Whether or not Thanksgiving is around the corner, sweet potatoes make for a delicious dish. Whether used as a side, or as the star of the meal, sweet potatoes know how to pack a flavorful punch. Wouldn’t you love for your dog to experience the yummy taste of a sweet potato? But, can dogs have sweet potatoes?

Fortunately for your precious pup, the answer to can dogs have sweet potatoes is yes!

Why Can Dogs Have Sweet Potatoes?

Your dog can eat sweet potatoes for a number of reasons. First of all, doggy dietician, Kathleen Standafer Lopez suggests that sweet potatoes are considered a ‘whole food.’ This means that sweet potatoes have a very low risk of setting off any allergies and are easy on a dog’s digestive system.

Because of its designation as a whole food, the sweet potato remains a favored source of carbohydrates in commercial dog foods.

However, the sweet potato provides a lot more than just carbs. It’s difficult to overstate the nutritional value of the sweet potato. It contains low amounts of unhealthy fats and is rich in vitamins A, B6, and C. Also, sweet potatoes contain a wealth of healthy minerals like calcium, potassium, and iron.

Vitamin A plays an essential role in maintaining eye, skin, and hair health, while B6 aids your pup’s energy metabolism, and vitamin C helps bolster their immune system.

Very Sweet, Not So Potato

Although they’re called the sweet potato, sweet potatoes and potatoes actually have little to no relation. If you haven’t read my article about potatoes (I mean, you totally should), then you might not understand the significance of the two foods not being related.

The significance is, of course, that this means the sweet potato does not belong to the nightshade family of stem vegetables. And this means that the sweet potato does not contain the nightshade toxin called solanine.

So with sweet potatoes there’s no need to worry about whether or not it contains solanine. The only real health worry in regards to the sweet potato is its high glycemic index.

High glycemic index, essentially, is science speak for saying a food is high in sugar. If your pup is a little on the tubby side, or has diabetes, then veterinarians advise minimizing the amount of sweet potato treats you give to your furry friend.

Speaking of serving sizes…

Can Dogs Have Sweet Potatoes Everyday?

It appears that the word, ‘moderation,’ has become a common theme for the Can Dogs Eat Bananas blog.

Like with the majority of human foods, it’s best to use moderation when feeding your dog sweet potatoes. The best use of the sweet potato is to only give it to your pup as a treat, every now and then.

If you’re cooking up some delicious sweet potato fries or baked sweet potatoes, give your pup a couple of small bites. Of course, make sure that the bite you give to your fur baby is cooked and the skin is peeled.

A raw sweet potato poses a choking hazard, as well as a risk for intestinal blockage. Why? Because raw sweet potatoes are difficult for your pup to chew.

Sweet Pup-tato

So, can dogs have sweet potatoes? They sure can! The sweet potato’s high amounts of vitamins and minerals make it an excellent, healthy treat for your pup.

Go ahead, turn that sweet pup of yours into a sweet pup-tato!