Can Dogs Eat Bell Peppers?

Yes, as long as it’s the sweet kind. The free Dog Toxic-Foods Checker lists bell peppers (sweet, plain) as Safe: “Sweet bell peppers aren’t toxic and make a healthy, crunchy snack; spicy peppers such as jalapeños or chili peppers are never okay.” Veterinarian Carly Fox, quoted by the AKC, puts it simply: “They’re not toxic, and they are a healthy alternative snack to share with your dog.”

A vegetable treat the sources back

Tufts University’s clinical nutrition team lists “sweet red peppers” among raw-vegetable treats in its guide to treats that don’t unbalance a diet, and counts a third of a cup chopped (50 g) as 15 calories. That’s a lot of crunch for very few calories, which makes peppers easy to fit into the treat budget.

Red or green?

The AKC quotes a dog trainer, not a vet, on color: “Red bell peppers are the best to feed to your dog because they contain the highest amounts of vitamins and antioxidants.” Take that as the trainer’s view.

Green peppers have a use of their own. Tufts lists raw green pepper (1 cup of slices, 92 grams) among the lower-oxalate treats for dogs with calcium oxalate stones, the same dogs the spinach guide says should avoid high-oxalate greens.

Never the spicy kind

The AKC is firm: “you should never give your dog the spicy pepper varieties, such as jalapeños or chili peppers.” A sweet pepper and a hot one can sit side by side in the produce aisle, so double-check before you share.

The AKC also warns against peppers cooked with onion or garlic, since “those ingredients are toxic to dogs” (onions and garlic). Check stuffed peppers and stir-fries for both before anything goes in the bowl.

How to serve it and how much

• Remove the seeds and stem. The AKC says they may cause indigestion.
• Serve it plain. No seasoning or salt, per the AKC; VCA says vegetables “can be offered raw or cooked… without any seasoning, butter or oil.”
• Raw, steamed or pureed. The AKC notes that steaming or pureeing makes the tough skin easier to digest.
• Keep it small. The AKC article recommends that “large dogs eat less than one-half of a pepper and that small dogs eat less than one-quarter” of a pepper at a time.

Too much can cause an upset stomach, vomiting or diarrhea, the AKC says, and all treats together belong within about 10% of daily calories, the guideline VCA and Tufts use. The free Dog Feeding Calculator gives your dog’s number.

When to check with your vet

The AKC’s general advice is to consult your vet before adding anything new to your dog’s diet. If your dog ate a spicy pepper or a dish cooked with onion or garlic, look it up in the checker and call your vet. Other crunchy options with their own guides include carrots and cucumbers, and the free food safety chart puts the whole list on the fridge.