My Border Collie Paddy loves fennel - the vegetable not the seeds. I first realised this when he pinched a whole one from the shopping bag and ate most of it before I snatched it from his jaws. I checked out online and discovered that has many health benefits for dogs. So I occasionally get him some and add it to his food bowl.  It isn't easy to buy as supermarkets in Amble, Northumberland do not seem to stock. The weird thing is that my golden retriever ( stubborn as a mule) and young working cocker spaniel won't touch it. Anyone else discovered particular tastes among their dogs?

Isn't that odd, I have heard that dogs self medicate with what they need but not sure how they'd know? A couple of mine are passionate about eating sticky willy plants (Cleavers), they'll pull them out wherever they find them and munch them, quite annoying when they're seeding as the dogs get covered in those wee balls!

Laughing at ' sticky willy ' plants. We called long iced buns ' sticky willies' where I grew up. Not sure what sticky willy ' plants are. Will Google.

One of my Beardies would remove and eat Sticky Willy from his coat. Another removed the balls and spat them out
Also knows as Cleavers or Goose Grass

> We called long iced buns ' sticky willies' where I grew up

Well that's put me off iced buns

Cleavers is said to have high levels of vit c so very good for them. I have read about dogs medicating themselves amd mamy people are very into it .also have seen courses you can take to learn more  , zoopharmacolgy ,but have never taken the step to learn more

Very interesting about the vitamin content. My boy (show cocker) loves the young goose grass (we called it sticky grass when I was a child) and has always insisted on seeking it out. At this time of year I take him to certain more secluded hedgerows where he can forage where (I hope) he can find the clean herb. He has had a long-term project (fairly successful) to establish a patch in my front garden.

Removing the ripened seeds from his ears and feathers is a whole other sort of fun :)

He also enjoys cucumber: whenever I make a salad I have a hopeful boy waiting. All my spaniels have loved cucumber, and my Labrador of many years ago loved black olives.

Oo yes cucumber is a favourite

We loved them! ' Sticky willies' ' I mean.  I wonder if Greggs do them - under same name !
Another dog foodie conundrum. When we lived in Berwickshire we had a small apple orchard. The dogs loved the windfalls. Flinti and Clemmie ( both golden retrievers) especially. The collies not so much but would eat them - pith and all . Flinti lived a long and healthy life ( 16 ) and ditto Clemmie ( almost made it to 17 ) but I have since been told apple piths are poisonous as they contain cyanide. We also used to donate apples to the farm for the horses. Any info on this appreciated.

The amount of cyanide in apples pips is such that they would have to eat tons to be affected.
I have seen this discussed a number if times and have also researched. Seems its true but somewhat exaggerated risk
Nothing to worry about except maybe an upset tummy from too mamy apples that are fermenting after laying on the ground for a while. 
If anyone disagrees I won't be offended :)

Thank you! I no longer feel I am the Lucrezia Borgia of the dog world.
What I did notice was that they got massive worm infestation at apple drop time. Their poo almost wriggled its way across the grass.

Mine will eat apple cores, but totally ignore fallen apples. On the other hand, my (orange roan) boy tells me on good authority (his!) that eating tangerine segments keeps his colouring good. Whenever I eat a tangerine, he’s right beside me with pleading eyes. The current going rate is one segment to him per fruit eaten (and he won’t be fobbed off with a tiny segment).

Frankie used to bring me in fallen apples and waited while I de-cored them for him.  That first Fall after we lost him, seeing all the apples out there had me weeping again - 'your apples are out there waiting Frankie'..   Teazel on the other hand wasn't interested, and neither is Mo!   In fact Mo won't eat much of anything 'good for him'.   No to raw carrot, the  hard end of Cox lettuce leaves.  Nothing.   Clearly that pat of his upbringing was missing.

You’re absolutely correct, ff, that apple pips are harmless for dogs to eat, unless they crush them (which they don’t because they don’t have crushing teeth). The hard seed casing is designed to protect the seeds when they’re eaten to help them pass through the body intact and be deposited a long way from the parent tree, where they have space to germinate.

Well flamingos eat shrimps which keeps their colouring good so perhaps he is onto something:)

I hope that's true and not an urban myth

River (papillon) loves tomato, most fruits (especially banana) but I think his weirdest one is raw courgette.

weirdest one is raw courgette.
We adopted Shep -rescue, age 12.5 - about 2.5 years ago and have yet to find anything he turns his nose up at. Stuff like still frozen shrimps, and all veg - even frozen sprouts! - are eaten with apparent enjoyment and fruit goes the same. He can twist his tongue round corners if I am scraping any leftover bits like scrap of curry or spag bol off plates into the bin even if he is behind the plates!

No need for pre-wash on dishwasher!
BTW I am home alone at the moment and eating very frugally. I find it very difficult to eat without sharing what I have with the dogs who are deffo taking advantage of this situation. They know I am a soft touch and tonight ate most of my supper.
Okay, so I need to lose a bit of weight and at least they don't drink my wine.