Food Safety
Can my pet eat this?
Search common foods for a clear first answer, preparation guidance and the animal-health source behind it.
Showing 40 of 40 foods for dogs
Safe as a small treatAir-popped popcornYes — a few fully popped, completely plain pieces.
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Why: VCA veterinary nutrition and ASPCA guidance include air-popped popcorn as an occasional low-calorie treat when it has no butter or salt.
How to prepare: Offer only a few soft, fully popped pieces. Remove hard kernels and skip butter, oil, salt, sugar, cheese and flavourings.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatAppleYes — the fresh flesh can be a small treat.
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Why: Apple is listed by veterinary nutrition guidance as an acceptable, lower-calorie treat.
How to prepare: Wash it, cut it into bite-size pieces, and remove the stem, core and every seed.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatBananaYes — a few small pieces for a healthy dog.
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Why: Banana is included in VCA's list of fruits that can be offered in moderation. Fruit is relatively sugary, so portions matter.
How to prepare: Remove the peel and serve only a bite or two. Introduce it gradually.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatBlueberriesYes — washed and in small amounts.
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Why: Veterinary nutrition guidance lists blueberries among acceptable low-calorie treats.
How to prepare: Wash first. Halve or mash them for very small dogs if a whole berry could be a choking risk.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatBroccoliYes — a few plain florets can be a small treat.
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Why: PDSA and ASPCA include broccoli among dog-safe vegetables, but large amounts may upset the stomach.
How to prepare: Serve raw or steamed without salt, oil or sauce. Cut into small pieces and keep the portion modest.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatCarrotsYes — plain, raw or cooked, in bite-size pieces.
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Why: Carrots are repeatedly listed by veterinary sources as a lower-calorie dog treat.
How to prepare: Wash, cut to a safe size and do not add butter, oil, salt or seasoning.
Safe as a small treatCauliflowerYes — plain florets in a small portion.
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Why: ASPCA lists cauliflower among vegetables that may be shared as a low-calorie snack.
How to prepare: Serve raw or cooked without seasoning and cut it small. Too much can cause wind or digestive upset.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatCeleryYes — washed, plain and cut into small pieces.
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Why: Celery appears in veterinary safer-snack guidance as a low-calorie option for healthy dogs.
How to prepare: Remove tough leaves or strings where practical and chop the stalk across the fibres to reduce choking risk.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatCooked eggYes — fully cooked and plain.
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Why: Cooked egg is included in veterinarian-authored guidance for dog treats; raw egg carries bacterial and nutritional risks.
How to prepare: Offer a small amount with no butter, oil, salt or seasoning. Avoid raw or undercooked egg.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatCucumberYes — plain, washed pieces can be a light treat.
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Why: Cucumber is included in ASPCA and VCA safer-snack guidance.
How to prepare: Cut it small enough for your dog. Skip dressings, pickling brine and seasoning.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatGreen beansYes — raw or cooked, but always plain.
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Why: Green beans are listed as a low-calorie treat by ASPCA and veterinary nutrition sources.
How to prepare: Use fresh, frozen or no-salt canned beans. Cut long beans into manageable pieces.
Safe as a small treatKiwiYes — a peeled, bite-size piece is enough.
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Why: ASPCA includes kiwi in its safer sharing guidance, but it is sugary and not needed in a dog's diet.
How to prepare: Peel it and cut the flesh into very small pieces. Do not give a whole kiwi because its size can create a choking risk.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatLean cooked meatYes — a small amount, fully cooked and plain.
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Why: Lean cooked chicken, turkey, beef and pork are listed as acceptable treats when free of bones and seasoning.
How to prepare: Remove all bones, skin and visible fat. Do not use sauces, onion, garlic or processed meats such as bacon.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatMangoYes — only a little ripe flesh, with the stone removed.
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Why: PDSA lists mango as a fruit dogs can eat when it is properly prepared.
How to prepare: Remove the skin and the entire hard stone, then offer one or two bite-size pieces. Fruit should stay occasional.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatPearYes — fresh flesh can be an occasional small treat.
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Why: PDSA includes pear among dog-safe fruits when the seeds, core and stalk are removed.
How to prepare: Wash and chop the flesh. Remove the stem, core and every seed, and do not offer canned pear in syrup.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatPeasYes — a spoonful of plain peas is usually suitable.
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Why: PDSA lists peas among vegetables dogs can eat as an occasional extra.
