Can Dogs Eat Potatoes? Are They Safe For Dogs?

Can Dogs Eat Potatoes?

Yes, dogs can eat potatoes but it’s not that straightforward.

A dog’s diet is not that simple, and an overdose of anything is not right.

Dogs shall not be fed potatoes as their only diet.

Instead, they should be only used as a treat.

Being a dog lover, you might be confused between raw and cooked potatoes, or whatever questions you have in your mind.

Yours most Frequently Asked Questions on the query: Can Dogs Eat Potatoes?

How Many Potatoes Can A Dog Eat A Day?

Anything that’s not primary to your dog’s diet should be given as a 10% of the whole diet. You shall feed your dogs with small amounts of potato and a small potato that’s approximately the size of a golf ball is more than enough.

Can Potatoes Hurt My Dog?

cute puppy

Yes, they can. If they aren’t prepared properly, they can upset the dog’s tummy.

Although solanine rarely causes toxicity in dogs because a large amount needs to be ingested, you should be on the lookout for the following symptoms:

  • Severe gastrointestinal distress (diarrhea, vomiting);
  • Abdominal pain;
  • Weakness;
  • Lethargy;
  • Confusion.

If your dog has consumed raw potato and is experiencing any of these symptoms, make sure to contact your vet immediately.

Will Potatoes Upset A Dog’s Stomach?

They will if you give huge amounts or if they are raw. Avoid feeding your pup with solid potato chunks as they’re very difficult to digest and can obstruct the dog’s gastrointestinal tract. Always remove the peel of the potato.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Potatoes?

Absolutely NO, you should never feed your dog raw potatoes. Like tomatoes and eggplants, raw potatoes also contain solanine. But there is good news, the solanine toxicity level is being reduced by cooking. If you want to give a potato to your puppy, just be sure that it’s only boiled, steamed, or baked, without any seasonings.

Can Dogs Eat Potatoes Cooked?

Yes, they can, but in small quantities and not very often. Potatoes mustn’t be part of the everyday diet of your dog even if they’re cooked.

Dogs can eat smashed, boiled, steamed, and baked potatoes, but without any seasonings, because they can harm your dog’s tummy.

And again, don’t feed your pooch potatoes every day because they contain high levels of carbohydrates, which can be an issue for animals that suffer from diabetes or obesity.

What Happens If My Dog Eats A Lot Of Potatoes?

If your dog consumes lots of potatoes, you should immediately contact or visit your vet. It can be very dangerous for a dog’s health. If a dog eats a raw potato it also can be very dangerous for their health. It can cause heart problems and lots of damage to their tummies.

Scientifically Viewed: Can Dogs Eat Potatoes?

Before we call out food good or bad based on some already set traditions or some specific experiences, we need to check:

  1. How much nutrients Potato contains, and
  2. Does your dog even require nutrients from Potatoes? If YES, then,
  3. How much is it good for your dog (depending upon its weight and age)?

Let’s view some vegetable facts that will help us decide our opinion on whether Can Dogs Eat Potatoes.

Vegetable Facts: What Nutrients Are Contained In Potatoes? (per 100 g)

Source: USDA

Looking at the following potatoes’ nutrition table, we notice that they are rich in Proteins, Potassium, and Carbs with considerable amounts of Vitamin A & C, Fiber, Protein, and Iron.

Total Energy: 79 KJ
Total Energy: 79 KJ
Total Energy: 79 KJ
Total Fat0.34 g
Saturated fat0 g
Cholesterol0 mg
Sodium5 mg
Potassium417 mg
Total Carbohydrate18.1 g
Dietary fiber1.3 g
Sugar0.62 g
Protein2.14 g
Vitamin C2.1 mgVitamin B-60.345 mg
Iron0.86 mgCalcium13 mg
Phosphorus86 mgZinc0.29 mg
Magnesium23 mg

Dogs Nutritional Requirements: Can Dogs Eat Potatoes

View/Download the complete table

Nutritionally, dogs require more proteins and Potatoes are not an excellent source of protein, but the addition of carbohydrates will give your dog the extra energy it needs.

