Dog-Friendly Thanksgiving Foods

If you are like us, your dog is at the top of your list of things that we are grateful for each Thanksgiving. Dover is one of the greatest blessings of our lives, and we are so thankful that we rescued him. Because he is part of our family, we love to share a bit of our Thanksgiving feast with him. In this post, we will share dog-friendly Thanksgiving foods that you can share with your dog, plus some obedience tips on how to share Thanksgiving dinner with your dog. 

Dog Friendly Thanksgiving Foods

If you have ever heard the advice that to eat healthy foods, stick to the outside of the grocery store, that is also a pretty good rule of thumb for pet-safe foods. This is because most grocery stores have the produce, meat, and dairy departments on the outer aisles with the more processed foods in the center aisles. 

When it comes to sharing some of your thanksgiving feast with your dogs, most of the pet-safe foods are from the produce section. Apples, celery, carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, fresh cranberries, green beans, peas, and corn are safe for your pet. Only feed these items when they are unseasoned, without salt and pepper, sugar, or other spices and sauces. The best way to share these foods with your dog is to set some of them aside while you are preparing your Thanksgiving dishes. 

Turkey is safe for dogs, as long as you give them some of the meat that is far away from the seasoned skin. Inner pieces of white meat are best, in small quantities. Turkey bones are not safe as they can splinter and cause internal damage. Hard cheeses are safe for dogs, so your dog can have a nibble or two of cheddar from your holiday appetizer plate. 

Thanksgiving Foods Dogs Cannot Eat

Never give your dogs onions, turkey bones, heavily seasoned turkey skin, raw dough, yeast, grapes, raisins, or substantial amounts of garlic as they can be harmful and even deadly when eaten. Other items like desserts, mashed potatoes, gravy, marshmallows, olives, and pickles should also be avoided.

 Although the individual ingredients in a dish like mashed potatoes and gravy might not be toxic to your pet, the fat and richness of a dish like that can easily upset your dog’s stomach, especially if they do not usually get leftovers from the human meals. Your dog will not know what they are missing, and you will avoid a night of hourly potty breaks. 

Dos and Don’ts About Sharing Thanksgiving Dinner with Your Dog

No matter how much fun it is to include our dogs in our holidays, most dog trainers will advise you to stick with the rules in terms of when and how your dog is able to indulge in their treats. With guests in the house, it is important to let them know that no matter how skilled your dogs are at begging, they should not give in to their pleading looks. 

You may even consider asking one of your closer family members or friends to keep an eye out to make sure that your pup is not sneaking items. Plates and glasses left in easy reach like on side tables and the coffee table are tempting to even the most obedient dogs. Guests who do not have dogs of their own are not as likely to anticipate canine thievery like your dog-owning guests. 

When sharing foods with your dog on Thanksgiving, your best option is to add the foods to your dog’s regular dinner or place them in their bowl to give to them at a special time. Another wonderful way to share your bounty with your dog is to prepare a West Paw Toppl toy stuffed with the foods listed above. 

The best way to share a West paw Toppl is to use one small and one large Toppl and put them together. Start by stuffing some baked or mashed sweet potato in the bottom of the large Toppl, and then layer in some of the other foods, like diced apple, chopped carrots and green beans, with a little bit of peanut butter smeared into the mix. Stuff the small Toppl the same way, and then insert the smaller Toppl into the larger one. If you prepare this in the morning while you are cooking, and then freeze for the day, you will have a long-lasting frozen treat full of Thanksgiving goodies to keep your dog entertained while the humans enjoy their feast. 

Conclusion

As always, we want to hear from you! Will you include your dog in your Thanksgiving plans? What pet-safe foods do you prepare that you can share with your dog? Share on the Pure Earth Pets Facebook page or tag us on Instagram with @pureearthpets.