Can Dogs Eat Mashed Potatoes? Plain Yes, the Dinner Version No
Quick answer
Plain, yes; the dinner version, no. PetMD, reviewed by Dr Jennifer Coates, says plain cooked potatoes are generally safe and that mashed potatoes are fine, but warns against adding garlic, onion, butter or salt, which is how most mashed potatoes are made.
Taken from this page and its sources. Not veterinary advice. If your pet has already eaten some and seems unwell, see who to call.
This page is not veterinary advice. Paw Multiverse is not a veterinary practice. We cannot examine, diagnose or treat your animal. There are no doses here, no portion sizes, no feeding amounts and no treatment steps, on purpose. If your pet has eaten something you are worried about, or has changed in a way you cannot explain, ring your vet or your nearest emergency clinic and let them decide. Full disclaimer.
Mashed potato is the side dish most often scraped into a dog bowl after a big dinner. Whether that is fine depends almost entirely on what went into the pan.
On this page (7 sections)
What is published
PetMD says cooked potatoes are the safer choice, that mashed, baked or boiled potatoes are fine, and that they should be cooked without butter, salt or seasoning. It says: “Don’t add harmful ingredients like garlic, onion, butter, or salt.” Source: PetMD, Can dogs eat potatoes? (reviewed by Jennifer Coates, DVM, updated 6 October 2025).
What usually goes into the pan
- Garlic, onion or chives. The ASPCA says the onion family can cause gastrointestinal irritation and red blood cell damage. More: garlic and onions.
- Milk, cream and cheese. The ASPCA says pets do not have much lactase, so dairy can cause diarrhoea or other digestive upset.
- Butter. PDSA lists recently eating high-fat foods, naming butter, among the things that raise the risk of pancreatitis.
- Salt. The ASPCA says excessive salt can produce increased thirst and urination.
Sources: ASPCA, People foods to avoid feeding your pets; PDSA, Pancreatitis in dogs.
Green and raw potatoes
PetMD says raw potatoes and a lot of potato skin are hard to digest and should be avoided, and that green parts and sprouts should be removed because they contain solanine, which can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and lethargy. Source: PetMD, Can dogs eat potatoes? (reviewed by Jennifer Coates, DVM, updated 6 October 2025).
Instant mash and gravy on top
Packet mash and gravy granules often list onion or garlic powder. The ASPCA’s Thanksgiving advice is to check the ingredients of anything a pet might be given. Gravy has its own page: can dogs eat gravy. Source: ASPCA, Thanksgiving safety tips.
What we could not source for this page
- No publisher we read gives a portion, a frequency or a maximum for mashed potato, and neither do we.
- No publisher we read sets out how much butter or salt in a serving of mash makes a difference to a dog.
Where these facts come from
- PetMD, Can dogs eat potatoes? (reviewed by Jennifer Coates, DVM, updated 6 October 2025), read 6 November 2026.
- ASPCA, People foods to avoid feeding your pets, read 6 November 2026.
- PDSA, Pancreatitis in dogs, read 6 November 2026.
- ASPCA, Thanksgiving safety tips, read 6 November 2026.
Sources last checked 6 November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Where to go next
Every food on this site is on the dog food colour chart, and the whole holiday table is on Thanksgiving pet safety and Christmas pet safety. If your dog has already eaten something, go to my dog ate something and the poison control directory.
