Garlic for Dogs IS Good After All: Can Dogs Eat Garlic & How Much to Feed

Garlic for dogs is a hotly debated topic among dog lovers, and I’m glad to have done my research on it!

You’ve probably all seen lists of human foods that are OK to share with our pups, and those that aren’t.

I created one of those lists myself, and listed garlic in the “not safe to share” category, along with onions.

Obviously, that was before I learned that small amounts of garlic are safe AND beneficial to feed to our pups.

Disclaimer: This blog post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated in 2023. It contains affiliate links I may earn compensation through at no additional cost to you. 

How I Learned That Garlic Is Safe For Dogs

I once went to pick up some more of Dr. Harvey’s dehydrated grain-free Premix Veg-to-Bowl I had been using for my pups’ raw dog food meals. The store happened to be out of it, so I searched for similar products and found a bag of Sojos pre-mix.

It wasn’t until I was home that I noticed that it had garlic on the ingredient list. I was confused when I saw that ingredient since I thought that it’s toxic for dogs.

However, I figured that the brand wouldn’t include a toxic ingredient in its food, and started doing some research.

While I did, I came across a tweet by Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. They’re a raw dog food brand I’ve ordered from on and off since 2015 when I made the switch from kibble to raw dog food:

The article Darwin’s linked to was written by Dr. Deva Khalsa for the publication Dogs Naturally Magazine. Dr. Khalsa has practiced a blend of holistic & traditional veterinary medicine for over 25 years.

Fun fact: I received my certificate as a raw dog food nutrition specialist from Dogs Naturally Magazine in early 2020!

What Convinced Me That Garlic Is Good For My Dogs

I am not going to summarize her article here, but I do recommend you head over there and ready it yourself!

I just want to share which part of it I found convincing enough to add the dehydrated pre-mix Sojos, which contains garlic, to my pups’ raw dog food.

She explained that a 75 lb dog would have to eat 5 complete heads of garlic (or 75 cloves of garlic) in each meal before experiencing adverse effects on his red blood cells.

A 10 lb dog would experience side effects after eating half a head of garlic (i.e. 6-8 garlic cloves) in each meal.

How Much Garlic Can I Feed My Dog?

So the rule of thumb is to let our dogs consume garlic in moderation in order to reap its health benefits – ideally raw garlic.

This makes sense to me, as moderation is key in so many aspects of both K9 and human lives.

In moderation means this: you can feed your dog a small amount of raw garlic, specifically 1/3 of a teaspoon of garlic per 10 lbs of body weight per day.

Now, I don’t know how much garlic is in the 2 lb bag of Sojos pre-mix, but since it appeared towards the very bottom of the ingredient list (15th out of 17 ingredients), I felt that it must be safe to consume. And it was!

The ingredients on any bag or can of dog food are always listed in descending order, meaning that the first few ingredients are the most prevalent ones in the respective food.

Update 2019: Sojos updated its formula and no longer adds garlic. For a list of dehydrated dog food mixes that contain garlic, see the bottom of this blog post.

Did you know? Garlic contains thiosulphate. It’s a substance that can cause liver damage & death when consumed in large quantities.

Benefits Of Garlic For Dogs

Garlic has anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancer benefits for dogs. As such, it supports healthy digestion and helps strengthen your dog’s immune system.

Allicin is the major biologically active component of garlic and responsible for the plethora of garlic’s health benefits.

However, Allicin only occurs in crushed or finely chopped fresh garlic, but not in the untouched clove.

How Much Garlic Can I Give My Dog For Fleas?

I was delighted to learn that garlic for dogs also helps prevent flea infestations!

Combined with Wondercide’s Flea, Tick & Mosquito Spray for Dogs (& Cats), it’s effective.

Just FYI, I no longer use chemical pest preventatives on my dogs since Missy’s cancer scare which prompted me to make the switch to raw dog food in the first place.

You can feed your dog the same amount of garlic I mentioned earlier:

1/3 of a teaspoon of fresh garlic per 10 lbs of body weight per day.

