from the dog health hub
Can Dogs Eat Potatoes? Cooked and Plain, Yes. Raw or Green, No
It depends on how they are prepared. Plain, cooked potato (boiled, baked or mashed with nothing added) is fine for most dogs in modest amounts. Raw potato, green or sprouting potatoes, and anything loaded with butter, salt, cream or onion should be off the menu.
Why the caveats matter
Potatoes belong to the nightshade family and green or sprouting potatoes contain solanine, a compound that can upset a dog's stomach and, in larger amounts, affect the nervous system. Ripe, properly stored potatoes are low in solanine to begin with, and peeling removes most of what there is, because the compound concentrates in the skin, the eyes and any green patches. Solanine is not reliably destroyed by cooking, though, which is why the plain jacket potato your dog begs for is a very different thing from the peelings or a sprouting spud from the veg rack.
The bigger everyday problem is what we do to potatoes. Roast potatoes carry a lot of fat, mash usually carries butter, cream and salt, and many potato dishes lean on onion or garlic, which are toxic to dogs in their own right. Potato is also mostly starch, so it adds calories without adding much a balanced dog diet is missing.
What to do if your dog has eaten potatoes
- If your dog eats raw potato or peelings, a small amount in a healthy medium or large dog is usually just a stomach-upset risk. Watch and ring your vet if you are unsure.
- Green potato, a lot of raw potato, or peelings in quantity deserve a vet call, especially for small dogs. The Animal PoisonLine (01202 509000) can also advise owners directly.
- Note roughly how much was eaten and whether it was green or sprouting before you ring.
How to serve it safely
- Cook it plain: boiled, steamed or baked with no salt, butter, oil or seasoning.
- Serve small amounts as an occasional extra. A spoonful for a small dog, a few chunks for a large one, mixed into their usual food.
- Bin green or sprouting potatoes entirely rather than trying to salvage them. Solanine concentrates in the green parts, sprouts and peel, but it is not limited to them, and cooking does not reliably destroy it.
- Skip roasties, chips, mash with trimmings, and anything cooked with onion or garlic. If it is delicious to you at a Sunday roast, it is probably too rich for your dog.
When to ring the vet
ring your vet if
Vomiting or diarrhoea within a few hours of raw or green potato · Drooling or reluctance to eat · Unusual wobbliness, weakness or confusion, which needs a vet promptly · Weight creeping up if cooked potato becomes a regular extra
Frequently Asked Questions
Can dogs eat mashed potato?
Plain mash made with nothing but potato is fine in small amounts. The trouble is that most mash contains butter, milk, cream and salt, and dairy is a common sensitivity in dogs, so the family version is best kept on your plate.
Can dogs eat chips?
The odd stolen chip will not hurt most dogs, but chips are high in fat and salt and offer nothing useful. Fat-heavy scavenging is a classic trigger for stomach upsets and, in prone dogs, pancreatitis, so do not make it a habit.
Are potato peelings dangerous for dogs?
They can be. Peelings, eyes and any green parts hold the highest solanine levels, and raw peel is also hard to digest. If your dog has raided the compost caddy, ring your vet with an idea of how much went in.
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See the multipack →This article is for information, not diagnosis. If your dog has eaten something worrying, ring your vet or, out of hours, an emergency vet. Every dog is different, and your vet knows yours.