Can Yorkies eat chips (crisps)?
Avoid. Chips — potato crisps — are high in salt and fat and are frequently flavoured with onion or garlic powder. They're a poor snack for a Yorkie, and flavoured varieties carry a real toxicity concern.
Chips (crisps in the UK) are fried, heavily salted, and often coated in flavourings that include onion and garlic powder, cheese, and spices. For a five-pound Yorkie, the salt and fat are the everyday problem, and the seasoning is where genuine toxicity creeps in — onion and garlic powders are concentrated alliums. Even plain salted crisps are empty, fatty calories with nothing a dog needs.
What Yorkie owners need to know
- Flavoured crisps often contain onion or garlic powder, which are toxic to dogs — read the packet.
- Even plain salted crisps are high in salt and fat for a tiny dog.
- They're empty calories: a few crisps can be a big share of a Yorkie's daily allowance.
How preparation changes the answer
| Preparation | Status | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Flavoured crisps (onion, garlic, cheese and onion, spiced) | Best avoided | Seasoning contains concentrated onion/garlic powder — toxic to dogs. |
| Plain salted crisps | Best avoided | High salt and fat with no benefit; empty calories for a tiny dog. |
| Large amount or pancreatitis-prone dog | Best avoided | The salt and fat load can trigger GI illness or pancreatitis. |
Risks & things to watch
- High salt is a concern in a five-pound body.
- High fat can cause GI upset or contribute to pancreatitis in a small dog.
- Onion and garlic seasoning powders are toxic to dogs and common on flavoured crisps.
If your Yorkie ate too much
A stray plain crisp is unlikely to poison a Yorkie; offer fresh water and watch for stomach upset. The reasons to call your vet are onion- or garlic-flavoured crisps, a large salty or fatty amount, or a pancreatitis-prone dog.
Frequently asked questions
My Yorkie ate a few plain crisps — should I worry?
A few plain crisps are more likely to cause mild stomach upset than poisoning, so offer fresh water and keep an eye on them. If the crisps were onion- or garlic-flavoured, or a larger amount was eaten, call your vet for weight-based advice.
Sources
We cite authoritative veterinary, regulatory, and nutrition sources so you can check the evidence yourself.
- Veterinary manualMerck Veterinary ManualSalt Toxicosis in Animals
Supports: Sodium toxicosis from salt-containing materials; correcting serum sodium too quickly risks cerebral oedema, so rehydration must be veterinary-supervised. · Accessed 2026-07-09
- Poison controlASPCA Animal Poison Control CenterToxic and Non-Toxic Plants / People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets
Supports: Classification of foods that are toxic or dangerous to dogs. · Accessed 2026-07-01
- Regulatory bodyU.S. Food & Drug AdministrationPotentially Dangerous Items for Your Pet
Supports: Foods and household items hazardous to dogs, including xylitol, raw yeast dough, and the gastrointestinal-obstruction risk from bones. · Accessed 2026-07-09
The Yorkiefood Editorial Team
We research Yorkshire Terrier feeding from regulatory bodies, veterinary manuals, poison-control centres, and peer-reviewed nutrition literature, then explain it plainly. We are careful researchers, not veterinarians — our pages cite their sources so you can check the evidence yourself, and we always defer to your own vet for your dog.
First published 2026-07-12 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
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Related foods
Salt & Salty Snacks
Not on purpose. A stray crisp will not poison a Yorkie, but salty snacks are a poor idea for a five-pound dog, and concentrated salt — rock salt, salt dough, seawater — can cause genuine sodium poisoning.
Pretzels
Avoid. Pretzels are coated in salt and are empty carbohydrate with no benefit for a dog, and hard pretzels add a tooth-fracture and choking risk for a tiny mouth. They're a poor snack for a Yorkie.
Onions & Garlic
No. Onions, garlic, leeks, and chives (the allium family) damage a dog's red blood cells and can cause anaemia. Powders and cooked forms count too.
Asparagus
Yes — asparagus cooked soft and cut into small pieces is safe for Yorkies; tough raw stalks are a choking risk, so skip those.
Beets
In small amounts — plain cooked beets are safe for Yorkies now and then, but sugar and oxalates mean they're a limited treat, and pickled beets are too salty.
Bell Peppers
Yes — plain bell pepper with the seeds and stem removed and cut into small pieces is a crunchy, vitamin-rich treat for Yorkies.