Your puppy is staring at you with the full force of those eyes, you are halfway through a snack, and the question hits: can they have a little? It is one of the most common moments in the first six months of puppy ownership, and it is also one of the most consequential. Some foods are perfectly fine in small amounts. Some are fine for adult dogs but too rich for a developing digestive system. And a short, brutal list of foods will send a puppy to the emergency vet, or worse, within hours.
This guide is built around three lists you can actually use: safe in moderation, give with caution, and never. For the toxic items, we also cover why they are toxic, what poisoning looks like, and exactly what to do if it happens. Bookmark this. Screenshot the toxic list. Both poison-control hotline numbers are at the bottom of this article and again at the end of each toxic item. You do not want to be Googling at 11 p.m. with a sick puppy.
A note on age: most of the safe-in-moderation foods below assume a puppy who is at least 8 weeks old and fully transitioned to solid food. Puppies younger than 8 weeks should be eating puppy food and mother's milk or formula almost exclusively. Their digestive systems are not ready for variety, and what an adult dog tolerates can give a young puppy serious diarrhea.
The 10 percent rule, before we start
Whatever you give your puppy outside of their measured puppy food should account for no more than 10 percent of their daily calories. The other 90 percent should be a complete and balanced puppy food, because that is what is formulated to deliver the calcium, phosphorus, DHA, and amino acids a growing dog needs.
This matters more than people think. A puppy filling up on chicken and rice is missing nutrients they need for bone and brain development. A puppy snacking on cheese and peanut butter on top of full meals is on a fast track to obesity, which is itself a developmental orthopedic risk in large breeds. If you are not sure what the right base portion looks like in the first place, our guide on how much puppy food is too much walks through baseline cups by weight and the body-condition signals that tell you whether the 10 percent treat budget is sitting on top of the right meal size.
The 10 percent rule is the budget. Everything below is what you can spend it on, what to spend cautiously, and what will cost you a vet bill.
SAFE in moderation
These foods are widely accepted as safe for healthy puppies older than 8 weeks, in small portions appropriate to body size. "Small" for an 8-pound puppy is half a teaspoon. For a 40-pound puppy, it is a tablespoon or two. When in doubt, smaller.
Plain cooked chicken
Lean, skinless, boneless chicken breast, plain-cooked with no salt, oil, garlic, or seasoning. Excellent as a training reward and gentle on the stomach. Often recommended along with plain rice for puppies recovering from mild GI upset.
Plain cooked rice
White rice, plain, no butter or salt. Easy to digest and a useful bland-diet anchor when your puppy has had a rough digestive day. Brown rice is also fine for most puppies but slightly harder to digest.
Carrots
Raw or cooked, cut into puppy-safe pieces (no choking-hazard chunks). Crunchy raw carrots are particularly useful as low-calorie chews during teething. High in fiber and beta-carotene, low in calories.
Blueberries
Tiny, low-calorie, and packed with antioxidants. Excellent as training rewards because they are small enough to use a lot of them without blowing the calorie budget. Both fresh and frozen work, frozen is great for teething relief.
Plain pumpkin
Canned, plain (not pumpkin pie filling, which contains spices and sugar) or fresh-cooked. A tablespoon mixed into food can help with both mild diarrhea and mild constipation thanks to soluble fiber. One of the most veterinarian-recommended human foods for puppies.
Peanut butter, xylitol-free
Read the label every single time. Many "natural" or "no sugar added" peanut butters now contain xylitol (sometimes labeled birch sugar), which is fatal to dogs in small amounts. If the label confirms no xylitol, plain peanut butter is excellent for stuffing puzzle toys or coating pills. Stick to small amounts because it is calorie-dense.
Plain yogurt
Plain, unsweetened, full-fat or low-fat, no flavorings or artificial sweeteners. A teaspoon mixed into food provides probiotics. Some puppies are mildly lactose-intolerant, so start small and watch for loose stool.
Apple, no seeds or core
Crisp apple slices are a refreshing low-calorie treat. The seeds contain trace amounts of cyanide compounds and the core is a choking hazard, so always remove both. The flesh itself is safe and many puppies love it.
Watermelon, no seeds or rind
Hydrating and low-calorie. Remove all seeds and the tough green rind, which can cause GI obstruction. Excellent summer treat in small cubes.
Cooked sweet potato
Plain-cooked, no butter or salt. High in fiber, vitamin A, and beta-carotene. A common ingredient in commercial dog food for good reason. Avoid raw sweet potato, which is hard to digest.
Green beans
Plain, cooked or raw, no salt or seasoning. Low-calorie filler that some veterinarians recommend as part of a weight-management plan. Most puppies enjoy the crunch.
Plain cooked eggs
Scrambled with no butter, oil, or salt, or hard-boiled. Excellent protein source. Avoid raw eggs in young puppies, both for salmonella risk and for the avidin in raw egg white that can interfere with biotin absorption over time.
GIVE WITH CAUTION
These foods are not toxic, but they carry trade-offs: lactose intolerance, salt content, fat content, choking hazards, or sugar load. They are not "never," but they are also not training rewards.
