Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes?

Sweet potatoes are a delicious snack for people, but can dogs eat sweet potatoes? The answer is yes; sweet potatoes are safe for your dog to eat in moderation. Sweet potatoes provide fiber that’s good for digestion, along with vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to your pup, making them an excellent choice for a good boy.

Sweet Potatoes Can Be Healthy Treats

A bit of sweet potato can be a truly healthy treat for your dog. They are packed full of calcium, iron, and vitamins A, C, and B6.1 Sweet potatoes can also be a good choice for a dog with a sensitive stomach. The fiber and potassium in sweet potatoes can help regulate your dog’s digestion.

When giving sweet potatoes to your dog, feed only small amounts that have been boiled or steamed without any seasonings. Raw or unripened sweet potatoes may pose some risks.2 You might also want to use dehydrated sweet potatoes as occasional treats. Dehydrated sweet potatoes are either cooked in the oven or a dehydrator, so this gives you another option for serving tasty sweet potatoes that aren’t raw.3

Remember: only give a little at a time and in moderation. If you have any questions about a food’s effect on your dog’s health, talk with your veterinarian first.

Don’t Add Toppings

When you give your dog sweet potatoes as a snack, don’t add any toppings. Sure, you might enjoy marshmallows, butter, or other extras on your own potato, but your pup doesn’t need all of that. Foods like onions, garlic, and dairy products are all dangerous to dogs. Not to mention, your dog doesn’t need all the extra fat, salt, and sugar that these toppings often have. When you’re giving sweet potatoes to your dog, keep it plain and keep the portions small.

Look for Dog Food with Sweet Potatoes

If you want your dog to enjoy the benefits of sweet potatoes but you don’t have time to cook them, look for dog foods that contain sweet potatoes. The Brothibbles line offers two grain-free dog foods with sweet potato as the main ingredient. Both are protein-rich, support easy digestion, and have ingredients that promote healthy joints, skin, and coats. The line offers two options: Duck, Turkey Meal & Sweet Potato with Chicken Bone Broth and Lamb, Beef Meal & Sweet Potato with Beef Bone Broth.

Make It Part of a Menu of Treats

Sweet potatoes can be part of a healthy selection of fruits and vegetables that you give to your dog as a treat. Other safe fruits and vegetables for your dog include bananas, cantaloupe (without the skin or seeds), apples (without the seeds and core), cucumbers, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and zucchini.

Everyone needs a tasty treat from time to time, including your pup. Sweet potatoes are a safe, healthy snack that your dog can enjoy. The next time you and your dog are snuggling up and watching some TV together, try bonding over sweet potatoes too.

1. PetMD. “Healthy Foods Checklist: Sweet Potatoes for Dogs.” PetMD.com, https://www.petmd.com/dog/nutrition/healthy-foods-checklist-sweet- potatoes-dogs.

2. Peña, Melvin. “Can Dogs Eat Potatoes Safely? What About Sweet Potatoes?” Dogster, 31 July 2017, https://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/can-dogs-eat- potatoes-sweet-potato.

3. 3. Chester, Jo. “How to Make Sweet Potato Treats for Dogs.” Cuteness, https://www.cuteness.com/article/dehydrate-sweet-potatoes-dogs..