Can Dogs Eat Sauerkraut?
Only plain, rinsed and in small spoonfuls. Sauerkraut is just fermented cabbage — the salt, and versions cooked with onion or bacon, are the problem.
Quick facts
| Verdict | Caution |
|---|---|
| Risky amount | No safe or toxic dose is established — treat any amount as a risk. |
| Key symptoms | Excessive thirst, Gas and bloating, Diarrhea, Vomiting |
| What to do | If your dog ate a large amount of sauerkraut cooked with onion or bacon, call your vet — the onion matters more than the kraut, and signs can be delayed. |
Fermented cabbage is the easy part
At its core, sauerkraut is shredded cabbage fermented in salt — and cabbage itself is a perfectly acceptable dog vegetable. A small spoonful of plain kraut, rinsed to shed some brine, sits fine with most dogs. Expect some extra gas; cabbage does that, fermented or not.
The caution flag comes from two directions. First, salt: the brine that preserves sauerkraut makes it one of the saltier things in the fridge, which is why rinsing and tiny portions matter, and why dogs with heart or kidney issues should skip it. Second, and more important, the way kraut is actually eaten.
The dishes are the danger
Sauerkraut rarely arrives plain. Choucroute garnie, bigos and pan-fried kraut come loaded with onion, bacon, sausage, fat and wine — and onion is genuinely toxic to dogs. If your dog raided a cooked kraut dish, judge it by what was cooked in, not the cabbage: a meaningful amount of onion is a call to your vet, since anemia signs can lag days behind the theft.
How to share it, if you must
Rinse plain raw sauerkraut, offer a small spoonful, and watch the results. If your dog just likes the crunch, plain fresh cabbage or a carrot does the same job with less salt and less gas.
If your dog ate it
If your dog ate a large amount of sauerkraut cooked with onion or bacon, call your vet — the onion matters more than the kraut, and signs can be delayed.
In the US you can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a consultation fee may apply).
Frequently asked questions
- Is sauerkraut safe for dogs?
- Plain, well-rinsed sauerkraut in a small spoonful is fine for most dogs — it's just fermented cabbage. The caution is the brine's high salt content and the way sauerkraut is usually served, cooked with onion, bacon or sausage.
- Why should I rinse sauerkraut before giving it to my dog?
- To wash off some of the salty brine. Fermentation preserves cabbage in a lot of salt, and sodium is the main thing that makes straight-from-the-jar kraut a poor dog snack.
- Can dogs eat cooked sauerkraut dishes like choucroute or bigos?
- No. Those dishes simmer the kraut with onion, cured meats, fat and wine — ingredients dogs should not have. Only plain, rinsed sauerkraut is worth considering, and only in small amounts.
- Does sauerkraut help a dog's digestion like a probiotic?
- Raw fermented kraut does contain live cultures, but there's no good evidence a spoonful meaningfully helps dogs, and the salt and gas work against it. If you want probiotics, ask your vet for a canine product.
See all human food dogs can and can’t eat →