Is it true that dogs won’t eat beets because they have no nutritional value?
— P.I., Delray Beach, FL A: In fact, beets do have nutritional value — lots of vitamins and some protein, according to Dr. Amy Dicke, a technical services veterinarian with an interest in nutrition at Iams pet food company, Dayton, OH. Now, beets in a jar are filled with preservatives and they’re salty. Fresh beets are another story. However, Dicke points out that dogs rarely read about nutritional value on a label before having a meal. Many think nothing of scrounging through garbage, eating their own feces, or even swallowing the TV remote. These are not healthy choices (see next question). So, the answer is “no,” dogs don’t turn down food based on nutritional value. However, since there is nutritional value to beets, you can prepare them as an occasional treat for your pooch. Beth Adelman, a feline behavior consultant in New York City, loves to cook beets for herself and her husband (but there’s no reason why a dog couldn’t snack on them, too). Here are Adelman’s instructions: “Buy
