Can go with regular meals
Safe vegetables such as carrots and green beans can go with a dog's meal. Remove apple seeds and core; cook chicken and remove the bones. These foods cannot replace a complete diet.
POBUMI Dog Food Guide
What can dogs eat?
Look up a food, then see how to prepare it. This page covers generally healthy adult dogs.
The essentials at a glance
Never feed
Do not feed grapes, raisins, onions and garlic, chocolate, or foods containing xylitol. If your dog eats any, call a vet immediately. Do not wait for symptoms or induce vomiting yourself.
First time? Start with one bite
Offer a tiny amount of any new food and watch your dog. Ask a vet first for puppies, older or ill dogs, or dogs on a prescription diet.
Browse 47 foods and safety warnings
Search results
If a food is not listed, that does not mean it is safe. Ask a vet before feeding it.
Foods dogs can eat
47 common foods. Check how to prepare each one.
Vegetables and starches
Vegetables can go with meals; cook rice, pasta, and potatoes.
Carrot
Wash and cut into small pieces; raw or cooked is fine.
Green beans
Wash and cut into small pieces; raw or cooked is fine. Do not add salt or butter.
Brussels sprouts
Cook and cut into small pieces; offer a little. Too much may cause gas.
Bell pepper
Offer only sweet, non-hot peppers. Remove stem and seeds; cut into small pieces.
Brown rice
Cook and offer a little; ask a vet first if your dog has a sensitive stomach.
Fruit
Check which skins, seeds, and pits need removing first.
Blueberries
Wash and offer a little. Cut into smaller pieces for small dogs if needed.
Strawberries
Wash, remove the stems, and cut into small pieces; offer a little.
Meat, fish and eggs
Cook thoroughly and remove bones; peel shrimp.
Sardines
Offer a little. Choose canned sardines in water with no added salt; check for hard bones.
Other treats
Check the ingredients first, then keep portions small.
Plain popcorn
Only air-popped popcorn without salt or butter; remove hard unpopped kernels.
Plain unsweetened yogurt
Make sure it contains no xylitol or other sweeteners; try one small bite first.
Peanuts
Unsalted and shelled; offer a little. Do not give whole peanuts to dogs that may choke on them.
Foods to avoid
Some foods are toxic; others can cause choking or gut injuries.
Never feed these
Do not feed these directly either
Raw or undercooked fish
May contain parasites or bacteria. Cook and remove bones.
Salty, fatty processed meats and snacks
Bacon, ham, and similar foods are usually too salty and fatty.
Wild mushrooms
Some are poisonous. Do not let your dog eat them outdoors.
Unripe green tomatoes and tomato plants
Do not feed green tomatoes, stems, or leaves.
Avocado
Advice about the flesh varies, and the pit can cause a blockage. We do not recommend feeding it.
Easy to confuse
The answer can change with the part of the food and how it is prepared.
Avocado
Advice about the flesh varies; the pit can cause a blockage. This page does not recommend feeding it.
Bones
Raw or cooked bones can cause choking and injure teeth or the gut. Raw bones also carry a risk of bacteria.
Tuna
Some sources allow a little tuna canned in water occasionally, but mercury is a concern. This page does not list it as an everyday food.
Spinach and wild mushrooms
Ask a vet before feeding spinach if your dog has kidney problems or stones. Do not let your dog eat wild mushrooms.
What if your dog eats something unsafe?
- 01Call a vet, emergency animal hospital, or local animal poison center immediately. Do not wait for symptoms.
- 02Note what your dog ate, how much, and when. Keep the packaging if you have it.
- 03Do not induce vomiting or give medicine yourself. Follow the vet's instructions.
Common questions
Can dogs eat vegetables regularly?
Safe vegetables can accompany regular meals in small amounts. Too much broccoli or similar vegetables may upset the stomach.
How much can a dog eat at once?
There is no one-size-fits-all portion. Start with a tiny bite; ask a vet if you want to add it to meals regularly.
Do dogs need salt?
Dogs need sodium, but complete dog food usually provides it, so you do not need to add salt. A little salt is not necessarily poisoning. Call a vet if your dog swallows a lot of salt or salt dough, or drinks a lot of seawater. Follow your vet's plan for dogs with heart disease.
Sources: 24
- ASPCA | People foods you can share with petsView original source ↗
- PDSA | Everyday diet for dogsView original source ↗
- VCA Animal Hospitals | Using food and treats to train dogsView original source ↗
- WSAVA | Treats for dogs: what to knowView original source ↗
- ASPCA | People foods to avoid feeding petsView original source ↗
- U.S. FDA | Xylitol is toxic to dogsView original source ↗
- U.S. FDA | Who to contact in a pet emergencyView original source ↗
- VCA Animal Hospitals | Should you induce vomiting after a pet eats a poison?View original source ↗
- VCA Animal Hospitals | Fruits and vegetables dogs can eatView original source ↗
- RSPCA Australia | What should dogs eat?View original source ↗
- UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine | A guide to treat portions for dogsView original source ↗
- American Kennel Club | Fruits and vegetables dogs can and cannot eatView original source ↗
- American Kennel Club | Human foods dogs can and cannot eatView original source ↗
- American Kennel Club | Can dogs eat oatmeal?View original source ↗
- American Kennel Club | Can dogs eat white rice?View original source ↗
- American Kennel Club | Can dogs eat yogurt?View original source ↗
- Merck Veterinary Manual | Common food hazardsView original source ↗
- U.S. FDA | Risks of raw pet food for pets and familiesView original source ↗
- American Kennel Club | Can dogs eat bell peppers?View original source ↗
- American Kennel Club | Can dogs eat fish?View original source ↗
- Merck Veterinary Manual | Nutrients and minerals dogs needView original source ↗
- U.S. FDA | What is complete and balanced pet food?View original source ↗
- Merck Veterinary Manual | Risks of too much salt in animalsView original source ↗
- VCA Animal Hospitals | Diet for dogs with heart diseaseView original source ↗
This page brings together public veterinary and animal welfare sources. A vet has not reviewed every item individually. An unlisted food is not necessarily safe. Ask a vet if your dog is ill, on a prescription diet, or has eaten something dangerous.