Thanksgiving is only 2 short days away, and if you are anything like us, you are already dreaming of the delicious food and good company you’ll be enjoying! With all those special treats, it can be easy to want to share with your dog, but you’ll want to be sure that anything they eat won’t leave them feeling bad (especially if you’re going to be away stocking up on Black Friday goodies!).
As we mentioned last year, onions and sage are a few items on the Don’t list for your furry friends. Bones and dark turkey meat are also bad, as well as turkey skin, mushrooms and garlic. The good news is, there are some great foods you can give your dogs! To keep them from an upset tummy and from bothering you at the dinner table, here are a couple of tips to help everyone enjoy their Thanksgiving meal!
1. Take a hike: A tired dog is a good dog when the doorbell starts ringing and the table’s being set. While your crockpot is simmering, taking a quick walk around the neighborhood or throwing the ball in the backyard will help your pup burn off extra energy so they are calm during busy mealtime. An added bonus: you’re already burning off that extra helping of stuffing!
2. Speaking of stuffing: Stuffing a well-loved toy, like a Kong, with some normal dog food and a tiny bit of boneless skinless white turkey meat, sweet potatoes, or gravy allows you to give your dog a special treat and an activity to keep them busy during dinner. A little bit will go a long way and you’ll have an uninterrupted meal- everyone wins!
3. Indulge their sweet tooth: It’s not a complete meal without dessert! But think twice before you give Fido a piece of pie: treats with nutmeg can actually cause your dog to hallucinate and suffer from tremors or seizures. And chocolate is VERY toxic, so keep your fudge treats far away. However, pumpkin IS tasty to your dog, and you can even make this special dessert that will have both of you wagging your tails! (Be aware that some pumpkin pie spices contain nutmeg; when in doubt, just use cinnamon for your pup’s portion.)
A Thanksgiving without an emergency trip to the vet is a day to be thankful for in our book. We wish all your family, with two or four legs, a holiday filled with wonderful reasons to be thankful!
Jessalynn is the studio manager for Adrian Hitt Photography. She coordinates smooth operations behind the scenes and updates the blog on what’s the “woof” in the dog world. A Nashville native, Jess uses her degrees in communications and entrepreneurship to support creative business. When she’s not working, she can be found with paintbrush & power tools tackling home improvement projects, trying new recipes & crafts from Pinterest, and tossing tennis balls in the backyard with the main men in her life- her husband and their rescue dogs, Waffles & Rocco.
