Can dogs eat sweet potato?

Peel the sweet potato, cut it into chunks, and boil or steam for 15 to 20 minutes until a fork slides in easily. Baking whole at 200°C (400°F) for about 45 minutes also works; scoop out the flesh once it has cooled. Mash it or cut it into small cubes.

Cooked sweet potato keeps in the fridge for three days and freezes well in small portions.

Raw sweet potato is very hard and fibrous. Dogs tend to swallow large pieces without chewing, which can cause choking or sit uncomfortably in the stomach. It also contains starch in a form that is harder to break down before cooking. A small piece stolen from the chopping board is not an emergency, but raw chunks should not be offered as treats.

A 10 kg (22 lb) dog can have one or two tablespoons of mashed sweet potato as a topper, and a 30 kg (66 lb) dog up to a quarter of a cup. Sweet potato is higher in sugar and calories than green vegetables, so dogs who are overweight or diabetic should have it only with their vet's agreement.

Remember to reduce the main meal slightly on days you add it.

Dried sweet potato chews sold for dogs are popular. They are fine in moderation but can be hard, so choose a size your dog cannot swallow whole. Sweet potato fries are fried and salted, and sweet potato pie and casseroles contain sugar, butter and sometimes marshmallows or nutmeg.