How To Feed Your Dog Garlic

There’s two easy options to serve fresh garlic to your pup.

You can either top their meals off with some freshly chopped or crushed raw garlic, or you can feed a food that has garlic on its ingredient list.

Spoiler alert: You’ll definitely get more health benefits if you feed raw, fresh garlic, but I understand that not everyone may be comfortable with that.

When Not to Feed Your Dog Garlic

As with everything in life, there are a few exceptions to the rule.

Since garlic can interfere with certain medications, don’t feed garlic if your dog is on:

• Immune suppressants
• Heart medicine
• Chemotherapy
• Blood thinners
• Insulin
• Antacids
• High blood pressure meds

You also shouldn’t feed garlic to pregnant dogs and to puppies under 6 months of age, and don’t give your dog garlic 2 weeks before surgery.

Freeze-Dried Dog Foods With Garlic

The following freeze-dried raw dog foods all feature garlic on their ingredient lists.

Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Dog Food – With (Sweet) Potatoes

Including their pre-mix for raw or cooked diets.

Comes in:

• Chicken. Ingredients: Chicken, Potatoes, Flax, Carrots, Celery, Apples, Blueberries, Cranberries, Garlic, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Phosphorous, Zinc Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Potassium Chloride, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
• Pork. Ingredients: Pork, Potatoes, Flax, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Celery, Apples, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Garlic, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Phosphorous, Zinc Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Potassium Chloride, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
• Lamb. Ingredients: Lamb, Potatoes, Flax, Carrots, Celery, Apples, Blueberries, Cranberries, Garlic, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Phosphorous, Zinc Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Potassium Chloride, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
• Venison. Ingredients: Venison, Potatoes, Flax, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Celery, Apples, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Garlic, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Phosphorous, Zinc Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Potassium Chloride, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement.

Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance Dog Food – With Chickpeas

Including their pre-mix for raw or cooked diets:

Comes in: 

• Chicken. Ingredients: Chicken, Chickpeas, Flax, Carrots, Celery, Apples, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Papaya, Spinach, Garlic, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Phosphorous, Zinc Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Potassium Chloride, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
• Lamb. Ingredients: Lamb, Chickpeas, Flax, Carrots, Celery, Apples, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Papaya, Spinach, Garlic, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Phosphorous, Zinc Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Potassium Chloride, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement.
• Rabbit. Ingredients: Rabbit, Chickpeas, Flax, Carrots, Celery, Apples, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Papaya, Spinach, Garlic, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Phosphorous, Zinc Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Potassium Chloride, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement.

Smallbatch Chicken Dog Food

Ingredients:

• Chicken
• Chicken backs
• Skinless chicken necks
• Chicken livers
• Chicken hearts
• Chicken gizzards
• Organic yams
• Organic carrots
• Organic squash
• Organic broccoli
• Salmon oil
• Organic apple cider vinegar
• Organic kale
• Organic collards
• Mixed tocopherols
• Organic kelp
• Organic parsley
• Organic bee pollen
• Organic bilberry
• Organic wheatgrass
• Organic garlic
• Organic rosemary
• Organic basil
• Vitamin E supplement

Smallbatch Beef Dog Food

Ingredients:

• Beef hearts
• Beef livers
• Beef kidneys
• Beef bones
• Organic yams
• Organic carrots
• Organic squash
• Organic broccoli
• Salmon oil
• Organic apple cider vinegar
• Organic kale
• Organic collards
• Mixed tocopherols
• Organic kelp
• Organic parsley
• Organic bee pollen
• Organic bilberry
• Organic wheatgrass
• Organic garlic
• Organic rosemary
• Organic basil
• Vitamin E supplement

Smallbatch Lamb Dog Food

Ingredients:

• Lamb
• Lamb hearts
• Lamb necks (including bone)
• Lamb livers
• Lamb spleens
• Organic butternut squash
• Organic celery
• Organic bok choy
• Organic cauliflower
• Organic green beans
• Organic dandelion greens
• Salmon oil
• Organic apple cider vinegar
• Mixed tocopherols
• Organic cilantro
• Organic kelp
• Organic bee pollen
• Organic bilberry
• Organic wheatgrass
• Organic garlic
• Organic thyme
• Vitamin E supplement

