What Are Your Opinions?

[rouen]

When Dingo was a puppy he was a big chewer. He never chewed things he wasn't supposed to(other than my wallet), but that may be because I was creative and proactive with him.
I cook most nights, so when he was a puppy he got extra's from cooking. He use to love carrots, but his favorites were sweet potatoes.
A few years ago someone told me raw potatoes were bad for dogs. I never had an issue with Dingo, he never got the runs or anything from the taters. And I've only really found info on green(still growing) potatoes being toxic. Most high end dog food have potatoes as a filler.
So what do you think, are raw potatoes a no-no? Or are they fine in moderation? If you think they're fine would you say they'er a better alternative to bully sticks and rawhide for young puppies?

 

[tigerlily46514]

great question!
no idea.
i'd have to google it, and then, sort out the various Yes's and No's based on reliability of the source,
but, i'd think you are right, potatoes can't be that bad for a dog, in moderation,
cuz they are in many dog foods,
and are BIG parts of most "grain free" dog foods.


I give my dog a carrot to gnaw on now and then.
my dog gets gas off TOO MANY potatoes..

 

[Anneke]

Here is what I found.
Normal potato's(raw) have a poison in the peel. This is not good for dogs or humans(we never eat raw potato, do we?) It can cause stomach problems.
BUT cooked potato's are just fine. This is what they use in dogfood, cooked potato powder.
As for sweet potato, that is just fine raw or cooked.

Problem with potato's is they belong to the nightshade family. As you may know, nightshade is very poisonous. So all the green parts of the plant are toxic.
Here is a piece of information I got from Wikipedia
Potatoes contain toxic compounds known as glycoalkaloids, of which the most prevalent are solanine and chaconine. Solanine is also found in other plants in the family Solanaceae, which includes such plants as the deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) and tobacco (Nicotiana) as well as the potato, eggplant, and tomato. This toxin affects the nervous system, causing weakness and confusion.
These compounds, which protect the plant from its predators, are, in general, concentrated in its leaves, stems, sprouts, and fruits.[69] Exposure to light, physical damage, and age increase glycoalkaloid content within the tuber;[70] the highest concentrations occur just underneath the skin. Cooking at high temperatures (over 170 °C or 340 °F) partly destroys these. The concentration of glycoalkaloid in wild potatoes suffices to produce toxic effects in humans. Glycoalkaloids may cause headaches, diarrhea, cramps, and in severe cases coma and death; however, poisoning from potatoes occurs very rarely. Light exposure causes greening from chlorophyllsynthesis, thus giving a visual clue as to areas of the tuber that may have become more toxic; however, this does not provide a definitive guide, as greening and glycoalkaloid accumulation can occur independently of each other. Some varieties of potato contain greater glycoalkaloid concentrations than others; breeders developing new varieties test for this, and sometimes have to discard an otherwise promising cultivar.

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The toxic fruits produced by mature potato plants
Breeders try to keep solanine levels below 200 mg/kg (200 ppmw). However, when these commercial varieties turn green, even they can approach concentrations of solanine of 1000 mg/kg (1000 ppmw). In normal potatoes, analysis has shown solanine levels may be as little as 3.5% of the breeders' maximum, with 7–187 mg/kg being found.[71] While a normal potato has 12–20 mg/kg of glycoalkaloid content, a green tuber contains 250–280 mg/kg, and green skin 1500–2200 mg/kg.[72]
The U.S. National Toxicology Program suggests that the average American consume at most 12.5 mg/day of solanine from potatoes (the toxic dose is actually several times this, depending on body weight). Douglas L. Holt, the State Extension Specialist for Food Safety at the University of Missouri, notes that no reported cases of potato-source solanine poisoning have occurred in the U.S. in the last 50 years, and most cases involved eating green potatoes or drinking potato-leaf tea.[citation needed]

Sweet potato is not related to the potato different species.
So I guess giving sweet potato is just fine, but do not give him white potato.

 

[rouen]

Even that article is refering to the still growing(green) potato. And it says cooking only partly reduces the toxins.
I wonder how much of the toxins would be harmful?

 

[Ripleygirl]

I would never feed Ripley raw potato because of the reasons as said above but when I researched it, I found that sweet potatoes are just fine for dogs. I found this great alternative recipe to rawhide:

***You'll love making this sweet potato dog chew recipe for your dog because sweet potatoes are loaded with beneficial nutrients like Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Potassium, and Iron.

Since it's one of the sweetest of all the vegetables, just like the name implies, you'll have no trouble getting your dog to try this dog treat recipe.
Making your own all natural dog treat is an excellent alternative to rawhide.

Ingredients:

• 1 Large Sweet Potato, washed & dried

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 250° F
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Cut off one side of the sweet potato lengthwise, as close to the edge as possible. Cutting the side of the potato first allows you to then turn the potato onto this flat surface that you have just created. Having a stable area to rest the potato will make it easier to cut the potato into slices. Don't discard that first piece, it comes out just as yummy as the rest!
4. Cut the rest of the potato into 1/3" slices, no smaller than 1/4".
5. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
6. Bake for 3 hours, turning half way through.
7. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Storing - Although these treats are dried, you will want to keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. You can freeze them for up to 4 months.
Tips & Techniques

• Choosing a Sweet Potato - You want to find a potato that is as uniform in shape as possible. This will aid in the drying process as the pieces will be similar in shape and will cook through at the same time. Also, try to find one that has fewer blemishes or bruises. While you're picking one to make a sweet potato dog chew, go ahead and pick some for the family, too!
  
  
• Knife Skills - If you are a pro with a knife, you may not need to cut off one side to stable your potato. If that's the case, then by all means skip that step. However, for those of us who are more handy with a pastry bag, than a knife, having a stable surface makes all the difference.
  
  
• Cutting Even Pieces - One way to ensure your pieces are as even as possible, is to first rest your knife where you would like to cut. Then press down gently across the entire length of the knife. Make a slight cut, then press firmly on your knife from one end to the other, and cut all the way through.
  
  
• Degree of Chewiness - Baking for 3 hours results in a soft, but chewy dog treat. If your dog prefers more of a crunch, then bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. When you take the sweet potatoes out of the oven, they may at first appear to be too soft. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before you decide whether or not to bake them longer. This is because they will continue to dry or harden while cooling.
  
  
• Parental Supervision - This is not a dog treat recipe that we recommend for the kids. Please use caution while using a sharp knife, whether you are young or young at heart.

Whether your dog has a need to chew or not, she'll love this all natural sweet potato dog chew. In fact, it's such an easy dog treat recipe, I bet you'll be making several batches at a time for your dog and all of his all natural dog treat loving friends!***

Its really easy and cheap to make and Ripley goes absolutely nuts for it! Well worth a go for a chewing pup!

 

[Puppylove]

I can't remember who told me that RAW POTATO was not safe for dogs so I have never given any of my dogs raw potato....

However, I am guilty of giving them a french fry or two and all my dogs have loved them..