So, a simple straight forward answer to:

Can Dogs Eat Potatoes?

Yes, under some constraints.

Anything under balance is good for your dog.

Additionally, there are other alternative vegetables and fruits with rich nutrients that you can give your dog the required nutrients.

How To Feed A Dog Potato?

As already said, you can feed your dog with baked, boiled, steamed, or mashed potatoes. Without any seasonings and don’t give to your dog’s french fries or potato chips if it is fried in oil.

You can add sweet peas and carrots or any other dog-friendly food that will not cause any problems for your four-legged friend.

Why Your Dog Should Not Eat Potatoes?

If your dog suffers from diabetes, then you should avoid potatoes altogether as they could cause blood sugar spikes.

Also, every time you give a potato be sure that its skin of it isn’t green.

If it is green, it means that the solanine is present, and even cooked the level of it won’t be reduced enough.

Don’t feed dogs fried potatoes because they aren’t healthy.

Health Benefits: Why Your Dog Should Eat Potatoes?

Potatoes are a great source of carbohydrates and sugars that young playful dogs really need to grow quickly and remain active all day. In addition to protein, and some other mineral & vitamins, potatoes are a great food for your dog.

Potato Recipes for Dogs: Can Dogs Eat Potatoes

1. Beef & Russet Potato

Ingredients:

  • Ground beef;
  • Beef liver;
  • Russet potatoes with skin;
  • Sweet potatoes with skin;
  • Carrots;
  • Green beans;
  • Green peas;
  • Safflower Oil;
  • Omega Plus.

Directions:

  1. Take a pan and cook beef and beef liver over medium-high heat without any oil.
  2. Keep Stirring until light brown.
  3. Add your veggies carrots, green beans, and peas before it starts cooking.
  4. Keep cooking until the whole mixture is ready and the meat is cooked.
  5. Now boil water, add unpeeled diced potatoes.
  6. Boil for 15 min until they are soft.
  7. Cool the mixture.
  8. Mix potatoes with veggies and beef mixture.
  9. Add the safflower oil and omega plus to the mix.
  10. Serve your dog.

Note: You can use any meat, and liver is optional

2. Mashed Potato Bites

Ingredients:

  1. Medium Russet potato;
  2. Salt (optional);
  3. Corriander/Parsley (optional).

Method:

  1. Boil water, add unpeeled diced potatoes
  2. Mix potatoes with Corriander/Parsley and a pinch of salt.
  3. Once cooled, roll into balls.
  4. Serve your dog

Some Fun Facts About Potatoes:

  1. The potato is about 80% water and 20% solids.
  2. An 8-ounce baked or boiled potato has only about 100 calories.
  3. In October 1995, the potato became the first vegetable to be grown in space. NASA and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, created the technology with the goal of feeding astronauts on long space voyages, and eventually, feeding future space colonies.
  4. The world’s largest potato weighed in at 18 pounds, 4 ounces according to the Guinness Book of World Records. That’s enough for 73 portions of medium fries at Mcdonald’s.
  5. The average American eats 140 pounds of potatoes per year. Germans are among the biggest potato lovers as they eat more than 200 pounds of potato per year.

I hope this guide helped you know about can dogs eat potatoes or not.

The “Can Dogs Eat Potatoes?” guide contained all the scientific information along with answers to your frequently asked questions and with some really nice recipes and fun facts, pros and cons about can dogs eat potatoes.

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Desislava Asenova
Desislava Asenova

Desi is a dog-lover and proud parent to Daisy, her sweet and sassy Chihuahua. She's always been fascinated by the different diets and eating habits of different animals, and she's especially interested in how food affects a dog's overall health and happiness.

When she's not busy writing about dog food, Desi enjoys pampering Daisy with long walks and playtime in the park. She's also an avid home cook and loves coming up with new recipes for her and Daisy to try out together. She's excited to share her passion for dog food and help other pet owners find the best food for their fur babies.

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