Safe Thanksgiving Foods For Dogs

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Safe Thanksgiving Foods For Dogs

It comes as no surprise that for most dogs, Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday. All the food, family and time to snuggle after dessert makes for an almost perfect day for your dogs. And, during all the commotion for many of us, our dogs are the best friends we need to destress and actually enjoy the holiday season. 

Your dog will likely want to be a part of the Thanksgiving meal, but it’s important to be cautious of what table scraps you give them. Below are some of the best foods you can give to your dog, as well as foods to avoid for their health and safety: 

Safe Thanksgiving Foods for Dogs 

• Sweet potatoes - Sweet potatoes are a common ingredient in healthy dog food and treats, and are safe to give your pet as long as they don’t contain large amounts of butter or sugar added to them.

• Green beans and peas - Whole green beans and peas are safe for your dogs and can be given to them during food prep. However, once these are heavily seasoned (or have onions or garlic added to them in the case of casseroles), they are not safe for your dog to consume.

• Cooked collard greens - Collards can be tough for your dog to eat raw, but when cooked they can be a healthy snack in moderation.

• Turkey - Turkey meat without heavy seasoning or bones is safe for your dog to consume. However, be careful to completely remove bones, as these can be a choking hazard for your dog.

Foods to Avoid

• Mashed potatoes - these contain too much butter and salt for your dog and can be difficult to digest.

• Meat with bones - any cooked meat with bones is dangerous for your dog to consume. Cooked bones crack more easily, and the smaller bones in poultry can be a choking hazard for your dog.

• Stuffings or casseroles - These typically have too much fat and salt for your dog to safely digest.

• Onions or garlic - These can be dangerous for dogs to consume even in low quantities, so it's best to avoid all foods with garlic or onions cooked into them.

• Yeast dough - Many breads and biscuits are not healthy for dogs to consume and should be avoided to prevent digestion problems.

• All desserts - Dessert foods, especially those with chocolate, can be dangerous to dogs and at best very hard to digest. Avoid any dessert that has chocolate or is high in sugar content.

Do you have a special dog-friendly dish you cook for Thanksgiving? If so, let us know in the comments or share with us on Facebook!