Your family is gathered at the dinner table, the turkey, cranberries, and mashed potatoes aroma fill the air, and you are about to dig into your Thanksgiving feast. But then you feel a little wet nose bump your calf, and your sweet pet pawing your leg from under the table.
Is it possible to involve your furry family member in the Thanksgiving feast? Now with this helpful pet-approved Thanksgiving food guide, it is! Not every dish is safe for your dog to eat, but this guide will break down what's safe and what's not, so your pup can be included in this holiday season.
The Main Event: Turkey
Can dogs eat the main course in your Thanksgiving feast? Yes! But ensure a few things beforehand. Turkey is absolutely safe for dogs to eat when prepared with them in mind. Turkey is actually the main flavor or ingredient in lots of dog foods! Turkey is naturally rich in protein, riboflavin, and phosphorus, all essential nutrients for your pup! Want to kick if up a notch? Brutus Broth Brothcicles are turkey-flavored and pre-portioned, making them irresistible to your pups, and can easily be poured onto their existing meals for a little boost of taste and nutrition.
That said, the turkey you prepare for your family's Thanksgiving feast is likely not safe for dogs. The butter, fats, salt, pepper, herbs, garlic, and more can upset your dog's stomach and even be toxic.
Here's how to safely prepare turkey that your dog can eat:
- Remove the turkey skin: turkey skin has a very high fat content, which is dangerous for dogs. High fat content can cause pancreatitis in dogs, so make sure to remove the turkey skin before cooking and serving it to your dog.
- Do not give your dog cooked turkey bones: cooked poultry bones are very brittle. Bone fragments can chip off and cause your dog serious, life-threatening harm. It's a good rule of thumb never to give your dog any cooked bones. Raw turkey bones, however, are safe and do not have a risk of splintering!
- Only serve your dog plain turkey with no added ingredients. It may be tempting to feed your dog scraps from the same turkey you served your family, or leftovers the next day, but those added ingredients that make turkey yummy to humans are highly toxic to your dog.
If you're planning to give your dog turkey this Thanksgiving, set some turkey aside before cooking, remove the skin and all bones, cook plain, and top with some Brutus Bone Broth for even more added protein and flavor!
The Sides, What's Off Limits:
1. Mashed Potatoes:
While absolutely delicious, mashed potatoes are full of butter, pepper, and other spices. All of these can be incredibly harmful to your pet, especially in these quantities. In addition, dogs should not eat raw potatoes, even when plain, because they contain solanine. Keep your dog far away from the mashed potatoes this Thanksgiving.
Alternative: Roasted sweet potatoes mixed with Brutus Bone Broth is a highly nutritious meal for dogs, and can make them feel included during Thanksgiving. Sweet potatoes are a dog's super food! They are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants! Set aside some sweet potatoes before making your sweet potato casserole this year for your pup!
2. Stuffing:
Most stuffing recipes call for ingredients such as onions, garlic, and seasonings. Garlic, onions, and many herbs are highly toxic to dogs and can cause anemia by damaging their red blood cells. Stuffing also has high sodium levels, which can lead to dehydration and more serious illnesses.
3. Cranberry Sauce:
Though plain cranberries are a great meal topper for dogs and can be enjoyed raw or cooked, the cranberry sauce at the Thanksgiving table is likely not pet-friendly! Cranberry sauce can contain high levels of sugar and sometimes xylitol. Sugar isn't toxic to dogs, but it can cause future health problems when ingested in large amounts. Xylitol, on the other hand, is toxic to dogs (the ingredient found in chewing gum is not safe either). It's best to avoid cranberry sauce altogether for your dog this Thanksgiving.
Alternative: Plain cranberries are an excellent snack for dogs. They can be served raw or cooked; just make sure they are plain with no added ingredients.
4. Green Bean Casserole:
Though green beans are a safe and wonderful snack for dogs, green bean casserole is likely not. Make sure your dog stays away from the casserole this holiday season. Green bean casserole contains many very unhealthy ingredients for dogs, including sugar, pepper, onion, garlic, and fats, all of which are toxic and harmful.
Alternative: Plain green beans. Green beans can be served to your dog both raw and cooked, as long as they're plain. They are a nutritious, low-calorie dog snack. Try saving some raw green beans before you cook, and add Brutus Bone Broth to your dog's meal for a well-rounded, healthy meal topper.
SO, what can your dog eat? Here's the ultimate cheat sheet:
- Mostly plain foods, with no additional ingredients: plain cooked turkey and plain roasted potatoes.
- Raw or cooked vegetables: plain green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes
Plain and unseasoned is the best rule of thumb for serving your dog Thanksgiving treats!
Dessert Dangers:
Almost all desserts are toxic to dogs and contain dangerously high levels of sugar and other harmful ingredients, such as chocolate, nutmeg, raisins, and more. So it's best to avoid giving your dog human desserts altogether.
If you want your dog to feel included by giving them some holiday-themed desserts, try out some of these dog-safe holiday dessert recipes:
Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks and being close to the people you love, and let's be honest, our dogs are part of our families. Making them feel included this Thanksgiving is essential to making the holiday special for you and your furry friend. Keeping their health in mind is crucial, though. Stick to this Thanksgiving food guide, and remember the golden rule: plain and unseasoned is the key to a happy, healthy Thanksgiving this year!