Can Dogs Eat Potatoes?

Yes, dogs can eat potatoes if they're cooked and plain. A spoonful of boiled, baked or plain mashed potato is a safe occasional treat.^1,2 Don't feed raw potatoes, green potatoes, sprouts or potato plants, which contain solanine, a natural toxin.^1,2,3 Fries, chips and buttery mashed potatoes are too fatty and salty.^2,1

Potato Nutrition for Dogs

Plain potato is mostly water and starch, with some potassium, vitamin C and vitamin B6, and almost no fat or sodium. Cooking method changes everything: fries and chips add a lot of fat and salt.^4,5,6

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values.^4,7,5,6 Spoon and single-fry weights are our estimates.

How Much Potato Can a Dog Eat?

A healthy adult dog's treats, including fruit, should be no more than about 10 percent of daily calories.^8,9 Using the Merck Veterinary Manual's energy formula for a neutered adult, that works out to roughly 35 calories of treats a day for a 10-pound dog, 59 for a 20-pound dog, 98 for a 40-pound dog, 150 for a 70-pound dog and 196 for a 100-pound dog.¹⁰ Your dog's real needs depend on age, activity and body condition. PetMD suggests a spoonful of plain potato stirred into food.² The guide below comes from a vet-reviewed pet retailer chart, because PetMD's own table wasn't available, so treat it as a rough guide.¹¹

Calories are our estimate using USDA values for plain boiled potato.

Raw, Green and Sprouted Potatoes

Raw potatoes are hard to digest, and green spots, green skin, sprouts and the plant's leaves and stems contain solanine.^1,2,11 The ASPCA says raw potatoes may be problematic, while cooked potatoes are fine in moderation.¹² Signs of solanine poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, weakness and lethargy, and very large amounts can cause neurologic problems.^2,1 If your dog ate green potatoes, sprouts or potato plants and has any of these signs, call your vet or a pet poison hotline right away.^1,13 Keep dogs out of the potato patch and the compost bin.

Fries, Chips, Mashed Potatoes and Skins

• French fries and hash browns: no. They're fried in oil and salted, and a small order of fries has more calories than a 40-pound dog's whole daily treat allowance.^2,1,5 Fatty foods can trigger pancreatitis.
• Potato chips: no. They're high in fat and salt.^11,6,14
• Mashed potatoes: plain mashed potato is fine. Skip butter, milk, salt, gravy and especially garlic or onion, which are toxic.^1,2,15
• Potato skins: a little cooked skin that isn't green is fine, but too much is hard to digest.^1,2 Loaded potato skins with cheese, bacon, sour cream and chives are a no.
• Potato salad and instant mashed potatoes: skip them. They often contain mayonnaise, onion, salt and seasonings.

Sweet Potatoes vs White Potatoes

Both are fine cooked and plain. The American Kennel Club calls sweet potatoes the more nutritious choice, with more vitamin A and fiber.¹ Calories are similar, but baked sweet potato has about seven times the sugar of boiled white potato.^16,4

Do Potatoes Cause Heart Disease in Dogs?

There's no proof that they do. In 2018 the FDA began looking into reports of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs eating certain diets, many labeled grain-free, with peas, lentils and sometimes potatoes high on the ingredient list. Most reported foods contained peas or lentils, and a far smaller share contained potatoes.¹⁷ The FDA has not established that any ingredient causes DCM, says it likely involves several factors, and hasn't issued a public update since December 2022.^17,18 A 2025 review found too few potato-based diets to judge potatoes.¹⁹ A spoonful of plain potato as a treat isn't what this question is about. If you're worried about your dog's main food, talk to your vet before switching. See heart disease in dogs.

Potatoes and Diabetic Dogs

Potatoes are mostly starch, and PetMD says they generally aren't recommended for dogs with diabetes unless your vet approves.^2,4 See diabetes in dogs.

Can Puppies Eat Potatoes?

A small amount of plain cooked potato is fine as an occasional treat once a puppy is eating solid food, usually from about 8 weeks, but it shouldn't replace puppy food.^2,9

When to Call the Vet

Call your vet if your dog has a poor appetite, seems tired or uncomfortable, or keeps licking his lips or gulping after eating it. Get care right away for repeated vomiting, severe diarrhea, blood in vomit or stool, weakness or collapse.² Call right away if your dog ate raw green potatoes, sprouts or potato plants, or a lot of salty chips and is very thirsty, vomiting or trembling.^1,14

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