What’s so great about sweet potatoes?! I personally can’t stand them. They are definitely not my first choice of food, but I have a chihuahua who is literally obsessed, which I think is pretty funny considering how much I can’t stand them. He is also an incredibly picky chihuahua, so his love for sweet potatoes is adorable.
Making his sweet potatoes is quite simple. I heat up the oven to 425 degrees, put a few sweet potatoes on a baking sheet with tin foil under them, and throw them in the oven for one hour. That’s it. Nothing else. They end up caramelizing at the end, and I’m pretty sure that’s what makes Tito (my chihuahua) go absolutely nuts! He immediately smells them when they start baking, and I can tell how quickly he gets excited knowing he’ll be getting sweet potato for dinner.
Why do I feed him and my other dog's sweet potatoes? First off, he REALLY enjoys it, so I make sure he gets sweet potatoes mixed in his food 3-4 times a week. Why not?! It makes him so happy. Second, sweet potatoes are incredibly healthy. They are packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. They reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, are low in fat, aid in digestion, promote a healthy microbiome (which is VERY important), and they also support healthy vision. The list goes on. As I add this delicious treat to my dog’s meals a few times a week, I know they are getting something that benefits their health. Plus, anytime my dogs get sick, stomach upset, throwing up, or loose stool, I always give them sweet potato and will sometimes add turkey to help soothe their tummies. When they don’t feel good and don’t want to eat, I know my pups will at least eat the sweet potato and will feel better doing so. If you haven’t given sweet potatoes a try in your pet’s life - now is the time!
If you don’t want to bake them, that’s ok! Hungry Hound has your back. Or if your dog is a sweet potato lover like mine, there are so many treats as well that have sweet potato in them too! From Sweet Potato Fries to canned sweet potatoes, there are so many ways to introduce sweet potatoes into your dog’s meals.