Can Yorkies eat potato?
Yes, if cooked plain — a little plain cooked potato is fine for a Yorkie, but never raw or green potato.
Plain cooked potato is safe for a Yorkshire Terrier in small amounts, but preparation matters. Raw potato and any green or sprouted parts contain solanine, which dogs shouldn't eat, so potato must be fully cooked and any green skin cut away. Serve it plain — mashed or boiled with no butter, salt, milk, onion, or gravy.
What Yorkie owners need to know
- Only ever serve potato fully cooked — raw potato isn't suitable for dogs.
- Cut away any green skin or sprouted 'eyes'; green parts contain solanine.
- Serve plain — no butter, salt, milk, gravy, onion, or garlic.
How preparation changes the answer
| Preparation | Status | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Plain, fully cooked, no green parts | Safe if prepared right | A small spoonful is a fine occasional treat. |
| Raw or green / sprouted | Best avoided | Contains solanine — not for dogs. |
| With butter, salt, or gravy | Best avoided | Skip the added fat, salt, and seasoning. |
Safe preparation
- Peel, remove any green parts, and boil or bake until soft.
- Mash or dice plain with nothing added, and cool before serving.
- Offer a small spoonful — potato is starchy and calorie-dense.
Portion for a Yorkie
About a teaspoon of plain cooked potato occasionally; keep it within roughly 10% of daily calories.
Nutrition at a glance
Calories
~77 kcal
per 100 g, raw (USDA FoodData Central)
Carbohydrate
~17 g
per 100 g, raw (USDA FoodData Central)
Fibre
~2.1 g
per 100 g, raw (USDA FoodData Central)
Possible benefits
- Provides easily digested carbohydrate energy when cooked.
- Bland and gentle for a fussy tummy when plain.
- Most dogs enjoy the soft texture.
Risks & things to watch
- Raw and green potato contain solanine, which dogs shouldn't eat.
- Starchy and calorie-dense — easy to overfeed a tiny dog.
- Butter, salt, and gravy add fat and salt a Yorkie doesn't need.
If your Yorkie ate too much
A little extra plain cooked potato may cause mild gas or loose stools. If your Yorkie eats raw or green potato, call your vet for advice and watch for vomiting, drooling, or lethargy.
Frequently asked questions
Can Yorkies eat mashed potato?
Only if it's plain — potato mashed with nothing but a splash of its cooking water is fine in a small amount. Skip the usual butter, milk, salt, and gravy, which aren't good for a tiny dog.
Is raw potato bad for Yorkies?
Yes — raw potato and any green parts contain solanine, which dogs shouldn't eat. Always cook potato fully and cut away green skin or sprouts before serving.
Sources
We cite authoritative veterinary, regulatory, and nutrition sources so you can check the evidence yourself.
- Nutrition dataUSDA FoodData CentralUSDA FoodData Central nutrient database
Supports: Human-food nutrient composition (calories, macronutrients, fibre, sugars). · Accessed 2026-07-01
- Professional bodyWSAVA Global Nutrition CommitteeGlobal Nutrition Guidelines & Toolkit
Supports: Energy requirement calculation, body condition scoring, treat guidance. · 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 2026-07-11 · Last reviewed 2026-07-11
Spotted something wrong on this page? Report a correction.
Related foods
Sweet Potato
Yes, when cooked plain — cooked sweet potato is a nutritious, fibre-rich treat, but never serve it raw and watch the calories.
White Rice
Yes — plain cooked white rice is safe and easy to digest, which is why it's a staple of the vet-suggested bland diet.
Carrots
Yes — carrots are a low-calorie, crunchy treat most Yorkies enjoy, as long as you cut them small enough to avoid choking.
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.
Make serving it easier
A few small things that help at mealtime
Getting the portion right matters most on a tiny dog. These simple bits of kit help you weigh, serve, and store — tap a category to see current options on Amazon.
Snuffle mat
Hide a few kibble pieces in the fabric to turn a snack into slow, happy foraging.
Shop on AmazonLick mat
Spread a thin topper for calm enrichment without many extra calories.
Shop on AmazonSmall-dog slow feeder
Slows fast eaters and turns a small meal into a few happy minutes.
Shop on AmazonSoft training treats
Tiny, low-calorie, easy to break smaller for a light training session.
Shop on AmazonThese are Amazon search links, not specific product endorsements. As an Amazon Associate, Yorkiefood earns from qualifying purchases. We don't show prices or star ratings here — check the current details on Amazon.