Can my dog eat sweet potato?
The answer is YES! The sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a starchy and sweet-tasting root vegetable. Kilo the Pug and my human kids love the taste. Turns out sweet potatoes are not only delicious, but good for all of us too.
Sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, fibre and beta-carotene. They also contain moderate amounts of other micronutrients including vitamin B5, vitamin B6 and manganese.
All quick and easy to prepare and healthy. I regularly incorporate home-made sweet potato treats, mash, baked fries, Kongs or soup into Kilo’s menu.
Simple Sweet Potato Soup or Mash
- I scrub one or more sweet potatoes then poke holes in them through the skin with a fork.
- I then bake them on a cookie tray at 350’F for approximately an hour until skin is brownish and they are soft inside. Check on them regularly after 30 mins as time depends on size and quantity. I put foil on the tray if I don’t want to clean and I then save some wrapped in the foil in the fridge.
- You can also boil in water or use a microwave to speed up the process (but be careful as they can pop if you have not made enough holes and make quite a mess).
- Once cooked, I scoop out the soft flesh and serve as mash or mix with a little water to make a soup.
Sometimes I add banana, yoghurt or cooked chicken, peas, carrots, green beens or even a few tiny bacon pieces to the soup or mash mix. Kilo just gets a small 2 spoonfuls with a little kibble. I also stuff a Kong and freeze.
Yummy inexpensive homemade dog chips and treats- 100% natural.
- Preheat oven – for treats 250° F, for chips 350° F
- Scrub the skin of the sweet potato. No need to peel, but you can if you prefer.
Cut it into circular or chip shaped slices (the thinner the slice the shorter the cooking time) - Place on a cookie sheet in a single layer.
- Chips – Bake in oven at 350° F for 45 mins to an hour or until brown and crispy
- Treats – Bake in oven at 250° F for two to three hours for slightly chewy treats or bake slightly longer to get them crunchy.
Cooking times may vary according to the size of your slices and your oven; just check on them regularly after the first 20 mins .
The sweet potato is only distantly related to the potato (Solanum tuberosum) and does not belong to the nightshade family (Our talented camera woman Aria has a nightshade allergy)
Our pups love their Sweet Potato Treats from Dr. Harvey’s, and I feel good about giving them sweet potato, knowing it has so many health benefits! I really like your idea of making the sweet potato chips/treats yourself ~ sounds easy enough! I’ll have to try it!
Yes Dr Harvey’s look great. I find Kilo loves the homemade chips and treats (although he loves most treats LOL). They are inexpensive, you know exactly what is in them and they are easy to do. You can experiment with the cooking time and texture- Kilo likes crunchier. Thanks for stopping by X Susie and Kilo the Pug