How to Make a Safe Thanksgiving Dinner for Your Dog

By Caitlyn Gose

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many of us are scrambling to find the best family recipes and make a great dinner for our family & friends. I bet you can hardly wait for your plate full of mashed potatoes, gravy, turkey, and pie.

Not wanting the dog to feel left out, we tend to give them a taste of some of our yummy dinner. However, this can be dangerous to your furry friend. It is important to know which Thanksgiving foods are safe for your dog and which are not, in order to skip a trip to the vet’s office this holiday season.

Safe Foods to Include in Your Dog’s Dinner

• Sweet potatoes are high in fiber as well as vitamins B6 and C, making them a healthy option to add. Make sure they are boiled and contain no spices or butter before adding them to your dog’s plate.
• Carrots are also high in fiber and contain vitamin A. After they’ve been steamed or boiled add them to the plate, again with no additional seasonings. Carrots are high in sugar though, so make sure to keep them at a minimum if serving.
• Turkey meat is a great source of protein to add to your dog’s plate on Thanksgiving. Take off the skin and find pieces that have no seasonings, shred them up, then add them to the plate! (The skin, seasonings, and fatty pieces are not healthy for your dog and can make them feel ill).
• Green beans are full of vitamins C and K, they are also filling. Make sure they are fresh and contain no seasonings or butter.
• Apples can act as a sweet treat for your dog, and they contain vitamins A and C. Make sure the apples are sliced and have no seeds before giving them to your dog.
• Cranberries are another good option to add as a sweet treat, as they are rich in antioxidants and add a lot of flavor.
• Pumpkin helps with your dog’s digestion and is known for making their skin & coat extra hydrated and healthy. The 100% pure canned pumpkin is best when feeding to your dog.

If you are having any of these foods on Thanksgiving, your pup would love a plate of his/her own! Remember to keep the portion sizes small and not to over-stuff them, you don’t want them getting sick!

Harmful Foods to Avoid Giving Your Dog on Thanksgiving

While there are a variety of healthy options to choose for your dog’s plate, there are also very bad options that you should avoid.

• Onions, garlic, or scallions
• Grapes or raisins
• Cooked bones
• Alcohol
• Turkey skin or fat
• Seasonings or spices
• Buttery foods
• Chocolate
• Yeast
• Mashed potatoes
• Stuffing
• Creamed veggies

Making sure your dog doesn’t feel left out of the holiday festivities is important, but so is keeping an eye on what they are being fed at the dinner table! Make sure your guests know not to give table scraps, or know which ones are okay and which are not.

Overall, enjoy the day with family & friends and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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Caitlyn is a painter, bookworm, and freelance writer from Southwest Michigan. She comes to Adeo Pets with the desire to teach others about pet safety and health. She has a deep love for animals and wants pet parents to have all the answers they are looking for! Check out her work at www.cgosecopywrite.com.