Cheese, small amounts only
Many dogs love cheese and many handle it fine in tiny amounts. Cheese is, however, high in fat and many dogs are mildly lactose-intolerant, especially as puppies. A pea-sized piece for pilling or as an occasional reward is fine for most. A daily cheese habit is a fast way to a soft stool problem and excess calories. Avoid blue cheeses, which can contain toxic mold compounds.
Plain bread
A small piece of plain white or whole wheat bread is not harmful but offers essentially no nutritional value. Avoid anything with raisins, garlic, onion, seeds, or xylitol-sweetened versions. Bread dough that has not yet been baked is a separate, serious problem, see the toxic list.
Popcorn, unsalted and unbuttered only
Air-popped, plain popcorn is essentially calorie-free fiber and many puppies enjoy chasing it. Salted, buttered, or kettle-corn versions are off the table. Watch for unpopped kernels, which are a dental hazard.
Cooked fish, no bones
Plain cooked white fish (cod, tilapia) and salmon are excellent protein sources and salmon offers omega-3s. Always cook thoroughly (raw fish carries parasites, particularly salmon in the Pacific Northwest, which can transmit a fatal condition called salmon poisoning disease) and remove every bone, including the fine pin bones. Limit oily fish like tuna to occasional small portions due to mercury.
Bananas
Low in cholesterol and high in potassium, but also high in sugar. A few small slices are fine. A whole banana is a calorie bomb for a small puppy and can cause constipation in large amounts.
NEVER. These foods can kill a puppy.
Read this list now, before you need it. Then read it again. Some of these foods are in almost every kitchen, and the toxic dose for some of them is shockingly small.
Chocolate
The toxic compounds are theobromine and caffeine, both of which dogs metabolize far more slowly than humans. Darker chocolate is more dangerous, baking chocolate and cocoa powder are the worst, milk chocolate is dangerous in larger amounts, white chocolate is mostly fat and sugar (still problematic but lower theobromine).
Signs of poisoning: vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, rapid breathing, muscle tremors, racing heart, seizures. Onset typically within 6 to 12 hours but can be sooner.
What to do: Call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661 immediately, then head to your nearest emergency vet. Bring the chocolate packaging if possible.
Xylitol
A sugar substitute found in sugar-free gum, mints, many peanut butters, some baked goods, some toothpastes, some medications, and increasingly in "keto" and "diabetic-friendly" products. On labels it may appear as xylitol, birch sugar, birch sap, or E967.
Xylitol causes a rapid, dangerous insulin spike in dogs, leading to severe hypoglycemia and potential liver failure. The toxic dose is extremely small: a single piece of gum can be fatal to a small puppy.
Signs of poisoning: vomiting within 30 minutes, weakness, staggering, collapse, seizures. Liver damage signs (jaundice, lethargy) may appear 12 to 72 hours later.
What to do: This is a true emergency. ASPCA Animal Poison Control 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661 immediately, head to emergency vet without delay. Do not wait for symptoms.
Grapes and raisins (including currants)
The mechanism is still not fully understood (current research points to tartaric acid as the culprit), but grapes, raisins, and currants can cause sudden acute kidney failure in dogs. The toxic dose is unpredictable: some dogs eat handfuls with no apparent effect, others develop kidney failure from a few raisins. There is no known safe amount.
Signs of poisoning: vomiting and diarrhea within hours, lethargy, loss of appetite, decreased urination, abdominal pain over 24 to 72 hours.
What to do: Call ASPCA Animal Poison Control 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661 and head to the emergency vet. Early intervention (induced vomiting, IV fluids) significantly improves outcomes.
Onion, garlic, leek, chive (and shallots)
All members of the allium family contain compounds that damage red blood cells in dogs, causing hemolytic anemia. Garlic is the most concentrated and the most dangerous per gram. Cooked, raw, powdered, dehydrated, all forms are toxic. This means onion soup, garlic bread, and many seasoned meats are off the table.
Signs of poisoning: weakness, pale gums, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, dark or red-tinged urine. Symptoms often appear 1 to several days after ingestion, not immediately.
What to do: Call ASPCA Animal Poison Control 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661. If ingestion was recent (under 2 hours), induced vomiting may help. Bloodwork over the following days is typically needed to monitor red blood cell counts.
Macadamia nuts
Specifically toxic to dogs through an unknown mechanism. Even small amounts (a few nuts) can cause significant illness. Other nuts (almonds, cashews) are not specifically toxic but are high in fat and a choking hazard, and walnuts can carry a mold dangerous to dogs, so the safest rule is no nuts.
Signs of poisoning: weakness in the back legs, vomiting, tremors, hyperthermia. Usually appears within 12 hours.
What to do: Call Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661 or ASPCA 888-426-4435. Most cases resolve with supportive care, but veterinary guidance is essential.
Alcohol
Includes obvious sources (beer, wine, spirits) and less obvious ones (rum-soaked cake, unbaked bread dough that contains yeast, some mouthwashes, certain perfumes). Dogs are far more sensitive to alcohol than humans by body weight.
Signs of poisoning: disorientation, vomiting, difficulty breathing, dangerously low body temperature, coma.
What to do: Emergency vet immediately. Call ASPCA 888-426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661 while en route.
