Many plain, cooked foods can be occasional treats if they fit your dog’s diet and calorie needs. Commonly tolerated options include small pieces of cooked lean meat without bones, skin, or heavy seasoning; plain cooked pumpkin or sweet potato; plain rice; some dogs enjoy bits of apple, blueberry, or carrot without cores or pits.

Several human foods are dangerous and should be avoided entirely. Chocolate, grapes and raisins, macadamia nuts, onions, garlic, leeks, and chives can cause serious illness. Xylitol, an artificial sweetener in gums, candies, and some peanut butters, is highly toxic. Alcohol, caffeine, raw bread dough, and fatty scraps that trigger pancreatitis are also risky. Cooked bones splinter and are not safe.

Fatty table scraps and rich leftovers cause more problems than many owners expect, including vomiting, diarrhea, and pancreatitis. Treats from your plate should be plain, small, and infrequent so they do not unbalance a complete commercial diet.

When in doubt, skip sharing and use a dog-formulated treat instead. If your dog eats something toxic, contact your veterinarian or a poison helpline immediately with product details.

This list is not exhaustive; always verify new foods before offering them.