Yankee candles are great candle producers. They manufacture quality products, which smell wonderful and can fill an environment with soothing scents to promote relaxation and tranquility.
But are Yankee candles safe for dogs?
Most Yankee Candles that use soy wax instead of paraffin wax should be safe for dogs. However, dogs dislike certain odors, such as citrus, peppers, vinegar, or mothballs, and it would be best to avoid Yankee candles with these scents.
Candle fumes or their fragrances can be overwhelming for your dogs. If you have concerns about your dog’s health but still want to use Yankee candles, this article will help you get past it.
But before we begin our journey, let’s take a look at some of the famous Yankee candles and whether or not they are dangerous for dogs:
Candle | Aroma | Wax Used | Safe for Dogs? |
---|---|---|---|
White Spruce & Grapefruit | Citrus | Premium Soy-Wax blend | Yes, but dogs dislike citrus odors |
Balsam & Cedar | Woody | Premium-grade Paraffin wax | No, avoid direct contact |
Lavender Vanilla | Floral | Soy wax blend | No, avoid direct contact |
Lilac Blossoms | Floral | Soy wax blend | Yes, but prevent direct contact |
Are Yankee Candles Toxic For Dogs?
Yankee candles are not toxic for dogs, provided you light one that uses natural wax, or at-least refined paraffin wax, and has a scent that your dogs are receptive to.
Most candle manufacturers often use paraffin wax in their candles. However, Yankee employs refined paraffin wax for their candles which many consider non-toxic.
You must also use Yankee candles properly. Light them in a well ventilated room, and make sure your dogs do not lick them.
Refined paraffin wax candles don’t emit enough toxic fumes, and if you burn them in a well-ventilated room, you can reduce the side effects to zero.
So how are Yankee candles bad for dogs? Although burning a refined paraffin wax candle emits less toxic fumes, it can be harmful when your dog has direct contact.
For instance, if your dog consumes a Yankee candle, the paraffin wax inside it can cause health concerns.
Likewise, a burning candle also comes with the risk of fire hazards. It can cause injury to your dog or home, and it would be best to keep your dogs away while lighting a candle.
ALSO READ: Bath and Body Works Candles Are Not Safe For Dogs

Some Yankee Candle Ingredients That Are Not Safe For Dogs
Yankee candles employ many components to make their products irresistible. However, some of these ingredients can cause health issues and are unsafe for your dogs. These ingredients include:
Paraffin wax
As we mentioned earlier, paraffin wax can be toxic to humans and pets.
Burning a paraffin wax-based candle can release harmful fumes into the air, which can affect your health if inhaled for a prolonged period. If consumed, dogs can suffer from various health issues, including intestinal blockage.
Essential oils
Candle manufacturers use essential oils to add fragrance to their candles. Although burning candles containing essential oils are not harmful to dogs, consuming them can result in several health issues.
It would be best to monitor a candle after burning to avoid your pets from getting too close.
Fragrance
Candles are all about their scents, and while they may smell fantastic to humans, some odors can irritate your pets.
Dogs don’t like the smells of citrus, vinegar, mothballs, and peppers. These scents can irritate your dogs, and they may exhibit unlikely behavior.
ALSO READ: Are Bath and Body Works Candles Safe To Use Around Cats?
How Do I Know If My Dog Is Sensitive To Yankee Candles?
So what are the signs of an allergic reaction?
Dogs can be naughty, and they might consume candles without your information. Here are some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction:
- Swelling on the earflaps, ear, face, and lips
- Itchiness
- Sneezing
- Inflamed skin
- Itchy ears
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
If your dog exhibits these symptoms, take him to a qualified professional.
ALSO READ: Are Bath and Body Works Candles Toxic For Humans?
Tips To Burn Yankee Candles Safely
Here are the tips you can employ to burn candles safely without harming your dogs.
Well-ventilated room
Burning a candle in a well-ventilated room ensures that fumes disperse into the air quickly. It will keep the air fresh while maintaining the aromatic atmosphere in the room.
Monitor your candles
Dogs may be attracted to the smell of burning candles, so it’s always important to be on guard with that possibility. Best practice is just to monitor your candle as it’s burning.
Choose your fragrance wisely
As we mentioned earlier, some scents, such as citrus, can irritate your dogs and cause several health issues. It would be best to consider this point before choosing your candle fragrance.
Keep your dogs away
One of the best ways to keep your dog safe while burning candles is to burn them without their presence.
Are Yankee Candles Toxic For Humans?
Even though Yankee Candles claim to not use lead wicks, it still uses the notorious refined paraffin wax for their candles. Fumes from paraffin wax, clubbed together with artificial fragrance mean that Yankee candles cannot be deemed non-toxic, or safe for humans.
Other Questions That I Get Asked A Lot
Are Candles Made Out Of Coconut Wax Safe For Dogs?
Coconut candles are an excellent alternative to paraffin candles.
These candles are organic and do not release toxic fumes into the air. Additionally, coconut candles burn cleanly, making them environmental-friendly as well.
However, they are more expensive than paraffin candles.
What About Woodwick Candles?
Like all other candles, Woodwick candles also contain paraffin wax, and this wax is not safe for dogs as it releases harmful toxins into the air when burned.
Additionally, consuming paraffin wax can cause various health issues to your dogs, including vomiting.
Voluspa Candles: Dog Safe, Or Nah?
Voluspa candles are one of the first commercial candles based on coconut wax. Since coconut wax candles don’t release toxic fumes into the air, it is safe for your dogs.
However, ingestion, fire hazards, and other issues may still affect your dogs, and it would be best to avoid direct contact with them.
White Barn Candles and Dogs
Bath and Body Works White Barn candles contain soy wax which does not release harmful toxins into the air. These candles are safe for your dogs, but ensure that you keep the candles away from the dogs.
Are Yankee Candle Plug Ins Toxic?
Since manufacturers don’t disclose their products’ ingredients, it can be hard to determine whether they are toxic. So it would be best to use these products according to the instructions provided on their label.
Are Wax Melts Safe For Dogs?
Wax melts contain essential oils or chemicals in low quantity. However, consuming a lot of wax melts can make your dog vomit or suffer from other illnesses.
So are Yankee wax melts safe for dogs? Not entirely. If your dog stays away from the wax melts, it will be harmless, but ingestion can cause health issues.
Wrapping Up
Candles can be the perfect way of relaxing and enjoying feelings of tranquility. Although Yankee candles use high-quality ingredients to produce their candles, they can still harm your dogs.
The best way to solve this problem is by keeping your pets away from the candles and lighting them in a well-ventilated room.