You should never feed your dog a raw sweet potato. Not only are they difficult to chew, but they can upset your dog's stomach and potentially cause intestinal blockage. Some dogs are known to “inhale” their food, so making sure the potato is of a soft consistency lessons the risk of choking.
Can dogs eat yams or sweet potatoes?
First, dogs can safely eat sweet potatoes or yams. If you see yams in the grocery store, these might not be "true" yams, but a soft variety of sweet potato that was conveniently called a yam to differentiate it from firm sweet potatoes.
What kind of yams can dogs eat?
Yes, yams are safe for dogs to eat, as long as they are not made with unsafe ingredients. Don't give your dog any yams that have nutmeg or xylitol on them since both of those things are toxic for dogs. It's also important not to give your dog anything that has too much sugar on it.
Are yams and sweet potatoes the same?
The skin of a yam (left) looks kind of like tree bark, while a sweet potato (right) is more reddish-brown. Real yams are entirely different root vegetables that are more like yucca in texture and flavor. They have bumpy, tough brown skin (that looks almost tree trunk-like) with starchy, not sweet flesh.
