Can Dogs Eat Potatoes?

Can dogs eat potatoes? Yes, they can—so long as the potatoes are well-cooked, not green, and served plain. (Sorry, pups, no fries for you!)

Your dog can enjoy potatoes boiled, mashed, steamed, or baked. And potatoes can also be a healthy treat in moderation.

We spoke with Amanda Williams, DVM, a veterinarian at Indian Street Animal Clinic in Stuart, Florida, for tips and advice on how to include potatoes in your pup’s diet.

Before introducing any new food into your dog’s diet, always check with your veterinarian.

And are potatoes healthy for dogs? Yes, and yes!

When fed in moderation, potatoes can provide your dog with several nutritional benefits, including:

• Vitamin C: Potatoes are rich with vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that helps eliminate potentially harmful free radicals and can help reduce inflammation and cognitive aging.
• Vitamins A and B6: Potatoes are a good source of these vitamins, which help support your dog’s immune and nervous systems, among other benefits.
• Minerals: Potatoes also contain beneficial minerals, including iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

While dogs can eat potatoes as a treat or mixed in with their regular food, there are a few risks to feeding potatoes to dogs.

• Dangerous when raw: Potatoes are in the nightshade family of vegetables, which means they contain solanine, a compound that is toxic to some dogs. Cooking potatoes reduces the level of solanine, making them safer to eat. An easy way to detect elevated levels of solanine in a potato is by examining its skin. If the skin is green, that means there’s solanine.
• Can cause obesity: Consuming too many potatoes, which are high in carbohydrates, can cause obesity and other health problems for your pooch. Potatoes, and treats in general, should not make up more than 10% of your dog’s daily caloric intake.
• Choking hazard: Because raw potatoes are difficult to chew, they can be a choking hazard and may obstruct the gastrointestinal tract.
• Can harm kidneys: While potato skin isn’t toxic to dogs, it contains oxalates, a naturally occurring compound that can harm your pup’s kidneys if eaten too frequently or in large quantities.
• Can cause upset stomach: If your dog has never eaten potatoes, start by feeding them a small amount to see if they have a negative reaction, like an upset stomach or allergic reaction.

Dogs should only eat cooked, plain potatoes. But can dogs eat all kinds of potatoes, including purple and red potatoes? And can they eat mashed potatoes?

Here are the kinds of potatoes dogs can—and shouldn’t—eat:

• Can dogs eat purple, red, white, and sweet potatoes? Yes, dogs can eat these potatoes, as long as they’re properly prepped, thoroughly cooked, and served in moderation.
• Can dogs eat raw potatoes? No, dogs shouldn’t eat raw potatoes, as they can be dangerous.Remember, raw potatoes contain solanine, a compound that is toxic to some dogs, so potatoes must be cooked before serving.
• Can dogs eat mashed potatoes? Yes, dogs can eat mashed potatoes if they’re plain and don’t contain salt, cream, or seasonings that can be toxic to dogs, like garlic and onion Dr. Williams says to avoid instant mashed potatoes because they require milk, which can cause digestive problems for dogs who are lactose intolerant.
• Can dogs eat baked potatoes? Yes, dogs can eat baked potatoes if they’re peeled, cooked through, served cool, and not baked with any additional toppings or seasonings.
• Can dogs eat boiled potatoes? Yes, dogs can eat boiled potatoes if they’re peeled and plain.
• Can dogs eat potato chips? No, dogs should not eat potato chips, because they are cooked in oil. Many packaged potato chips also contain a lot of salt and other seasonings that are not good for dogs.
• Can dogs eat potato skin? No, Dr. Williams doesn’t recommend potato skin for dogs because the peel contains oxalates, a naturally occurring compound that can harm your pup’s kidneys if eaten too frequently or in large quantities.
• Can dogs have french fries? No, dogs should not eat french fries because they’re cooked in oil and fried. French fries are often seasoned with salt, too, which is not good for dogs.

Potatoes are considered treats for dogs; and treats, in general, should not make up more than 10% of your dog’s daily caloric intake. So, portion control is important.

Below are general guidelines of how much cooked potato a dog can safely eat, based on their size.

However, you should always consult with your vet before serving potatoes to determine the right portion size for your dog. Even a healthy treat like potatoes should be factored into your dog’s optimum daily balanced diet.

Dr. Williams shares tips on how to safely prep and treat your pup to potatoes:

• Peel potatoes before cooking. Remember, potato peels contain oxalates, which can be dangerous to dogs.
• Cook plain. While those mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving dinner are delicious for humans, they’re not good for dogs. Avoid feeding your dog any potatoes that have milk, cream, butter, oil, cheese, salt, or other seasonings that are harmful to pets.
• Baked, steamed, boiled, or mashed. Just make sure you allow the cooked potatoes to cool before serving.
• Start small. And if the potatoes agree with your pup, you can slowly increase the quantity over time.
• Serve as a snack. Go ahead, let your pup lick the spoon!
• Or mix in with their regular food. Dr. Williams recommends hiding the potatoes underneath their dry or wet food, so they must work to get to it—meaning they’ll eat their dog food on the way to reaching that yummy treat.

Potatoes (either the white or sweet kind) are a common ingredient in dog food and treats. Here are some of our favorites:

This content was medically reviewed by Chewy vets.