Can Dogs Eat Peas and Corn?

The Short Answer is:

Pet owners will be pleased to know that dogs can safely consume peas and corn as a snack or as a garnish. Dogs with kidney disease shouldn’t be fed peas. All other dogs, however, are safe from these two vegetables. In addition to providing your dog with minerals and vitamins, they will provide your dog with foods of different textures. As for peas, they are simply amazing for nutrition.

In this article you will know the answer to the query “Can Dogs Eat Peas and Corn?“.

Pet owners will be pleased to know that dogs can safely consume peas and corn as a snack or as a garnish. 

For reasons I will explain later dogs with kidney disease should not be fed peas.

All other dogs however are safe from these two vegetables.

In addition to providing your dog with minerals and vitamins they will provide your dog with foods of different textures. 

As for peas they are simply amazing for nutrition. It was a pleasant surprise to me and I’m sure that it will be for you as well. 

In the following section I explain just how amazing peas are!

How healthy are peas?

These past few weeks I have looked at nutrition data for a variety of vegetables- green beans broccoli celery and even cauliflower leaves.

So be it if that makes me a bit weird!

Nonetheless it means I recognize impressive statistics when I see them.

My first impression of peas is the amount of fiber they contain.

As an author of an article on pumpkin and diarrhea I know a thing or two about fiber!

Fiber accounts for nearly 6% of the weight of a pea.

Furthermore a pea is over 5% protein and contains some important B vitamins including B3 (niacin) B1 (thiamin) and B6.

Together B vitamins are very powerful and are linked to a wide range of functions ranging from energy levels to the development of red blood cells.

The good news does not stop there: Peas just keep giving!

The fruits and vegetables are a great source of vitamin A which helps your dogs eyesight and they provide an extra punch of vitamin K (a vitamin that dogs make for themselves) so the occasional boost would not harm. 

Peas contain a lot of copper (again those red blood cells) manganese (needed for blood clotting and inflammation reduction) and phosphorus (important for healthy teeth and bones). 

Next I guess I have to ask whether I should feed my dog raw peas cooked peas or frozen peas.

Cooked green peas vs frozen peas vs raw green peas

There is now very little difference in the nutritional value of all of these different kinds of peas. 

I have included the most important numbers below to make it easier.

In general these numbers demonstrate the nutritional content of raw frozen and cooked peas. 

The main difference between raw or cooked peas and frozen peas is the amount of vitamin A in frozen peas.

What a difference raw peas have over their frozen or cooked “siblings” in terms of vitamin C!

Before you get all excited feeding frozen peas to your dog is perfectly fine and this article proves it!

Preparation is made easier since anything that does not involve cooking speeds up the process.

Now those with keen eyes will notice that I have not yet mentioned canned peas.

This is because I did not want too many columns on my table.

Pet owners can feed their dogs canned peas as long as they do not add salt to the cans.

Since added salt is used in those cans the sodium levels will be out of control!

Are there any risks from eating peas? 

Good news can not last forever can it?

There are fake risks and real risks associated with peas.

Firstly there is the fake risk.

Actually its not a fake risk but its something you should be aware of.

When fed to the wrong dog peas can be a choking hazard.

You know for dogs that do not enjoy chewing their food.

For dogs with kidney disease peas pose a serious risk. 

It is because peas contain purines which are compounds found in many foods.

If a dogs kidneys are weak purines will convert to uric acid which is a real problem. 

As I have run out of things to say about dogs and peas I am going to talk about corn

How healthy is corn?

According to the data corn does not impress me as much as peas do.

Peas and beans both contain about the same amount of calories but beans have slightly more carbohydrates.

In terms of carbohydrates it contains less fiber than peas and more sugar.

Additionally it contains less protein.

As well after the huge multivitamin boost that peas can provide corn is somewhat disappointing. 

Heres what we found. 

Both vegetables have roughly the same amount of calories per serving.

However peas are way ahead in terms of fiber (5.7% vs 2%).

Peas are also higher in protein than beans. 

The story continues as we move down the list.

The top performer is peas- in fact as we study more nutrients the gap between the two seems to widen. 

Consider the difference in vitamin A vitamin C or vitamin K levels between these two vegetables.

These gaps are vast when compared to one another.

These charts do not only show peas to be the best in terms of nutrients. 

I have tried to find a vitamin or mineral present in greater abundance in corn than peas but I can not!

What are the best ways to prepare corn for your dog? This is the next section I want to discuss.

Cooked sweetcorn vs frozen corn vs raw sweetcorn

In comparison to frozen or raw corn cooked sweetcorn has a similar nutritional value to peas.

The differences between them are very small.

In terms of sweetcorn I would not create any comparison tables. 

Therefore your dog can eat corn in a variety of ways without feeling guilty.

In summer frozen green peas might be a great addition to your dogs water bowl.

When it comes to cooking sweetcorn steaming is the fastest and easiest method.

If you add any butter the “health factor” will be ruined. 

The risk from corn?

Corn is safe to feed to dogs as long as you feed them while they are still “on the cob”.

If your dog eats the cob he could choke or block part of his digestive system.

In addition the husk has the same texture and nutritional value as an old pair of boots. 

Make sure your dog only eats corn that has been taken off the husk!

Should puppies eat peas and corn?

A puppy that is older should have a diet containing a combination of corn and peas.

Although I dismiss the risk of dogs choking on peas I consider the risk of puppies choking on corn and peas to be greater.

To start introduce smaller amounts and just keep an eye on them as they consume them.  

When you find out they love it and that eating it does not make them cough bingo you have found a new vegetable combination to spice up dinner time!

What other combinations of vegetables are good for my dog?

Maybe you’re looking for another vegetable to pair with peas in your dogs bowl after my drubbing of corn?

Corn does not frighten me too much- I’m a big fan of it myself- but compared to the mighty pea it looks a little sorry for itself!

There are not many vegetables that compare favorably with the pea to be honest.

For all of us our refrigerator is the first place we should look.

Are there any other vegetables in your house?

When you can give the dog vegetables that you eat yourself it just makes things easier.

In addition to snacking on carrots they also enjoy adding them to their meal. 

Another good tip when you are considering adding vegetables to your dogs food is to avoid using vegetables that are the same color together.

Vegetables with similar colors often have the same mix of vitamins and minerals. 

Vitamin A is found in foods such as carrots and pumpkin.

Iron and calcium are abundant in broccoli and kale. 

By mixing vegetables of different colors you can provide your dog with a variety of different vitamins and minerals instead of giving them an “overdose” of just a few…

How many peas and corn should I feed my dog?

It might seem cruel but you should only add extra food to your dogs diet up to a maximum of 10% of the amount of food they consume in a day.

As my Golden Retrievers eat about 500 grams of food per day a portion of peas and corn should not exceed 50 grams.

This is approximately three to four tablespoons. 

The next question is how often should we do this given the ideal amount we have worked out?

How often should I feed dogs peas and corn?

There is nothing wrong with adding one or two vegetables to your dogs food every day.

However I think it is not right for a dog to live its entire life eating only peas and corn along with its food.

When you can mix some vegetables into your dogs food (it is extra work). Just mix it up a bit.

I do not necessarily mean a dog should eat a different vegetable every day just that over a couple of weeks or a month they get to eat a few different kinds. 

Its okay to add peas or corn to your dogs food if for some reason you have lots on hand.

So long as your dog gets to experience something else after that.

It is partly related to nutrition (your dog consumes a variety of vitamins and minerals) but different vegetables also have different textures. 

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.