✓ Safe
Apples (no seeds/core)
Great low-cal treat. Remove seeds — they contain cyanide. Slice + remove core.
Can dogs eat...?
A-Z reference for 60 common human foods. Safe ✓, in moderation ⚠, avoid ✗, or TOXIC ☠. Bookmark this — you'll need it.
✗ Avoid
Almonds
Hard to digest, high fat (pancreatitis), often salted. Skip.
⚠ In moderation
Asparagus (cooked)
Safe but tough to digest raw. Cook + cut small. Not toxic, just inefficient.
⚠ In moderation
Avocado flesh
Persin in pit/skin/leaves is toxic. Flesh is mostly OK in small amounts. Pit is choking hazard.
✓ Safe
Bananas
High in potassium, B6. Sugar is high — limit to small chunks. Frozen banana = great summer treat.
✓ Safe
Beef (cooked, lean)
Excellent protein. No seasoning, no fat trimmings, no bones. Plain ground beef is a vet's go-to bland diet ingredient.
✓ Safe
Bell peppers
All colors safe. Vitamin C boost. Remove seeds and stem. Red has the most nutrients.
✓ Safe
Blueberries
Antioxidant powerhouse. Frozen blueberries make a great low-cal training treat.
⚠ In moderation
Bread (plain)
Plain white/wheat bread is OK in tiny amounts but no nutritional value. NEVER raw dough (yeast = stomach bloat). NEVER raisin bread.
⚠ In moderation
Broccoli (small amounts)
Safe in small amounts. Excessive amounts cause GI upset (isothiocyanates). Less than 10% of daily food.
✓ Safe
Carrots
Crunchy, low-cal, great for teeth. Frozen carrots are puppy-teething gold. Whole baby carrots can be choking hazard for small dogs — slice.
⚠ In moderation
Cashews
Not toxic but high fat (pancreatitis risk). Skip if your dog is prone to pancreatitis.
⚠ In moderation
Cauliflower (cooked)
Safe but causes gas. Cook + small amounts.
✓ Safe
Celery
Low-cal, freshens breath. Cut into small pieces (string is choking hazard).
⚠ In moderation
Cheese (most types)
High in fat + lactose. Many adult dogs are lactose-intolerant. Mozzarella + cottage cheese tend to be OK in small amounts.
☠ TOXIC
Cherries
Pits + stems contain cyanide. Pit is also choking/blockage hazard. Avoid entirely — fruit isn't worth the risk.
✓ Safe
Chicken (cooked, plain)
Boiled chicken breast is the bland-diet standard. NO bones, no seasoning, no skin.
☠ TOXIC
Chocolate
Theobromine + caffeine. Dark chocolate is most lethal. See /toxic-foods for details.
⚠ In moderation
Cinnamon (small amounts)
Not toxic but excessive amounts irritate the mouth + cause low blood sugar. Don't dose 'pumpkin spice' anything.
⚠ In moderation
Coconut (small amounts)
Coconut meat + coconut oil OK in small amounts. Coconut water (high potassium) — not great for daily use.
⚠ In moderation
Corn (off the cob)
Plain corn kernels are fine but low nutritional value. NEVER let dogs chew corn cobs — they cause life-threatening intestinal blockages.
✓ Safe
Cottage cheese
Low-fat plain cottage cheese is well-tolerated by most dogs. Probiotic benefits. Bland-diet ingredient.
✓ Safe
Cranberries
Fresh or dried (no sugar) are fine. Some studies suggest urinary tract benefits. Avoid sugary cranberry sauce.
✓ Safe
Cucumber
Hydrating, very low cal, great summer treat. Cut into chunks.
✓ Safe
Eggs (cooked)
Scrambled or hard-boiled is great. RAW eggs OK occasionally but salmonella risk + biotin issue.
☠ TOXIC
Garlic
All Allium family (garlic, onion, leek, chives) damage red blood cells. Cumulative — small daily amounts add up. NEVER feed.
☠ TOXIC
Grapes / raisins
Acute kidney failure. Toxic dose is unpredictable. NEVER feed any amount.
✓ Safe
Green beans
Excellent diet treat. Plain steamed or canned (no salt). Many vets recommend green beans for weight loss.
✗ Avoid
Ham (most)
Too salty, too fatty (pancreatitis). Avoid lunchmeat, holiday ham, bacon. Plain unseasoned pork in tiny amounts is OK.
⚠ In moderation
Honey (small amounts)
Tiny amounts OK and have anti-allergy benefits. NEVER for puppies under 1 (botulism risk). Sugar is high.
✗ Avoid
Lemons / limes
Citric acid causes GI upset. Most dogs hate the taste anyway.
