Can Yorkies eat olives?
Use caution. A single plain, pitted olive is not toxic, but most olives are packed in very salty brine, and the pit is a choking hazard for a tiny mouth. There's no real reason to offer them, so it's easiest to skip.
Plain olive flesh isn't poisonous to dogs, but almost every olive you'll encounter is preserved in salty brine and often stuffed with garlic, pimento, or cheese. For a five-pound Yorkie the salt is the main concern, and the hard pit is both a choking and tooth-fracture risk. Because olives add nothing a complete diet doesn't already cover, they sit in the 'use caution, better skipped' category.
What Yorkie owners need to know
- Brined and canned olives are high in salt; if any were ever shared it would need to be a single plain olive rinsed of brine.
- The pit is a choking hazard and can crack a small tooth — always remove it, and never offer a whole olive.
- Stuffed or marinated olives may contain garlic, onion, blue cheese, or chilli, which are not suitable for dogs.
How preparation changes the answer
| Preparation | Status | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Plain pitted olive, brine rinsed off | Use caution | Not toxic, but salty and low value; a single one at most. |
| Whole olive with pit | Best avoided | Choking and tooth-fracture hazard; the stone shouldn't be swallowed. |
| Stuffed or marinated olives | Best avoided | May contain garlic, onion, cheese, or chilli. |
Safe preparation
- If any is offered at all, use a single plain, pitted, brine-free olive — but a low-salt vegetable is a better choice.
Risks & things to watch
- Brine and canned olives are high in sodium, a concern in a tiny body.
- The pit is a choking and tooth-fracture hazard and shouldn't be swallowed.
- Stuffed and marinated olives may contain toxic garlic or onion.
If your Yorkie ate too much
A single plain olive usually causes at most mild stomach upset. The reasons to call your vet are a swallowed pit, a garlic-stuffed olive, or a larger salty amount. Keep fresh water available.
Frequently asked questions
Are black olives safer than green olives for dogs?
Colour doesn't change the real issues, which are the salty brine and the pit. Both are packed the same way, so the same caution applies to both — remove the pit, skip the brine, and keep it to a taste at most.
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
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.
Pickles
Avoid. A plain cucumber is fine, but a pickle is a cucumber soaked in very salty brine and usually flavoured with garlic, dill, and onion. That brine is the problem for a five-pound Yorkie, and pickles offer nothing your dog needs.
Cheese
In tiny amounts, usually yes — many Yorkies tolerate a small piece of plain low-salt cheese as a high-value treat, but it's fatty and some dogs are lactose-sensitive.
Apple
Yes, the flesh — apple slices are a crunchy, safe treat once you remove the core and seeds and cut them into small pieces.
Applesauce
In small amounts — only plain, unsweetened applesauce with no added sugar, cinnamon, or sweeteners is okay for Yorkies, and just a spoonful.
Apricot
Yes — a little ripe apricot flesh is safe for Yorkies once the pit and any stem or leaves are removed, but the pit is a serious choking and cyanide hazard, so it must always come out.