Can dogs eat crackers?
✓ Reviewed against PDSA, Blue Cross & Animal PoisonLine guidance · Last updated: 2026-06-17
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The full picture
Plain water biscuits, cream crackers, or rice cakes in tiny amounts are non-toxic but offer nothing nutritionally. The problems are with flavoured crackers: cheese crackers often contain onion powder, Ritz crackers are very salty, Bath Olivers and similar savoury crackers can have seasonings, and any cracker with herbs or garlic flavour should be skipped entirely. If sharing cheese with a dog (small amounts), skip the cracker.
For a detailed calorie breakdown, see 247CalorieCheck.
If your dog ate more than a safe amount
For a small accidental taste, watch for vomiting, diarrhoea, or signs of discomfort over the next few hours. For a large amount or if your dog is small or has existing health conditions, call your vet. When in doubt, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435.
Risks to watch for
- Salt content
- Onion/garlic in flavoured varieties
- Empty calories
Safe portion size
A small piece of plain unsalted cracker occasionally.
Safer alternatives
- Plain rice cakes
- Carrot sticks
Does size or breed matter?
The risk with crackers is almost always the ingredients rather than the base food itself — added sugar, salt, xylitol, raisins, chocolate, or onion/garlic seasoning are what turn an otherwise low-risk item into a genuine hazard, and toxic doses of these ingredients scale with body weight. Always check the specific recipe or ingredient label before assuming a shop-bought or homemade version is safe, and treat small and toy breeds as reaching a dangerous dose from a much smaller amount than large dogs.