✓ Reviewed against PDSA, Blue Cross & Animal PoisonLine guidance · Last reviewed: 2026-09-27
Can dogs eat potatoes?
The full picture
Like tomatoes, potatoes are nightshades and contain solanine — concentrated in the skin, sprouts, and any green parts. Cooking destroys much of the toxin, which is why plain boiled, baked, or steamed potato flesh is generally safe. Raw potato, green potato, or sprouted potato should never be fed. Chips, crisps, and roast potatoes cooked with salt, oil, and seasonings are separate issues. A few pieces of plain cooked potato mixed into a meal is fine; a high-potato diet isn't ideal.
Telling a safe potato from a risky one comes down to two visual checks: colour and sprouting. Any green tinge under the skin means the solanine content has risen meaningfully, and a potato that has started sprouting "eyes" is doing the same thing as it prepares to grow — both are a sign to bin the potato rather than just cut around the affected area, since solanine can spread beyond the visibly green or sprouted parts. A firm, evenly pale potato with no green patches and no sprouts is the one that's fine to cook plain and share in small amounts.
If your dog ate more than a safe amount
If your dog has eaten raw or green potatoes or potato skins, call your vet — solanine content in these is significant. Cooked plain potato in moderate amounts is unlikely to be an emergency but monitor for digestive upset.
Risks to watch for
- Solanine poisoning from raw or green potato
- Obesity from high-carb forms
- Salt and fat from processed potato foods
Potential benefits
- Some vitamins and fibre when cooked plainly
Hidden sources to check
- Chips, crisps, and roast potatoes from a takeaway or Sunday dinner — salt, oil, and sometimes garlic butter make these a separate risk from plain potato
- Potato salad — typically contains mayonnaise, onion, or mustard
- Sprouted or greening potatoes left in a cupboard — check any potato you're about to cook, and bin ones that have gone green or sprouted rather than just cutting the affected part off
- Raw potato peelings in food waste or compost bins
Safe portion size
A small amount of plain cooked potato occasionally.
Safer alternatives
- Cooked sweet potato
- Carrots
- Butternut squash
And while you're thinking about what's good for your dog, keeping on top of flea and parasite prevention is just as important as diet.