{"id":44676,"date":"2025-12-31T16:34:25","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T16:34:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/?p=44676"},"modified":"2025-12-31T16:34:26","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T16:34:26","slug":"can-dogs-have-potatoes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/can-dogs-have-potatoes\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Dogs Have Potatoes?"},"content":{"rendered":"<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><p><strong>In this article:<\/strong><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#h-are-potatoes-safe-for-dogs\">Are potatoes safe for dogs?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#h-avoid-raw-green-or-sprouted-potatoes\">Are there potatoes that all dogs should avoid?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#h-white-versus-sweet-potatoes\">What&rsquo;s the difference between white potatoes and sweet potatoes for dogs?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#h-keep-portions-small\">How much potato can I feed my dog?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#h-how-to-prepare-potatoes-for-dogs\">How should I prepare potatoes for my dog?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#h-peels-and-skins-keep-or-skip\">Can dogs eat potato skins?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#h-feed-plain-potatoes-only\">Can dogs eat plain potatoes?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#h-signs-that-your-dog-may-not-feel-well-after-eating-potatoes\">What are signs that a dog doesn&rsquo;t feel well after eating potatoes?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#h-how-to-introduce-a-dog-to-potatoes-safely\">How can I introduce potatoes to my dog?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div><hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"><div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div><p>Yes, dogs can eat potatoes&mdash;but there are some important caveats. Most healthy dogs can have cooked, plain potatoes as an occasional treat or topper along with a complete and balanced diet, like any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recipe from The Farmer&rsquo;s Dog<\/a>. Always avoid raw, green, or sprouted potatoes.&nbsp;<\/p><p>And remember to keep all combined treats and other extras under 10% of your dog&rsquo;s daily caloric intake.<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-are-potatoes-safe-for-dogs\">Are potatoes safe for dogs?<\/h4><p>Boiled, baked, or roasted potatoes that are cooked and served without butter, oil, salt, dairy, garlic, or onion are the safest forms to share with healthy dogs.<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-avoid-raw-green-or-sprouted-potatoes\">Avoid raw, green, or sprouted potatoes<\/h4><p>Green-tinged and sprouted areas on a potato can indicate the presence of&nbsp; <a href=\"https:\/\/ask.usda.gov\/s\/article\/Are-green-potatoes-dangerous\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">solanine<\/a>, which is toxic to dogs. In small amounts, solanine can cause gastrointestinal upset. In larger amounts, it can cause neurological issues. If you&rsquo;re not sure if a potato is safe, it&rsquo;s always best to discard it.<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-white-versus-sweet-potatoes\">White versus sweet potatoes<\/h4><p>Both white potatoes and sweet potatoes can be safe if they&rsquo;re skinless, cooked, and plain. Generally speaking, sweet potatoes are better for dogs due to significantly higher Vitamin A (from beta-carotene) levels. These are important for vision, coat, and immune system health. Sweet potatoes also contain more fiber for better digestion, have more antioxidants, and have a lower glycemic index&mdash;which helps regulate blood sugar. Both offer vitamins C, B6, potassium, and minerals, but sweet potatoes provide a more robust nutrient profile. Since both are starchy and calorie-dense, they should be served as an occasional treat in modest portions.<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-keep-portions-small\">Keep portions small<\/h4><p>Potatoes are carbohydrate-dense and not nutritionally complete on their own, so feed sparingly when they&rsquo;re extras or treats. Veterinary organizations emphasize feeding a complete and balanced base diet, and keeping extras limited to under 10% of total calories. When potatoes are included in a balanced food <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/meet-our-on-staff-board-certified-nutritionists\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">formulated by board-certified nutritionists<\/a>, as is the case with The Farmer&rsquo;s Dog, they&rsquo;re in the right proportions to support dogs&rsquo; long-term health.<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-prepare-potatoes-for-dogs\">How to prepare potatoes for dogs<\/h4><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Wash well and remove skin; trim away any green areas or sprouts (discard if green coloring or sprouts are widespread).<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Boil, bake, or roast without seasoning or oil until soft; let cool.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Serve plain&mdash;no butter, oil, salt, dairy, garlic, onion, or spice blends.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Offer small cubes, a spoonful of mashed potato thinned with water, or a few bite-size pieces as training treats. Ask your veterinarian what precise quantities and frequency are safe and appropriate for your dog.<br><\/li>\n<\/ul><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-peels-and-skins-keep-or-skip\">Peels and skins&mdash;keep or skip?<\/h4><p>Avoid potato skins. Potato skins can contain solanine, a compound that is toxic to dogs and may cause gastrointestinal or neurologic signs. They are also difficult to digest and offer little nutritional benefit for dogs. And don&rsquo;t feed dogs any part of a potato that is raw, green, or sprouting.<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-feed-plain-potatoes-only\">Feed plain potatoes only<\/h4><p>Skip fries, chips, tater tots, hash browns, and boxed mixes. Not only are those foods likely to cause gastrointestinal upset, but dietary indiscretion (dogs eating things they shouldn&rsquo;t) can even cause <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/pancreatitis-in-dogs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pancreatitis<\/a>.<\/p><p>Mashed potatoes with butter, cream, gravy, garlic, or onions are off-limits, too. Keep any shared tastes plain and tiny.<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-signs-that-your-dog-may-not-feel-well-after-eating-potatoes\">Signs that your dog may not feel well after eating potatoes<\/h4><p>Introducing any new food can cause mild loose stool or gas. Repeated vomiting or diarrhea, lethargy, pupil dilation, weakness, confusion, or tremors warrant prompt veterinary care.<\/p><p>And if your dog has eaten any raw, green, or sprouted potato, call your vet for advice.<\/p><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-introduce-a-dog-to-potatoes-safely\">How to introduce a dog to potatoes safely<\/h4><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Start small (one or two bites) and observe for the next 24 to 48 hours. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep potatoes plain and cooked; skip consecutive-day servings if your dog is starch-sensitive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Track total treat calories to stay under 10% of daily intake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For dogs with medical conditions in particular (e.g., diabetes, pancreatitis, kidney disease), get individualized guidance first from your veterinarian.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Always ask your veterinarian before introducing your dog to any new food.<\/li>\n<\/ul><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-final-word-nbsp\">The final word&nbsp;<\/h4><p>Dogs can have potatoes as a treat or an extra when they&rsquo;re thoroughly cooked, skinless, served plain, and in small portions. Avoid raw, green, and sprouted potatoes, and skip fried or seasoned dishes. And remember that for everyday nutrition, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a complete and balanced food, formulated by on-staff, board-certified nutritionists<\/a>, should be your dog&rsquo;s primary diet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the proper portions, potatoes can be a safe treat for most healthy dogs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":44678,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[416,174],"tags":[208,181,184,221,190],"class_list":["post-44676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellness","category-nutrition","tag-can-my-dog-eat-it","tag-digestion-gut-health","tag-dog-food","tag-safety","tag-weight-management"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44676"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44676\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44768,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44676\/revisions\/44768"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thefarmersdog.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}