Thanksgiving With Dogs: What’s Safe to Share?

The holidays are all about spending time with loved ones, and that includes our furrier relatives. Sharing a meal with your family and friends on Thanksgiving is a special treat, but you have to be careful when it comes to what you’re sharing with your pup, since many of our favorite Thanksgiving dishes are unsafe for our four-legged friends to eat.

Here are some tips, courtesy of Pets Best, about how to make your pup still feel like part of the family, while also making sure to protect his tummy.

Golden Retrievers and Table ScrapsIf your dog is on a specialized diet, or has trouble with human food, it’s probably best to not feed him any table food on Thursday. But lots of pups are able to handle a bit of food from the table, as long as you make sure to feed them things that won’t be harmful to their digestive system.

For example, it’s OK to share a bit of turkey with your pup, but make sure there are no bones in the meat. While you might think that letting your pup chew on a bone is a normal part of the day, turkey bones are very brittle and can splinter easily. If these splinters are accidentally ingested, it could cause serious issues, like tearing of the stomach or intestines. So no turkey bones for Fido! You should also skip out on the skin, as the turkey skin often is coated in butter and certain spices that can post health problems. Stick to a piece of fully cooked white meat if you’re going to share.

You should also avoid giving your dog a taste of the mashed potatoes or yams that you have on the table. These two popular side dishes are often full of butter and milk, and dairy products will make your pup’s stomach upset. The last thing you want to deal with once you’re finally finished cleaning up the kitchen mess is a mess from your puppy.

And, of course, when it’s time for dessert, even though most of us will be eating chocolate-free pumpkin pie, if there are any items on the table that contain chocolate, make sure to keep them away from your pup. Chocolate is toxic to dogs, and can cause serious digestion problems at a minimum.

From our family here at Southern Charm Goldens, to yours, have a Happy Thanksgiving! Don’t forget that with Christmas just around the corner, our available puppies could be a great gift for you and your family during the holiday season. Learn more about our white golden retrievers today by giving us a call at 662-456-6054.

Leave a reply