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

Garlic for dogs is one of the most hotly debated topics in canine nutrition.

Depending on who you ask, garlic is either a powerful natural superfood—or something that should never go anywhere near your dog’s bowl.

I’ll be honest: I used to put garlic firmly on the “not safe for dogs” list myself—right alongside onions. Like many dog owners, I relied on simplified food lists that lump all alliums together without nuance.

That changed once I started digging into the research and, more importantly, observing how garlic is actually used in fresh, species-appropriate diets.

I’m Barbara, the founder of K9sOverCoffee, and I’ve been feeding raw dog food since 2015.

Over the years, garlic has gone from a hard no in my feeding philosophy to a carefully used, purpose-driven ingredient—fed in small amounts and for specific reasons.

In this article, I break down:

• Whether dogs can have garlic at all
• How much garlic is safe to feed dogs
• The potential benefits of garlic for dogs, including immune and flea support
• When not to feed garlic
• Why garlic appears in some freeze-dried and dehydrated dog foods

This guide isn’t about turning garlic into a miracle cure—or encouraging reckless feeding. It’s about understanding context, dosage, and intent, so you can decide whether garlic has a place in your dog’s diet.

Can Dogs Have Garlic?

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 garlic is toxic for dogs.

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

How I Learned That Garlic Is Safe For Dogs

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.

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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 contain(ed) garlic, to my pups’ raw dog food.

In her YouTube video Is Garlic Good For My Dog?, she explains 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.

If you’re looking for another holistic vet who swears by feeding dogs garlic, check out this short article on dogs and garlic by Dr. Dee Blanco.

Can Dogs Eat Garlic – How Much To Feed Your Dog

So the rule of thumb is that we should be feeding garlic to dogs in moderation in order to reap its health benefits – ideally raw, freshly minced 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: 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.

Garlic for Dogs Fleas: 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 add freshly chopped or crushed garlic on raw dog food, 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, freshly minced 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:

• Insulin
• Antacids
• Blood thinners
• Chemotherapy
• Heart medicine
• Immune suppressants
• 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

So, will a small amount of garlic hurt my dog? No!

Garlic has a plethora of health benefits for dogs and can easily be added to their (raw) 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.

The only times when you shouldn’t feed your dog any fresh garlic is when they’re on:

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

Also, don’t feed your pregnant dog and puppies under 6 months any fresh garlic.

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 this blog post! For more raw feeding resources, visit my full homemade raw dog food library.

Related Reading:

• Can dogs eat raw pumpkin?
• Toxic household hazards for dogs
• How to make raw dog food at home
• 128 best alternatives to raw dog food
• How to make dehydrated sweet potato dog treats
• Slippery elm for dogs – what it is, how to use it & more

Barbara Rivers

Barbara Rivers is the founder of K9sOverCoffee and a raw feeding educator with over a decade of hands-on experience.

She has fed raw in the US and Europe since 2015, after her Boxer mix Missy’s cancer diagnosis led her to move away from processed kibble and commit to species-appropriate nutrition.

As a former professional dog walker, she developed deep insight into canine behavior, conditioning, and the essential link between proper exercise and long-term health.

Barbara completed online training with veterinarian Dr. Marion Smart and Labrador breeder Dana Scott and works for one of Germany’s leading raw dog food brands, BARFER’S.

In 2026–2027, she is completing a year-long raw nutrition certification for dogs and cats at THP School, founded by raw feeding pioneer Swanie Simon.

Through her blog and weekly newsletter, she provides clear, experience-based guidance to help dog owners feed raw safely and confidently.