Thanksgiving With Your Dog

Thanksgiving Day is one of the treasured holidays in which we gather with our families to celebrate, eat and enjoy each other’s company. Most dog owners include their furry family members in the celebrations, whether their dog is laying in front of a warm fire in the family room or enjoying some snacks off their plate from underneath the table. Everyone has their own way of celebrating the holidays, and there is no reason why it cannot be an enjoyable occasion for your dog as well. 

Many dog owners want to share their home cooked food with their pets, which is why it is very important to know your dog and to know what foods are considered toxic to pets.

If your dog is enjoying the benefits of a homemade dog food diet, then a little bit of your home cooked food will be fine to share. If your dog is fed a commercial kibble diet, you need to know their level of tolerance and stomach sensitivity prior to feeding home cooked food to avoid giving your dog an upset stomach.

It is extremely important to be aware of the food that is considered unsafe and even toxic for pets to consume. Do not feed anything containing onion, garlic, grapes, raisins, xylitol, artificial sweeteners, raw yeast or bread dough, macadamia nuts, alcohol or avocado. Those ingredients have been deemed toxic and can harm your pet.

Depending on how big your family is and how loud these events can be, it is important to provide a safe and quiet place for your dog to rest if they require it. Holidays can be hectic and busy for many people, and some dogs do not tolerate loud noise and large crowds very well, so be aware of your dog during these special gatherings.

For dogs that must stay home during the holidays, consider bringing them a special treat or snack to make it special for them as well! You can even make a special homemade meal that night for your canine companion using dog friendly ingredients!