you add no harmful additives. One or two baby carrots are enough for an average sized pup.
Celery
Yes, Whippets can eat celery. Celery is a low-calorie treat that is also high in vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants. It’s also high in moisture and fiber, which can help keep your pup hydrated and full.
Celery sticks are a great way to feed your Whippet this vegetable—especially for larger Whippets. Celery leaves are also safe for Whippets to eat, but they should be organic and washed before serving them to your pup.
However, always cut the celery into bite-sized pieces before feeding them to your Whippet. This will help prevent choking or excessive chewing on tough stems that could cause discomfort if swallowed whole by small Whippets or puppies. Start with one or two bite-sized pieces at first, then increase over time if desired.
Cucumber
Yes, Whippets can eat cucumbers. They contain vitamins, minerals, moisture, and fiber. Also, they provide phytochemicals that help freshen your Whippet’s breath. However, avoid processed cucumbers like cucumber pickles, as they may contain harmful additives like onions, garlic, salt, and sugar.
Amount depends on the size of your Whippet but only one or two pieces of cucumber are fine.
Garlic
Whippets can’t eat garlic. It contains N-propyl disulfide, a sulfur compound, which causes hemolysis leading to anemia. Raw and cooked cloves, bulbs of garlic are toxic to your Whippet. Toxic dose is 15 to 30 grams per kilogram of body weight. Contact the vet immediately if your Whippet ate garlic.
Onions
No, Whippets can’t eat onions.
Onions contain a sulfur compound called n-propyl disulfide, which causes hemolysis (the breaking down of red blood cells) and anemia in Whippets. The toxic effects of onions are dose-dependent: the more onion your Whippet eats, the worse it will be for him.
Red, white, yellow—it doesn’t matter what kind of onion your Whippet eats: they all contain this toxin. And every part of the onion plant is toxic to Whippets too: flesh, ring, leaves, juice and processed powders are all bad for them.
If you suspect your Whippet ate an onion, contact your vet immediately for advice about treatment options and follow their instructions closely.
Zucchini
Can Whippets eat zucchini?
Yes, Whippets can eat zucchini. Zucchini is a low calorie treat and full of vitamins and antioxidants. It’s also high in fiber, moisture, and water content that all help keep your Whippet hydrated.
If you want to give your Whippet raw zucchini, plain raw, steamed or cooked zucchini is safe for Whippets to eat. However, raw zucchini provides more Vitamin A than cooked ones, so if you’re looking to give your Whippet a lot of Vitamin A, then it should be raw.
Amount depends on the size and activity level of your Whippet but start with just one or two small bites.
List of some other snacks Whippets can or can’t eat
Wondering which snacks your Whippet can eat or not? Here is a list of some snacks your Whippet can or can’t eat:
Bacon
You may have seen your Whippet drooling over the smell of bacon cooking in the kitchen and wondered if it was safe to give your Whippet a little nibble.
The answer is that it is safe to give your Whippet small amounts of cooked bacon, but you should do so infrequently. Bacon is an incredibly rich and fatty food with a high salt content. Can prove to be too much for a Whippet’s stomach to handle. Eating a large amount can cause pancreatitis, which can lead to vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy.
If you choose to give your Whippet a small amount of bacon, make sure it has been cooked thoroughly. If you are unsure whether something is confusing, ask your veterinarian before serving it to your pet.
Beef
Can Whippets eat beef?
Yes, but you should make sure that the beef you give your Whippet is cooked and unseasoned.
Cooked, unseasoned lean beef is safe for Whippets in small amounts unless your Whippet is allergic to beef. What’s more, lean beef contains many important vitamins and minerals that are necessary for good health.
Beef broth, beef stew, specialized Whippet beef jerky without an excess amount of salt are also safe for your Whippet. In fact, these provide more nutrients than plain old cooked meat does!
However, cooked beef bone is not recommended because it can splinter and become sharp. They are also dangerous because they may break easily when chewed and cause choking or blockage of the digestive tract. If you do feed your Whippet a raw bone, supervise them at all times and remove any fragments that break off from the bone before they swallow them whole.
For a 20 pounds pooch, one cup of kibble or 0.3 pound of ground beef is enough to meet their daily requirements of protein and other nutrients necessary for good health.
Bread
Yes, Whippets can eat bread provided your Whippet is not allergic to it. However, only plain white and wheat bread is safe for Whippets to eat. Avoid processed bread like bread with yeast. It’s very harmful to your Whippet.
Bread doesn’t provide that much nutrients in your Whippet, so offer them in moderation. A crust is fine, but a whole slice is too much for your Whippet. Too much bread can cause digestive upset such as bloating or diarrhea.
Cheese
Yes, Whippets can eat cheese.
