Read time: 5 mins
16 Jun 2023
Yes, dogs can eat sweet potatoes in controlled quantities.
Yes, sweet potatoes are good for dogs.
They are regarded as a safe and very nutritious addition to a dog’s diet, when prepared and served correctly. Packed with power, this root veggie is the perfect source of dietary fibre, as well as key vitamins, potassium and antioxidants. An ideal alternative to highly-processed treats.
However, each pooch is different. Your dog could have dietary sensitivities that you may be unaware of, so introduce sweet potato to their diet slowly to avoid any intolerance symptoms, such vomiting and diarrhoea, from happening.
So, what makes this root vegetable so special?
The high fibre content in sweet potatoes contributes to maintaining healthy digestion and regular bowel movements in pooches. It can also alleviate constipation or diarrhoea in some cases, helping to find the pawfect balance.
The vitamins and antioxidants found in sweet potatoes help to give your dog’s immune system a boost, meaning they can fight off nasty infections and disease more effectively.
Sweet potatoes are a fantastic source of vitamin A, which plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy eyesight and promoting good skin condition in dogs. An essential for being able to find their ball in the dark.
The antioxidants in sweet potatoes are full of anti-inflammatory properties, which can help alleviate joint pain and inflammation. Ideal for those pups suffering from things like arthritis.
Sweet potatoes are the perfect naturally-sweet treat for your pup and that’s why they love them. They also have a pretty tantalising aroma when cooked too, something us humans and even the pickiest of pooches, can agree with.
Their soft texture when cooked makes them perfect for puppies and senior dogs too, or even dogs with dental problems.
We would not recommend giving your dog sweet potato skins, especially if they’re raw.
When cooked, they are less likely to cause problems but can still be difficult for dogs to check and break down, so it’s best to remove them all together.
No, dogs should not eat raw sweet potatoes.
As a particularly hard and dense vegetable, raw sweet potatoes can be extremely difficult for dogs to chew and digest. This can cause gastrointestinal problems or in extreme cases, blockages.
To avoid upset tummies, you should cook sweet potatoes before giving them to your dog. Thankfully this is a pretty straightforward process that will help to prevent treacherous farts and runny poos. Follow these steps to cook sweet potatoes for your dog.
1. Wash the sweet potatoes to remove dirt and pesticides
2. Peel the sweet potatoes to remove the skins
3. Cut the sweet potatoes into bite-sized chunks or slices, appropriate for your dogs size
4. Steam, boil or bake the sweet potatoes until they’re soft
5. Let the sweet potatoes cool
6. Serve to your dog. Bone-appetit!
Do not use any seasonings, spices or oils when cooking.
This depends on the size, weight and dietary requirements of each individual dog. As a general guideline, you should feed your dog no more than 2-3 bite-sized chunks per day.
Whilst sweet potatoes are indeed a healthy snack, they won’t provide your dog with all of the nutrition that they need to thrive. With that in mind, if you’re feeding sweet potato to your dog as a snack, ensure that it is fed alongside a nutritionally-complete diet.
We wouldn't recommend feeding your dog sweet potatoes that you can find in the supermarket. These often contain a lot of flavourings, such as salt, and additives that can be harmful to your pooch.
The best option is to make homemade sweet potato fries using safe cooking methods.
Here's a simple recipe to make homemade sweet potato fries for your dog.
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan)
2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper
3. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes
4. Cut the sweet potatoes into thin strips. Make sure that they’re not too thick, as this can make them difficult for your dog to chew and digest
5. Spread the sweet potato fries onto the baking tray, making sure they’re not overcrowded
6. Cook the sweet potato fries for around 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy
7. Allow the fries to cool completely before offering them to your dog as a treat
Sweet Potatoes are joined by an army of other pooch-pleasing vegetables, such as:
• Broccoli
• Peas
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Green beans
• Parsnips
• Spinach
• Butternut squash
• Kale
• Brussel sprouts
• Peppers
• Beetroot
• Cucumber
At Butternut Box, we include sweet potatoes in a lot of our meals, such as Beef It Up, Gobble Gobble Turkey, Ready Steady Veggie and Wham Bam Lamb.
We even use sweet potatoes in some of our treats too, including our naturally tasty duck treats and happy hearts biscuits.
We only use the best-quality ingredients in our meals. As well as 60% human-quality meat, vegetables form the basis for our recipes, alongside things like lentils and pearl barley. Because we believe dogs deserve better.
You don’t have to worry about guesswork either, we use the perfect balance of ingredients in our meals to ensure that they are nutritionally-complete, providing your dog with all the nutrients that they need to thrive.
At sign up, we will ask you a few questions about your dog, such as their breed, age and activity level. This will help us to calculate exactly how many calories they need, as well as the flavours that would best suit their preferences and lifestyle.
Click the Build Your Box button below to get an exact price and plan.
