What Can Dogs Eat? The Complete Food Safety Guide
69 foodsAKC & ASPCA sourced✅ 46 safe⚠️ 11 limit🚫 12 avoid
Every “can dogs eat…?” question we have answered, in one place. Each verdict below comes straight from the full guide — tap any food for serving sizes, risks, and preparation.
🚫 NEVER FEED: Chocolate · Grapes & Raisins · Onions · Garlic · Avocado.
If your dog eats any of these, contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control center right away.
Holiday safety guides: Halloween · Thanksgiving · Christmas — the foods, decorations and busy-house risks that come with each.
Fruits 16
✅ApplesYes — apples are safe and beneficial for dogs when the seeds and core are removed.🚫AvocadoMostly no — while the flesh is unlikely to cause serious harm in small amounts for most dogs, avocado contains a compound called persin and is very high in fat, rai✅BananasYes — bananas are safe for dogs in moderation and provide potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and fiber.✅BlueberriesYes, dogs can eat blueberries safely as a low-calorie treat.✅CantaloupeYes — cantaloupe is safe for dogs in moderation and makes a sweet, hydrating treat.🚫CherriesNot really — cherries are best avoided.⚠️CoconutYes — in small amounts.✅CranberriesYes, most dogs can eat plain cranberries in small amounts — fresh, frozen, or unsweetened dried.🚫Grapes & RaisinsNo — grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs and can cause acute kidney failure even in small amounts.✅MangoYes, dogs can safely eat mango in moderation.✅OrangesYes — small amounts of peeled, seedless orange flesh are safe for most healthy dogs.✅PeachesYes — dogs can eat small amounts of fresh, washed, pitted peach flesh as an occasional treat.✅PineappleYes — fresh ripe pineapple is safe for dogs in small amounts and offers vitamin C, manganese, and bromelain.✅RaspberriesYes — dogs can eat fresh raspberries in moderation.✅StrawberriesYes — fresh strawberries are safe and beneficial for dogs in moderation.✅WatermelonYes — watermelon is one of the best summer treats for dogs, as long as the seeds and rind are removed.
Vegetables 23
✅AsparagusYes, dogs can eat asparagus, but it is a low-value treat.✅Bell PeppersYes.✅BroccoliYes — broccoli is safe and nutritious for dogs in small amounts, providing fiber, vitamins C and K, and antioxidants.✅Butternut SquashYes, dogs can eat butternut squash when it is cooked plain and served in small amounts.✅CabbageYes — cabbage is safe for dogs in moderation.✅CarrotsYes, carrots are an excellent low-calorie treat for dogs and a natural source of fiber, beta-carotene, and potassium.✅CauliflowerYes — dogs can eat cauliflower in moderation, and it is safest plain and cooked.✅CeleryYes.✅CornYes, dogs can eat plain corn kernels off the cob in moderation—it is a common, non-toxic filler that even shows up in many quality dog foods.✅CucumberYes — plain cucumber is a safe, crunchy, very low-calorie treat for dogs, and because it is about 96% water it is also hydrating.✅EggplantYes — cooked eggplant flesh in small amounts is safe for most dogs.🚫GarlicNo.✅Green BeansYes — plain green beans are one of the safest and most veterinarian-recommended treats for dogs.⚠️KaleOnly in very small amounts, and for many dogs it is a green worth skipping altogether.⚠️MushroomsOnly plain, cooked, store-bought mushrooms — and only in small amounts.🚫OnionsNo — onions and the entire Allium family (garlic, leeks, chives, shallots, scallions) are toxic to dogs in any form: raw, cooked, dried, or powdered.✅PeasYes — plain green, snap, snow, and garden peas are safe for most dogs in moderation, served fresh, frozen, or thawed.✅PotatoesYes — but only when the potato is plain, thoroughly cooked, and peeled.✅PumpkinPlain cooked pumpkin or pure pumpkin puree (never pumpkin pie filling) is highly beneficial for dogs.⚠️SpinachYes, most healthy dogs can safely eat spinach in small amounts.✅Sweet PotatoesYes — sweet potatoes are safe and beneficial for dogs when served cooked and plain.⚠️TomatoesMixed — ripe red tomato flesh in small amounts is safe for most dogs, but the green parts of the plant (leaves, stems, vines, unripe green tomatoes) contain solanin✅ZucchiniYes — zucchini is one of the safest, lowest-calorie vegetables for dogs.
Meat, Fish & Eggs 11
🚫BaconBacon is best avoided.✅BeefYes.✅Chicken BreastYes, plain cooked chicken breast is safe and beneficial for dogs as a lean protein source for muscle maintenance.✅EggsYes — fully cooked eggs are safe and highly nutritious for dogs.🚫HamIt is best to skip ham.✅PorkYes, dogs can eat pork as an occasional treat, but only when it is plain, fully cooked, unseasoned, boneless, and trimmed of fat.🚫Raw MeatMixed — major veterinary associations including AVMA and FDA advise against raw meat diets because of bacterial contamination risks (Salmonella, E.✅SalmonYes, cooked salmon is safe and rich in omega-3 fatty acids that support a dog's skin, coat, joints, and brain.✅ShrimpYes — dogs can eat shrimp as an occasional treat, but only when it is fully cooked, peeled, deveined, and served plain.⚠️TunaOccasionally, and only in tiny amounts.✅TurkeyYes.
Dairy 4
✅CheeseYes — most dogs can eat cheese in small amounts, and it is one of the most effective high-value training treats.🚫Ice CreamNot recommended.⚠️MilkOnly a little, and often best avoided.✅YogurtYes — plain unsweetened yogurt is safe for most dogs in small amounts and is a popular natural source of probiotics.
Grains & Starches 6
⚠️BreadPlain baked bread is safe in small amounts but offers no nutritional benefit.✅OatmealYes — dogs can eat oatmeal when it is plain, fully cooked with water, cooled, and served in moderation.✅PastaYes — plain, cooked, unseasoned pasta is safe for most dogs in small amounts.✅PopcornYes, dogs can eat popcorn as an occasional treat, but only plain, air-popped popcorn with no butter, oil, salt, or other flavorings.✅QuinoaYes, dogs can eat quinoa in moderation when it is cooked plain and rinsed thoroughly before cooking to remove bitter saponins.✅RiceYes — plain cooked rice is safe for dogs and is the foundation of the veterinary bland diet used to treat digestive upset.
Nuts & Seeds 7
⚠️Almond ButterPlain unsweetened almond butter is safe for dogs in tiny amounts as an occasional treat (no more than half a teaspoon for small dogs).🚫AlmondsIt is best not to feed your dog almonds.✅CashewsYes — a few plain, unsalted cashews are safe for most dogs as an occasional treat.✅Peanut ButterYes — plain peanut butter is safe and beneficial for dogs in moderation, providing protein, healthy fats, and vitamins B and E.✅Pumpkin SeedsYes, in moderation.⚠️Sunflower SeedsSunflower seeds are safe in tiny amounts only when they are shelled, unsalted, and plain.🚫WalnutsWalnuts are best avoided.
Sweets & Other 2
🚫ChocolateNo — chocolate is toxic to dogs at any dose, and dark or baking chocolate can be fatal in small amounts.⚠️HoneyYes, most healthy adult dogs can have a tiny lick of honey as an occasional treat.
These are general guidelines — check with your vet for your dog's needs. Looking for your dog's breed instead? Browse the Dog Breeds A–Z directory.
