Dog-Friendly Thanksgiving Tips

Dog-Friendly Thanksgiving Tips

This year’s turkey day might be different from last year’s, but there are still many things to be thankful for and many delicious dishes to be made. We know that many hold the tradition of enjoying a tasty meal with your dog. This can mean anything from sneaking your dog some table scraps to putting together a full meal in your dog’s bowl.

To ensure your pup stays safe this year, here are some Thanksgiving safety tips for dogs:

1. Dog-Safe Foods

• Turkey - This is what your dog has been waiting for! This delicious main dish is perfectly safe for your pup. However, the meat you share should be unseasoned and the skins are off-limits.
• Green Beans - Before the casserole is made, save a few raw veggies for your dog. Loaded in fiber and high in Vitamin C, green beans are both safe and healthy.
• Sweet Potatoes - This very seasonal superfood is a favorite of dogs. They’re loaded with amazing nutrients like beta-carotene, vitamins A and C, potassium, and fiber. Sweet potatoes must be served cooked, not raw, and avoid the canned mix, which can contain added sugar.
• Carrots - The second orange-hued veggie on the safe list, carrots are also loaded with beta-carotene, vitamins and fiber. Raw carrots are a dog’s best friend thanks to their satisfying crunch, and cooked (unseasoned) carrots are also a tasty treat.
• Pumpkin - Orange seems to be a theme for this meal. Pumpkin is an amazing food to give your dog. Pumpkins are great for digestion, as well as a great source of Vitamin C. Serve raw or cooked, but never share pie filling, even cooked, as it contains an unhealthy amount of sugar for any sized pup.

2. Protect the Prep
While prepping ingredients, like peeling potatoes or gutting pumpkins, make sure you keep an eye on your little furry scavengers. Many raw veggies and meat scraps can be less than ideal for your dog’s digestive system. For example, raw potatoes of any kind are particularly harmful and raw pumpkin can give your pup diarrhea. That’s no fun when you’re already stressed about getting all the food cranked out!

3. Synchronized Feeding
To avoid incessant begging once you’re all sitting down to enjoy your Thanksgiving meal, give you dogs their meals at the same time that everyone sits down at the table. Maybe even throw a little plain turkey in their bowls for an extra treat. That said, remember to cut down on their typical, daily portions of regular food when you know they’ll be snacking on people-food throughout the day.

4. Set Expectations
If you have strict rules about what your pets can and cannot do during meals, make an announcement to all your guests before the meal starts. Everyone is different when it comes to what they allow their dogs to get away with. Set the stage to ensure your guests aren’t sneaking spoonfuls of gravy under the table if you’re discouraging begging or trying to keep them on a strict feeding plan.

5. Keep Bones Contained
It seems like Thanksgiving would be the perfect time to dispose of your bones in a mutually beneficial way. Despite your dog’s enthusiasm to devour your turkey bones, you should keep them contained and out of reach. The cooked bones can easily splinter in your dog’s throat which can potentially be very dangerous, especially for small dogs.

6. Brush Up On the Do-Not-Feed List
The following foods are never to be fed to pups:

• Turkey Skin – The turkey skin, which holds onto marinades, butter and other ingredients high in fat, can be very difficult for your dog to digest.
• Cooked Bones – Turkey and ham bones become very brittle after cooking and can splinter in your pup’s digestive tract.
• Walnuts & Macadamia Nuts – Various nuts contain toxins that could cause vomiting or seizures in your dogs. Not all nuts contain them, but be sure to do your research before feeding nuts to your pup and always avoid walnuts and macadamia nuts. Here’s a helpful guide to nuts for dogs!
• Onions – Onions contain sulfites which are toxic to dogs.
• Nutmeg – Nutmeg can cause seizures and central nervous system damage to dogs, so make sure there isn’t much in any pumpkin or sweet potato dishes you might want to share with your dog.
• Chocolate & Dough – Chocolate is a well known carcinogen for dogs, but raw dough can also be dangerous as it can rise inside your dog’s stomach, leading to lots of discomfort.

One helpful strategy could be to start introducing your pup to Digest Forte. Through the holidays, it can be tough to monitor every scrap that hits the floor. Inevitably, your pup will find something that doesn’t belong in their belly.

Before the holidays hit if full force, you can enhance your dog’s digestive tract with a blend of probiotics and enzymes. During and after, you can help restore balance and enhance your pup’s digestive system the natural way, so they feel better.

Prepare for "unexpected" treats these holidays with an extra dose of enzymes, probiotics, and fiber for your pup.

7. Avoid Anxiety
Some of our furry friends are sensitive to noise, strangers and new situations. Be sure to account for any anxiety your pets may be feeling with new people, loud situations and possibly young children running around. If you see your dog is having trouble coping with the large gathering, find an area of the house that feels safe, with comforting toys, a dog bed, or treats. Don’t force your pets to participate in the celebration if they are uncomfortable.

8. Treat Your Pups
Since you’ll be in the kitchen baking anyway, you might as well throw a few festive dog treats together while you’re at it! Ingredients like pumpkin, apple and cinnamon are great for pups.

If you’re short on time or just focused on your own menu, order some delicious and healthy Carnivore Cookies! Every dog we’ve encountered finds them simply irresistible. A perfect distraction for them while you’re busy in the kitchen.

Strengthen the bond between you and your pup with natural treats that are loaded with nutrients they crave.

The K9 Power Team hopes you have an enjoyable holiday with the loved ones you can see, and of course, your pooch.