Chocolate — Food safety facts
Do not feed · Dogs · full breakdown on the linked food page
Toxic. Theobromine and caffeine cause vomiting, tremors, seizures and heart problems. Dark and baking chocolate are worst.
Dogs and cats carry the same rating (Do not feed), so the notes below hold for either pet.
Chocolate should not be given to dogs at all. Even a small amount can do harm, so there is no portion small enough to be safe.
Do not induce vomiting and do not give milk or oil to “dilute” it. Note the food and roughly how much was eaten, then call your vet or a pet poison hotline and follow their advice on whether to bring the pet in straight away.
Why these cautions matter
Theobromine is the part that hurts. Pets clear it far more slowly than people do, so it builds up and reaches the heart and nervous system.
Caffeine overstimulates the heart and nervous system, and pets clear it so slowly that tremors and restlessness drag on far longer than they would in a person.
Chocolate has no place in everyday feeding: keep the rest of the day's food unchanged after this and watch the next walk and the stool that comes with it.
The full verdict, portion guidance and serving notes are collected on the Chocolate food facts page.