Cheese contains vitamins and fatty acids, which are essential for your Whippet’s health. It also contains proteins that are beneficial to their digestion. A small amount of cheese is fine for your Whippet—just be careful of what types of cheeses you’re feeding them!
Mozzarella, cottage, swiss, cheddar cheese are safer options for your Whippet to eat. Stay away from spicy cheeses like blue cheese or goat cheese (they can cause stomach upset), as well as cream cheese (which can cause diarrhea).
The amount depends on the size of your Whippet—a few small bites are fine for most Whippets.
Chicken
Yes, Whippets can eat chicken. Boneless cooked breast meat is the best to feed your Whippet because it contains protein, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. It’s okay to feed your Whippet chicken skin if you remove the fat content first. The amount depends on the size of the Whippet but give 1/8 to 1/6 cup of meat protein per 10 pounds of body weight per day if your Whippet is on a raw meat diet.
Chocolate
Chocolate is one of the most dangerous foods you can give to your Whippet. Theobromine and caffeine are toxic to pups, and even small doses can cause vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate and blood pressure, seizures, fever and death.
Cocoa powder (most toxic), Unsweetened baker’s chocolate, Semisweet chocolate, Dark chocolate, Milk chocolate- all are toxic. If your Whippet ate chocolate, contact your vet immediately. Educate your family about the danger of chocolate in Whippets to prevent accidental ingestion.
Eggs
Yes, your Whippet can eat eggs. Eggs are a great source of protein and fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.
Make sure you provide cooked egg only. Avoid raw eggs as they may contain bacteria. Egg shells are fine as long as you grind them up and no sharp edges remain.
Fish
Yes, but not all types.
Smaller, younger, wild-caught, shorter-lived species like salmon, shrimp, tilapia are safe for your Whippet. These fish have higher water content and lower fat content than longer-lived species.
Avoid longer-lived fish species like tuna, shark and swordfish as they can contain heavy metals like mercury. Also avoid farmed fish because they can have high levels of contaminants from their water source.
Clean them properly before feeding them to your Whippet: debone them and cook them in a way that doesn’t add any harmful additives. Feeding your Whippet one or two times per week in small amounts is fine; if you feed him too much protein, it can lead to kidney problems later on down the road, so moderation is key.
Icecream
Can Whippets eat ice cream?
No. Ice cream contains high amounts of dairy products and sugar, which can cause canine stomach upset and nausea. Symptoms of ice cream toxicity include vomiting and diarrhea, but in severe cases the Whippet could suffer from kidney damage or liver failure.
Ice cream lollies, ice cream cones, Oreo ice cream, McDonald’s ice cream, vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream—all are unsafe for Whippets to eat. If you suspect your Whippet accidentally ate any of these items, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Peanut butter
Yes, Whippets can eat peanut butter in moderation. Peanut butter provides protein, vitamins, and healthy fats that are important for the development of strong muscles, bones and teeth.
However, ensure the peanut butter is pup safe without xylitol and chocolate. Also avoid peanut butter pretzels, as it contains 3 times more sodium than regular peanut butter. Amount depends on the size of your pup, but start with a half teaspoon per day.
Popcorn
It’s true: your Whippet can eat popcorn.
Popcorn is actually a great snack for your pup, and it has a low glycemic index, which means it won’t spike up your pooch’s blood sugar levels. It’s also rich in fiber and minerals like magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc, along with trace amounts of vitamins.
If you’re giving your Whippet plain air-popped popcorn to eat as a treat occasionally (and not with other things), you’re good to go! Just remember that unpopped popcorn or partially popped kernels can be a choking hazard—so don’t give them those kinds of treats unless they’ve been thoroughly chewed on first.
Turkey
Yes, Whippets can eat turkey. Turkey is safe for your Whippet as long as you provide cooked lean, white, unseasoned and boneless turkey meat. Turkey breast meat is the best option because it contains the most protein and fatty acids, which are important for your dog’s health and well-being.
Turkey provides minerals such as zinc and iron that Whippets need for their diet. Avoid turkey skin because it can cause GI upset and pancreatitis; also avoid processed turkey because it may contain harmful ingredients like salt, sugar or artificial flavoring.
You should only feed your Whippet 20 grams of white meat turkey or 15 grams of dark meat per 12 pounds of body weight.
Yogurt
Yes, Whippets can eat yogurt. Plain yogurt is a perfectly acceptable snack for Whippets, and it can be beneficial to their health.
However, some Whippets may have trouble digesting dairy products in general—so if your pooch has digestive issues like diarrhea or vomiting after eating yogurt, it might be best to avoid this treat in the future.
If your Whippet can digest dairy products with no problems, plain yogurt is one of the best snacks out there for them. It will help strengthen their body and build up their immune system as well as improve their digestive health. Just make sure you pick up plain yogurt and avoid any yogurts with added sugar or artificial sweeteners.