Can dogs eat cabbage?
Updated 6 August 2026
Yes, cabbage is safe for dogs in small amounts, cooked plain or raw and finely shredded. It is cheap, low in calories and reliably gassy, so keep it occasional. Skip pickled red cabbage, sauerkraut and kimchi, and go easy on raw cabbage if it becomes a regular extra.
The detail
Cabbage is one of the cheapest vegetables in the shop and a safe one to share in small amounts. Cooked plain or raw and finely shredded, most dogs take it happily enough.
It is a brassica, so wind comes with the territory. A spoonful is a harmless extra; a ladleful is an evening you will regret sharing.
The processed forms are where the answer turns. Pickled red cabbage, sauerkraut and kimchi all bring vinegar, sugar, salt or spice that a dog has no use for.
Cabbage by form
| Raw, finely shredded | Fine in small amountsThe gassiest way to serve it |
| Cooked plain | The best option |
| Pickled red cabbage | Skip itVinegar and sugar in a jar |
| Sauerkraut and kimchi | Skip themSalt, plus chilli and garlic in kimchi |
How much is sensible
| Dog size | Sensible amount |
|---|---|
| Small (under 10kg)Chihuahua, Jack Russell | A teaspoon of cooked or finely shredded cabbage, occasionally |
| Medium (10 to 25kg)Cocker spaniel, border collie | A tablespoon or so |
| Large (over 25kg)Labrador, German shepherd | A couple of tablespoons |
| Dogs with thyroid conditions | Ask your vet first, and keep raw cabbage off the menu |
Raw cabbage
Raw is fine in small amounts as long as it is shredded finely. Big raw chunks are hard to chew, hard to digest and the fastest route to wind.
A little shredded white or savoy cabbage mixed into dinner is the sensible ceiling. If it becomes a daily habit, read the thyroid section below.
Cooked cabbage
Plain steamed or boiled cabbage is the best way to serve it, softer on the gut and easier to portion. Plain is the operative word.
Cabbage cooked the way humans like it usually means butter, bacon fat or salt, and bubble and squeak often includes onion, which is toxic to dogs. Set a spoonful aside before the seasoning goes in.
Red cabbage
Fresh red cabbage gets the same answer as green or white: safe in small amounts, cooked plain or finely shredded raw. The colour changes nothing that matters to a dog.
The braised and pickled versions are different. Braised red cabbage is usually cooked with vinegar, sugar and often onion, and jarred pickled red cabbage is vinegar and sugar outright, so both stay on your plate.
Sauerkraut and kimchi
Skip both. Sauerkraut is fermented in salt, and a dog's salt limit is far lower than the brine allows for.
Kimchi adds chilli, garlic and usually onion to the salt, and garlic and onion are toxic to dogs. Fermented cabbage has its fans for gut health, but the seasoning makes both versions a no.
Cabbage and thyroid function
The warning you will meet online is that raw brassicas contain compounds that can interfere with thyroid function when fed heavily and often. None of the major UK veterinary charities lists cabbage as a toxin, and no source quotes a dangerous amount for dogs.
The PDSA's advice for the brassica family is very small quantities, because large amounts can cause illness. An occasional spoonful is nowhere near the territory the warning describes; a daily raw ration is worth a conversation with your vet, especially for a dog with a known thyroid condition.
Signs to watch for
- Wind and a grumbly stomach after larger amounts
- Loose stools if cabbage becomes a daily extra
Common questions
Can dogs eat bubble and squeak?
Usually not. It is fried in butter or fat and most recipes include onion, which is toxic to dogs. Share plain cooked cabbage set aside before the frying pan instead.
Can dogs eat braised red cabbage at Christmas?
No. Braised red cabbage is cooked with vinegar, sugar and often onion. Plain red cabbage is fine in small amounts; the Christmas version is for the humans.
Can dogs eat sauerkraut?
No. Sauerkraut is fermented in salt at levels a dog should not have. Kimchi is worse again, since it adds chilli and garlic.
Why is my dog so windy after cabbage?
Cabbage fibre ferments in the gut, and gas is the by-product. Smaller portions and cooking it plain both help, or switch to a quieter vegetable like carrot.
Can dogs eat cabbage every day?
Better not. The PDSA's advice for brassicas is very small quantities because large amounts can cause illness, and heavy regular raw feeding is where the thyroid caution applies. Occasional is the word.
Can puppies eat cabbage?
A shred or two of plain cooked cabbage is safe for a puppy on solid food. There is no need for it though, and puppy stomachs protest more easily, so it is an easy one to skip.