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Can dogs eat chocolate?

Ask your vet about your own pet. This page is general information from the sources below.

No. Never share chocolate with dogs; call your vet or a poison line if some is eaten. Chocolate has two natural stimulants, theobromine and caffeine, and dogs handle them more slowly than people do. Pet Poison Helpline says how sick a dog gets depends on the kind and amount eaten and on the dog's size.

Checked October 29, 2026.

By Peabody editors. How we write and check.

Never: call nowKeep it away from them.

Why

Chocolate has two natural stimulants, theobromine and caffeine, and dogs handle them more slowly than people do. Pet Poison Helpline says how sick a dog gets depends on the kind and amount eaten and on the dog's size. Even an amount that is not poisonous can upset the stomach or cause pancreatitis because of the fat and sugar.

Good to know

The darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more dangerous it is: VCA ranks cocoa beans and cocoa powder highest, then baking chocolate, semi-sweet, milk, and white chocolate lowest.

Watch for: Chocolate hides in baked goods, syrup, hot cocoa, cocoa mulch and chocolate-covered espresso beans or nuts, and these can also contain xylitol, raisins or macadamia nuts. If a pet eats any, call a vet or Pet Poison Helpline.

Already ate it?

Call now, even if your pet seems fine. Say what was eaten, how much and when, and have your pet's weight ready.

Poison emergency? Call now

ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435, 24 hours a day, every day. A consultation fee may apply.
Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661, 24/7. $99 per incident, follow-up calls included.
Or call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.

For the children

"Chocolate can make dogs very sick. Never share this food, and tell a grown-up right away if a pet gets some."

A job: Be the label reader. Before a grown-up shares any food with the dog, check this page, and ask a grown-up if the food is not on it.

A fridge sheet

Never give dogs chocolate.

If dogs eat some, don't wait. Call right away, even if they seem fine.

ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888) 426-4435, 24 hours. A consultation fee may apply.
Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661, 24/7. $99 per incident, follow-ups included.
Or call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.

This page is general information from the sources below, not veterinary advice. Your own vet knows your dog. Dogs differ.

Sources