How to prepare: Use fresh, frozen or cooked peas with no butter, salt or seasoning. Avoid heavily salted canned peas.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatPineappleYes — a small piece of fresh flesh only.
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Why: PDSA and ASPCA include pineapple among fruits that can be shared in moderation.
How to prepare: Remove the prickly skin, crown and tough core. Avoid canned pineapple in syrup and keep portions small.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatPlain chickpeas or black beansYes — a small spoonful, boiled or steamed without salt.
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Why: VCA veterinary nutrition lists plain cooked chickpeas and black beans among whole-food treat options for dogs.
How to prepare: Cook until soft and serve plain. Avoid baked beans, chilli, hummus and canned products with salt, onion, garlic, sauce or sweetener.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatPumpkin or sweet potatoYes — cooked and plain in a small amount.
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Why: VCA lists cooked pumpkin and sweet potato as lower-calorie, high-fibre treat options.
How to prepare: Use plain cooked flesh only. Pumpkin pie filling, butter, sugar and spices are not the same thing.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatSeedless watermelonYes — only the seedless flesh, in small pieces.
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Why: Seedless watermelon is listed as an acceptable treat. The hard rind can obstruct the digestive tract.
How to prepare: Remove every seed and all rind before serving. Keep the portion small because fruit contains sugar.
Safe as a small treatStrawberriesYes — a few small pieces for a healthy dog.
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Why: Strawberries are included in PDSA and ASPCA safer-snack lists. They still contain natural sugar.
How to prepare: Wash them, remove the leafy tops and cut them to suit your dog's size. Skip syrup, cream and chocolate coatings.
Open the full dog guide →Safe as a small treatZucchiniYes — plain and cut into small pieces.
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Why: Veterinary nutrition guidance lists zucchini as an acceptable low-calorie treat.
How to prepare: Serve raw or cooked without oil, salt, garlic, onion or other seasoning.
Open the full dog guide →Small amounts / check firstAvocadoBest skipped — especially the pit, skin and leaves.
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Why: Dogs are less sensitive to avocado than some other species, but the fatty flesh may cause digestive trouble and the pit can cause choking or intestinal blockage.
How to prepare: Keep the whole fruit and guacamole away. Onion and garlic in guacamole add a separate toxic risk. Contact a vet if the pit was swallowed.
Open the full dog guide →Small amounts / check firstCheese and dairyA tiny amount may be tolerated, but dairy often causes digestive upset.
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Why: Dogs have limited lactase, and dairy can cause diarrhoea or stomach upset. Cheese is also calorie-dense.
How to prepare: If your healthy dog already tolerates dairy, keep cheese to a very small, occasional piece. Avoid for dogs with pancreatitis or a prescribed diet unless your vet approves it.
Small amounts / check firstCitrusA little flesh is unlikely to cause more than stomach upset; skip the rest.
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Why: Citrus stems, leaves, peels, fruit and seeds contain varying levels of citric acid and essential oils; larger exposures can be more serious.
How to prepare: Do not offer peel, seeds, leaves or stems. Because citrus can irritate the stomach, another treat is usually a better choice.
Open the full dog guide →Small amounts / check firstCoconutSmall amounts are not usually serious, but can upset the stomach.
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Why: Coconut flesh, milk and oil contain oils that may cause loose stools, diarrhoea or other digestive upset.
How to prepare: It is not needed as a treat. Never allow access to the hard shell, which is a choking and obstruction hazard.
Open the full dog guide →Small amounts / check firstCornPlain kernels can be digestible; the cob is never safe.
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Why: Corn cobs are a common shape and size for a serious intestinal blockage.
How to prepare: If offered at all, use only a few plain kernels. If a cob or part of one was swallowed, contact a veterinarian promptly.
Open the full dog guide →Small amounts / check firstPeanut butterOnly after checking the label — it must be xylitol-free.
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Why: Some peanut and nut butters contain xylitol, which can cause a rapid, life-threatening fall in a dog's blood sugar. Peanut butter is also high in fat and calories.
How to prepare: Read the ingredients every time; xylitol may also be called birch sugar or wood sugar. If any is present or uncertain, do not feed it.
Small amounts / check firstPotatoOnly fully cooked, plain potato — never raw, green or sprouting.
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Why: Raw and green potatoes can contain harmful glycoalkaloids; cooked potato is also starchy and easy to overfeed.