Caffeine
Coffee grounds, coffee beans, tea bags, energy drinks, caffeine pills, some pre-workout powders. Caffeine affects dogs the same way theobromine does, only more potently.
Signs of poisoning: restlessness, rapid breathing, racing heart, muscle tremors, vomiting, seizures.
What to do: Emergency vet, hotlines above.
Raw bread dough
Unbaked dough containing live yeast is a dual threat: the dough expands in the warm stomach causing painful bloat and potential surgical emergency, and the yeast ferments to produce ethanol, causing alcohol poisoning.
Signs of poisoning: distended abdomen, retching without producing vomit, weakness, disorientation.
What to do: Emergency vet immediately. This can become surgical fast.
Cooked bones (any kind)
Raw bones are debated in the veterinary community, with their own risks. Cooked bones are universally dangerous. Cooking dries them out and makes them splinter into sharp shards that can puncture the esophagus, stomach, or intestines. This includes chicken bones, turkey bones (especially Thanksgiving leftovers, a classic ER night), pork bones, rib bones, and steak bones.
Signs of obstruction or perforation: vomiting, refusing food, lethargy, abdominal pain, dark stool, blood in stool.
What to do: Call your vet immediately. Do not induce vomiting, the bone fragments can do as much damage coming up. X-rays and possibly surgery may be needed.
Avocado pit and skin (and large amounts of flesh)
The flesh of an avocado is not strongly toxic to dogs in small amounts, but it is high in fat and the pit is both a choking hazard and an intestinal obstruction risk. The skin and leaves contain higher levels of persin, a compound that can cause GI upset in dogs. Easiest rule: keep avocados off the menu entirely.
Fatty cuts of meat and trimmings
Fat trimmings from steak, bacon grease, fried foods, and sausage are common pancreatitis triggers in dogs. Pancreatitis is painful, sometimes life-threatening, and can be triggered by a single high-fat meal in a previously healthy puppy. Breeds particularly prone include Miniature Schnauzers, Yorkies, and Cocker Spaniels.
Signs of pancreatitis: repeated vomiting, hunched posture, lethargy, loss of appetite, abdominal pain. Often appears 24 to 48 hours after a fatty meal.
What to do: Call your vet. Pancreatitis usually requires veterinary management, sometimes hospitalization.
Salty foods
Heavy salt loads (chips, pretzels, cured meats, large amounts of cheese) can cause sodium ion poisoning in small puppies, presenting as vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, and in severe cases seizures. Keep salty snacks off the floor and out of reach.
Raw potatoes and green potato skin
Raw potatoes and any green parts contain solanine, a toxic compound. Cooked white potato flesh is safe in small amounts. Sweet potatoes are different and safer (see the safe list, cooked only).
The two numbers to memorize
If only two things stick from this article, make them these phone numbers:
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: 888-426-4435 (consultation fee may apply, payable by credit card)
- Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661 (consultation fee applies)
Both are staffed 24/7 by veterinary toxicologists. They will help you determine whether what your puppy ate is an emergency, walk you through any immediate first response, and can communicate directly with your emergency vet to coordinate treatment.
If your puppy has clearly ingested something on the toxic list, do not wait for symptoms. Many toxins do meaningful damage before the first visible signs appear. Call the hotline and head to the nearest emergency vet at the same time.
How to think about treats and human food going forward
The puppy years set treat habits that last a lifetime. A puppy who learns that begging at the dinner table gets results becomes an adult dog who barks every time a fork hits a plate. A puppy fed table scraps regularly grows into an adult dog at higher risk of obesity, pancreatitis, and food guarding.
The safest pattern: human food, when used at all, is given from a specific place (their mat, their crate, near their bowl), not from your plate. Used as deliberate training rewards or food-toy stuffing, not as in-the-moment indulgence. Tracked against the 10 percent calorie budget, not added on top of full meals. If you use a daily tracker like pawpy to log meals and treats, it is much easier to see when a "few small treats" has quietly become 25 percent of the day's calories.
For more on what treats are worth the calorie spend, see our puppy treats and supplements guide. If you are still picking the base food that the 90 percent of the bowl should come from, our roundup of the best puppy food brands in 2026 walks through the AAFCO and WSAVA framework. If you suspect a true food sensitivity rather than a one-off reaction, puppy food allergies and sensitivities walks through how to identify the trigger. And if a "she ate something" moment turns into loose stool over the next 24 hours, our puppy diarrhea causes and when to worry guide covers the red flags that mean call now versus monitor at home. For the broader context on early illnesses and what to flag for your vet, common puppy illnesses and the puppy first vet visit guide are good starting points.
The takeaway
Most of what you eat, your puppy can also eat in small amounts. A short, brutal list cannot. The chocolate bar, the sugar-free gum on the counter, the bowl of grapes, the unbaked bread dough rising on top of the fridge, the cooked chicken bone in the trash: these are the items to actively manage, not just the items to remember.
Save the two hotline numbers. Tell anyone who walks your puppy what is on the never list. And when those eyes hit you mid-snack, you will have a real answer: yes, half a blueberry, or no, never that, instead of guessing.