When potatoes are safe for dogs
Plain, cooked white potato is fine for most dogs in small amounts. The American Kennel Club says “just plain mashed or soft, cooked potatoes are fine in small amounts without the butter and spices,” and that cooked potatoes (boiled or baked, unseasoned) are an acceptable occasional treat. The potato simply needs to be cooked soft enough that your dog won’t choke on it, and the skin is okay only if it isn’t green.
Nutritionally, potato is a starchy carbohydrate. Per USDA FoodData Central, a boiled potato without skin is about 86 calories and 20 grams of carbohydrate per 100 grams, with some fiber and potassium. That starch is why potato is a poor fit for diabetic or overweight dogs and why the AKC frames it as a treat, not a meal: “potatoes should be treats, not meal replacements,” because dogs “are designed to get most of [their] nutrients from animal-based proteins.”
How much potato can a dog eat
Small amounts, plain and cooked only. Potato should fit inside the 10% treat rule — treats no more than 10% of daily calories — and serve as an occasional extra rather than a regular helping. Given the high starch and glycemic load (USDA FoodData Central), keep portions especially conservative for diabetic or overweight dogs, and check with your veterinarian before adding any new food for a dog with a health condition.
How you cook it is the whole game. Plain boiled or baked potato with nothing added is the only form to offer. Avoid mashed potato made with butter, milk, salt, garlic, or onion — the AKC notes butter “can trigger pancreatitis,” and garlic and onion are themselves toxic to dogs (ASPCA). Skip fries and chips entirely, since they pile on fat and salt. And never give raw or green potato.
The real risks: raw/green solanine and the grain-free heart question
Two distinct concerns. First, solanine: potatoes are in the nightshade family, and the AKC warns that “when exposed to light, some varieties of potatoes will develop green spots, indicating an increase in solanine, a naturally occurring toxin.” The ASPCA lists nightshade (Solanum) plants as toxic, with signs of solanine poisoning that include hypersalivation, loss of appetite, severe gastrointestinal upset, drowsiness, confusion, weakness, dilated pupils, and a slow heart rate. Raw potato, green potato, sprouts, “eyes,” green skin, and the plant’s leaves and vines are the toxic parts — plain cooked flesh is the safe one. Second, the grain-free heart question: in 2018 the FDA opened an investigation into dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs eating diets — many labeled “grain-free” — with “peas, lentils, other legume seeds (pulses), and/or potatoes... as main ingredients.” Crucially, the FDA has stated it is “not advising dietary changes based solely on the information we have gathered so far” and calls it “a complex scientific issue,” and Tufts notes peas are implicated more than potatoes. This concern is about potato as a high-inclusion diet staple, not an occasional cooked-potato treat — and it remains an association, not proven cause.
How to serve potato to your dog safely
Choose a non-green potato, wash it, and cook it plainly — boil or bake it until soft, with no butter, salt, oil, milk, garlic, or onion. Let it cool, then offer a small amount of the plain flesh (skin is fine only if it isn’t green), cut or mashed so your dog won’t choke. Treat it as an occasional snack within the 10% calorie budget, not a meal replacement (AKC).
Throw away any potato that is green, sprouted, or raw, and don’t share fries, chips, or buttery, garlicky mashed potatoes (AKC; ASPCA). If you feed a grain-free diet that lists potatoes, peas, or legumes among its first several ingredients and you have any concern about your dog’s heart, talk to your veterinarian — the FDA’s DCM investigation is unresolved, and a vet can advise on diet (FDA; Tufts). If your dog eats raw or green potato and shows vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or weakness, contact your veterinarian (AKC; ASPCA).
Frequently asked questions
Can dogs eat raw potatoes?
No — raw potato should be avoided. The AKC states “raw or green potatoes are unsafe and potentially toxic.” Raw, and especially green or sprouted, potatoes contain solanine, a nightshade-family toxin (AKC; ASPCA; Pet Poison Helpline). Raw potato is also harder to digest and a choking risk if it isn’t cooked soft. Always cook potato plainly and fully before offering any to your dog.
Are potatoes bad for a dog’s heart — the grain-free DCM concern?
There’s an unresolved association, not a proven cause. In 2018–2019 the FDA investigated dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs eating diets — often grain-free — with peas, lentils, other pulses, and/or potatoes as “main ingredients.” The FDA said it is “not advising dietary changes based solely on the information we have gathered so far” and called it a complex issue, and Tufts notes peas are implicated more than potatoes. The concern is about potato as a high-inclusion diet staple, not an occasional cooked-potato treat. If you’re worried about your dog’s diet, talk to your veterinarian.
Can dogs eat mashed potatoes or french fries?
Only plain mash, in small amounts. The AKC says “just plain mashed or soft, cooked potatoes are fine in small amounts without the butter and spices.” Mashed potato made with butter, milk, salt, garlic, or onion is not safe — butter can trigger pancreatitis (AKC) and garlic and onion are toxic (ASPCA). French fries and chips are discouraged because of their added fat and salt. Skip the toppings and the fryer, and offer just a little plain cooked potato instead.
For related context, see our Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potato? and Best Grain-Free Dog Food. To check whether your dog’s food contains any of these ingredients, paste the ingredient list into the KibbleIQ analyzer. For methodology context, see our published methodology.