How to prepare: Remove skin, green areas and sprouts, cook thoroughly and offer only a small plain piece. Skip chips, roast potatoes and mash made with butter or salt.
Open the full dog guide →Small amounts / check firstTomatoAvoid green tomatoes and every leaf or stem.
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Why: VCA specifically lists green tomatoes among produce to avoid. Plant parts create additional risk and are not a useful treat.
How to prepare: The conservative choice is to skip tomato. If you want to offer ripe red flesh, ask your vet first and never include plant parts or seasoning.
Open the full dog guide →Avoid / toxicAlcohol and raw yeast doughNo — both require urgent veterinary advice.
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Why: Alcohol can cause severe poisoning. Raw yeast dough can expand in the stomach, cause dangerous bloat and produce ethanol.
How to prepare: Call a veterinarian or emergency clinic immediately. Do not induce vomiting or give anything by mouth unless a veterinary professional directs you.
Open the full dog guide →Avoid / toxicBones, antlers and hoovesAvoid — raw and cooked bones can both injure or obstruct.
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Why: Hard chews can fracture teeth; swallowed pieces can choke, puncture or block the oesophagus or intestine.
How to prepare: If a piece was swallowed, or there is drooling, gagging, vomiting, pain or loss of appetite, seek veterinary care promptly.
Open the full dog guide →Avoid / toxicChocolate, cocoa and caffeineNo — contact a veterinarian promptly after exposure.
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Why: Theobromine and caffeine can affect the heart and nervous system. Cocoa powder, baking chocolate and darker chocolate generally pose greater risk.
How to prepare: Keep the wrapper and estimate the type, amount, time and your dog's weight for the veterinary team. Do not wait for symptoms.
Open the full dog guide →Avoid / toxicCorn cobs, fruit pits and hard rindsDo not let your dog chew or swallow them.
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Why: Cobs, avocado pits, fruit stones and watermelon rind can lodge in the digestive tract and may require surgery.
How to prepare: Contact a veterinarian promptly if one was swallowed. Vomiting, abdominal pain, reduced appetite or lethargy can indicate an obstruction.
Open the full dog guide →Avoid / toxicGrapes, raisins and currantsNo — treat any ingestion as urgent.
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Why: These fruits can cause acute kidney injury in dogs, and individual sensitivity is unpredictable.
How to prepare: Call your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic now, even if your dog looks well. Include cakes, breads and trail mixes that contain them.
Open the full dog guide →Avoid / toxicMacadamia nutsNo — macadamias are toxic to dogs.
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Why: Ingestion can cause weakness, depression, vomiting, poor coordination, tremors and raised body temperature.
How to prepare: Call your veterinarian or an animal poison service for dose-specific advice. Keep products containing macadamias away too.
Open the full dog guide →Avoid / toxicOnion, garlic, chives and leeksNo — raw, cooked and powdered forms can all be harmful.
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Why: Allium plants can damage red blood cells and cause haemolytic anaemia; signs may not appear for several days.
How to prepare: Check sauces, soups, stocks, baby food and seasoning powders. Contact a veterinarian after a meaningful or uncertain exposure.
Open the full dog guide →Avoid / toxicRaw meat and raw eggsAvoid — fully cook meat and eggs before sharing.
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Why: Raw animal products can carry bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that can harm pets and people.
How to prepare: Use only a small amount of fully cooked, unseasoned food with every bone removed. Wash hands and surfaces after handling raw products.
Open the full dog guide →Avoid / toxicWild mushrooms and moldy foodNo — identification and toxicity are too uncertain.
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Why: VCA advises avoiding wild mushrooms, and veterinary poison guidance lists moldy food among poisoning risks.
How to prepare: If eaten, save a sample or photo when safe to do so and contact a veterinarian or animal poison service promptly.
Open the full dog guide →Avoid / toxicXylitol / birch sugarNo — this is a veterinary emergency.
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Why: Xylitol can trigger a rapid, profound drop in blood sugar and may cause seizures, liver injury or death.
How to prepare: Call a vet, emergency clinic or animal poison service immediately. Check sugar-free gum, sweets, baked goods, toothpaste, medicines and some nut butters.
Open the full dog guide →Urgent help
Did your pet eat something unsafe?
Call your usual vet or an emergency practice immediately. Do not wait for symptoms and do not make your pet vomit unless a veterinary professional tells you to.