Smallbatch Duck Dog Food

Ingredients:

• Duck (including bones)
• Duck hearts
• Duck gizzards
• Duck liver
• Organic butternut squash
• Organic celery
• Organic bok choy
• Organic cauliflower
• Organic green beans
• Organic dandelion greens
• Salmon oil
• Organic apple cider vinegar
• Mixed tocopherols
• Organic cilantro
• Organic kelp
• Organic bee pollen
• Organic bilberry
• Organic wheatgrass
• Organic garlic
• Organic thyme
• Organic oregano
• Vitamin E supplement

Smallbatch Pork Dog Food

Ingredients:

• Pork
• Pork hearts
• Pork livers
• Pork kidneys
• Pork bones
• Organic butternut squash
• Organic celery
• Organic bok choy
• Organic cauliflower
• Organic green beans
• Organic dandelion greens
• Salmon oil
• Organic apple cider vinegar
• Mixed tocopherols
• Organic kelp
• Organic bee pollen
• Organic bilberry
• Organic wheatgrass
• Organic garlic
• Organic thyme
• Organic oregano
• Vitamin E supplement

Smallbatch Turkey Dog Food

Ingredients:

• Turkey
• Turkey necks
• Turkey livers
• Turkey hearts
• Turkey gizzards
• Organic butternut squash
• Organic celery
• Organic bok choy
• Organic cauliflower
• Organic green beans
• Organic dandelion
• Salmon oil
• Organic apple cider vinegar
• Mixed tocopherols
• Organic kelp
• Organic cilantro
• Organic bee pollen
• Organic bilberry
• Organic wheatgrass
• Organic garlic
• Organic thyme
• Organic oregano
• Vitamin E supplement

Dehydrated Dog Foods With Garlic

The Honest Kitchen’s base mix Kindly. That’s their grain-free veggie, nut, and seed base mix.

Also the Honest Kitchen’s grain-free line of dehydrated foods, but only their chicken recipe and fish recipe features garlic on the ingredient list.

THK Grain-Free Chicken

Ingredients:

• Dehydrated chicken
• Flaxseed
• Dehydrated potatoes
• Dehydrated sweet potatoes
• Dried apples
• Dehydrated celery
• Dehydrated honey
• Dehydrated pumpkin
• Dehydrated cabbage
• Dried bananas
• Dried papayas
• Dehydrated green beans
• Dried basil
• Dried organic kelp
• Dried garlic
• Minerals
• Taurine
• Vitamins

THK Grain-Free Fish

Ingredients:

• Dehydrated white fish
• Dehydrated sweet potatoes
• Dehydrated eggs
• Dehydrated pumpkin
• Dried organic coconut
• Dried bananas
• Dried apples
• Dehydrated cabbage
• Dried parsley
• Dried cranberries
• Dehydrated salmon
• Dried garlic
• Minerals
• Taurine
• Vitamins

THK Whole Grain Turkey

Ingredients:

• Dehydrated turkey
• Organic oats
• Dehydrated potatoes
• Flaxseed
• Dehydrated carrots
• Dehydrated cabbage
• Dried apples
• Dehydrated honey
• Dried organic kelp
• Dried garlic
• Minerals
• Taurine
• Vitamins

Garlic For Dogs: Bottom Line

Garlic has a plethora of health benefits for dogs and can easily be added to dog food.

To get the most health benefits, it’s best to feed your dog fresh, raw garlic. When you do, remember not to exceed 1/3 of a teaspoon of garlic per 10 lbs of body weight per day.

However, there are a few freeze-dried and dehydrated dog food brands that add garlic to their recipes, so that’s a good alternative to fresh garlic for dogs.

Please leave your comments or questions in the section below the post!

Related Reading:

• Can dogs eat raw pumpkin?
• How to make raw dog food at home
• Slippery elm for dogs – what it is, how to use it & more

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