Can Dogs Eat Bread? Yes, in moderation: Safe Amount by Weight

In moderation

Yes, in moderation

dogs can eat small amounts of plain white or whole-wheat bread. It offers little nutrition, so it is just an occasional snack. Never let a dog eat raw bread dough, and avoid bread with raisins, garlic, onion, nuts or xylitol.

Bread for dogs at a glance

Can dogs eat it?	In moderation
Calories	About 20 kcal per quarter slice of bread
Main benefit	Plain bread is not toxic
Main risk	Raw yeast dough can expand in the stomach and produce alcohol, an emergency
Puppies?	In tiny amounts once on solid food; puppies have sensitive stomachs

How much bread can a dog eat?

Vets recommend keeping all treats under 10% of daily calories. One quarter slice of bread has about 20 kcal. The chart shows the most a typical spayed or neutered adult dog could have in a day if bread were the only treat.

Dog weight	Daily treat budget	Max bread per day
10 lb (4.5 kg)	35 kcal	1.5 × quarter slice of bread
20 lb (9.1 kg)	59 kcal	2.5 × quarter slice of bread
40 lb (18.1 kg)	98 kcal	4.5 × quarter slice of bread
60 lb (27.2 kg)	133 kcal	6.5 × quarter slice of bread
80 lb (36.3 kg)	166 kcal	8 × quarter slice of bread

Benefits and risks

Benefits

Plain bread is not toxic
Sometimes used to wrap a pill
Low risk in small pieces

Risks

Raw yeast dough can expand in the stomach and produce alcohol, an emergency
Raisin, garlic and onion breads are toxic
Adds empty calories that contribute to weight gain

How to feed bread to your dog

Offer a small piece of plain bread
Check ingredients for raisins, garlic, nuts or xylitol
Never give raw dough

What if my dog ate too much bread?

Eating more than the recommended amount usually causes nothing worse than an upset stomach: soft stool, gas or vomiting. Skip treats for the rest of the day, keep fresh water available and call your vet if vomiting or diarrhea lasts more than 24 hours or your dog seems unwell.

Planning treats? Check your dog's full daily needs with the dog food calculator or dog calorie calculator.

Bread and dogs: FAQ

Can dogs have bread?

Yes, dogs can eat small amounts of plain white or whole-wheat bread. It offers little nutrition, so it is just an occasional snack. Never let a dog eat raw bread dough, and avoid bread with raisins, garlic, onion, nuts or xylitol.

Why is raw bread dough dangerous for dogs?

Yeast keeps rising in the warm stomach, causing painful bloating, and fermentation produces alcohol. Call your vet immediately.

Can dogs eat garlic bread?

No. Garlic is toxic to dogs, and garlic bread is also buttery and fatty.

Does bread help if my dog swallowed something sharp?

Do not rely on this home remedy. Call your vet for advice.

Can puppies eat bread?

Yes, in very small amounts once they are eating solid food. Puppies have sensitive stomachs, so offer a tiny piece and stop if you see loose stool. Most of their calories should come from a complete puppy food.

More "can dogs eat" guides

Browse lists: human foods dogs can eat · foods dogs can't eat

Sources

This guide is general information for healthy adult dogs. Dogs with medical conditions (such as diabetes, pancreatitis, kidney disease or food allergies) may need different advice from their vet.

Can Dogs Eat Bread?