Here in the USA we’re entering Thanksgiving week – which in most households means lots of home cooking with family and friends visiting (and gifting) traditional Thanksgiving dishes. It’s especially important during the Holidays to be aware what’s within reach of your dogs and cats and what well-meaning guests may want to feed your pups to make sure you don’t have upset dog tummies (or worse) during Thanksgiving! When possible, it’s always best to keep your pet’s food consistent but we all want to share that warm fuzzy feeling we get with our pets during Thanksgiving and Holiday meals. So, we wanted to some ideas and guidelines for Thanksgiving Foods for Dogs (if your vet agrees).
Can Dogs Eat Turkey?
Plain, cooked Turkey is common in dog foods and has healthy nutrients such as phosphorous and riboflavin. However, we don’t typically cook our Thanksgiving Turkeys plain! Oil, butter, herbs, salt and pepper on the outside and onion and garlic on the inside stuffing can make Turkey very dangerous and even toxic to our pets…digestive issues, pancreatitis and worse!
If you would like to share a little Thanksgiving Turkey with your pup, here are some guidelines from the AKC:
- New, human foods should account for no more than 10% of your dogs meal (to avoid stomach upset).
- Remove all bones
- Remove the skin (too much fat plus that’s where the seasonings are the most potent)
- Do not give your dogs any stuffing – onions can be fatal to dogs~
- Serve your dog the cleanest meat as a small meal topper on their regular dog food
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Thanksgiving Dog and Cat Food!
Did you know that several human-grade pet foods make a turkey based meal for both dogs and cats that already has all the nutrients your pet needs? We call that a win / win! Ella and Luna LOVE Evanger’s Organic Turkey Dinner as part of their regular meal rotation! Call your pet store and / or check their website to see if anyone local carries it and serve to your pup instead. You can also order Evanger’s Organic Turkey Dinner from Chewy for both your dogs and cats in time for Christmas!
Just Food for Dogs (that’s Ella and Luna’s go to meal) also has a yummy Turkey Dinner! Ideally it’s best to serve your pet lightly cooked (or raw with strict guidelines), organic, human-grade foods. Just Food for Dogs also has recipes so you can make your own at home!
Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes?
Sweet Potatoes are quite delicious AND full of fiber and can be a healthy treat if cooked plain (according to the AKC) and served in very small portions (remember the 10% rule above) WITHOUT the skin as a meal topper! If your Thanksgiving Sweet Potato dish already includes butter, brown sugar and other ingredients then skip it!
Can Dogs Eat Ham?
Although Ham is as source of protein the AKC states that ham is not typically a good source of protein for you dog. Ham is high in fat content, salt, nitrates and more. So, if you have other options, skip the ham. If you would like to add a very tiny sliver it should be ok – ask your vet ahead of time.
Can Dogs Eat Cranberries?
What’s a Turkey Dinner without a side of Cranberries?! Plain Cranberries can be safe and may even have some health benefits for your dog in moderation. The Cranberry sauces, however, that we serve at Thanksgiving and Holidays is typically full of sugar and maybe even alcohol – eek! If you’d like to smash (to prevent choking risk in smaller dogs) a couple of fresh cranberries and put as a little garnish that should be safe (again ask your vet). Otherwise, we agree with the AKC to skip the cranberry sauce for your pup.
Can Dogs Eat Mashed Potatoes?
Potatoes have generally very little nutritional value for dogs. Plus, according to Purina, the only “safe” way to serve potatoes to your pup (if you must) is roasted without the skin and no salt, seasonings, butter or dairy. (Again remember the 10% rule). Overall, Skip Potatoes!
Other Dog Safe Veggies for Dogs at Thanksgiving – Prepare Ahead!
These veggies served plain (roasted or steamed) without cheese, cream, butter, onions, scallions and other toppings for your dog they are also safe for dogs and cats during the holidays! You can even prepare them a couple of days ahead of time and pop them out of the fridge as a special (less than 10%) meal topper during the holidays!
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Asparagus
- Green Beans
- Bell Peppers (dice them if served raw). Bell Pepper Sauce is da BEST! 🙂
- Zucchini
Or dice these veggies raw:
- Celery
- Cucumber
Thanksgiving Food for Dogs in Summary…
Think skin free, cooked and plain! Salt, butter, cream, oils herbs, onions, garlic and more can wreak havoc with your dog’s digestive tract and can even be toxic. So, only share the cleanest portions (or pre-prepare dog-friendly Veggies and Turkey ahead of time and keep in the fridge) to serve as a small meal topper!