☠ TOXIC
Macadamia nuts
Cause weakness, tremors, hyperthermia. Often combined with chocolate (cookies) which compounds risk.
✓ Safe
Mango (no pit)
Vitamin A, C, B6. Remove the pit (contains cyanide + choking hazard). Sugar is high — limit.
⚠ In moderation
Milk
Most adult dogs lactose-intolerant. Tiny amounts usually fine. Lactose-free milk is safer.
⚠ In moderation
Mushrooms (store-bought)
Plain white/cremini/portobello from grocery store mostly OK in small amounts. NEVER let dogs eat wild mushrooms — Death Cap is fatal.
✓ Safe
Oatmeal (plain)
Cooked, plain oatmeal is great for senior dogs. No sugar, milk, or flavorings.
☠ TOXIC
Onions
All forms (raw, cooked, powdered, dehydrated) damage red blood cells. NEVER feed.
⚠ In moderation
Oranges (no peel)
Vitamin C, but high sugar + acidic. Most dogs avoid them. Peel is mildly toxic.
⚠ In moderation
Peanut butter (no xylitol!)
CHECK INGREDIENTS for xylitol (sugar substitute) — it's FATAL. Many natural PBs (Krush, Nuts 'N More) contain it. Standard Jif/Skippy is safe in moderation.
⚠ In moderation
Peanuts (unsalted)
Plain unsalted peanuts OK in small amounts. Salted peanuts have too much sodium.
✓ Safe
Pears (no seeds)
Vitamin C and fiber. Remove seeds (cyanide) and core. Sugar is high — limit.
✓ Safe
Peas (fresh or frozen)
Plain peas are fine. Skip canned peas (salt). Common ingredient in commercial dog food.
⚠ In moderation
Pineapple (fresh)
Vitamin C, manganese. Remove the spiky core. Some dogs get GI upset from acidity.
✗ Avoid
Plums
Pit contains cyanide + choking hazard. Flesh is OK but the risk of pit ingestion makes it not worth it.
⚠ In moderation
Popcorn (plain)
Plain air-popped is safe in tiny amounts. NO butter, salt, or seasoning. Unpopped kernels are choking hazard.
✓ Safe
Pork (cooked, plain)
Cooked plain pork is fine. NO bones, no seasoning, no fatty trimmings. NEVER raw pork (Trichinella risk).
⚠ In moderation
Potato (cooked)
Cooked white/sweet potato is fine without seasoning. NEVER raw potato (solanine). Skip with fatty toppings.
✓ Safe
Pumpkin (plain canned)
Plain canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling) is excellent for digestive issues. 1-2 tablespoons added to food helps with both diarrhea AND constipation.
⚠ In moderation
Raspberries
Have natural xylitol (low levels) — small amounts are fine, daily handfuls are not. Antioxidant benefits.
✓ Safe
Rice (white, cooked)
Bland-diet staple. Plain white rice is the gold standard for upset stomachs. Cooked, no seasoning, no broth.
✓ Safe
Salmon (cooked)
Excellent protein + omega-3s. NEVER raw (salmon poisoning disease in Pacific NW). Cook + remove all bones.
✓ Safe
Shrimp (cooked)
Cooked, peeled, deveined shrimp is fine. High protein, low fat. NO shells (choking).
⚠ In moderation
Spinach
Small amounts OK. High oxalic acid affects kidneys with regular feeding — no daily large servings.
✓ Safe
Strawberries
Vitamin C, antioxidants. Moderate sugar. Cut into pieces for small dogs.
⚠ In moderation
Tomato (ripe red)
Ripe red tomatoes mostly OK. Green/unripe + plant leaves contain solanine. Avoid raw garden tomatoes.
⚠ In moderation
Tuna (cooked, occasional)
Cooked tuna in tiny amounts OK. Mercury risk with regular feeding. Canned tuna in WATER (not oil/salt) is safer than raw.
✓ Safe
Turkey (cooked, plain)
Plain cooked turkey breast is fine. NO bones, skin, or seasoning. Holiday turkey is often too fatty/seasoned — pancreatitis risk.
✓ Safe
Watermelon (no seeds/rind)
Hydrating summer treat. Remove seeds and rind (intestinal blockage risk). Excellent for hot days.
⚠ In moderation
Yogurt (plain, low-fat)
Plain Greek or low-fat yogurt with active cultures is OK. NEVER flavored/sweetened. Lactose-intolerant dogs may still have issues.
✓ Safe
Zucchini
Low cal, easily digestible. Raw or cooked plain. Great for weight management.
For toxic foods deep-dive + ASPCA hotline:
☠ Toxic foods emergency reference →