What Can Your Dog Eat on Thanksgiving?

Kibble and dog treats are safe options for your dog any day of the year, but you may want your dog to enjoy the same festive foods that you get to eat on Thanksgiving. Is it OK to give your dog table scraps from your Thanksgiving meal?

It all depends on what type of food you are offering your dog.

Thanksgiving foods that are OK for dogs

Dogs are omnivores, which means that they can eat both meat and plants (fruits and vegetables). However, some fruits and veggies are harmful for dogs, and you have to be cautious when giving your pet certain types of meat.

There are certain spices and seasonings that can upset your dog’s stomach, and foods that are overly rich with lots of cream or butter can also cause digestive problems. Generally speaking, there should be little to no seasoning on any table scraps that you hand down to your dog.

Here are some common Thanksgiving foods that are OK for dogs to eat.

  • Turkey meat — remove small, brittle bones and seasoned turkey skin.
  • Plain potatoes or plain sweet potatoes. Avoid sharing these foods with your dog if there’s butter, cream, and loads of seasoning.
  • Plain vegetables such as peas, corn, green beans, and carrots.
  • You can share plain, cooked pumpkin with your pooch!

Foods that your dog should not eat

There’s a long list of foods that dogs shouldn’t eat. Some foods that are totally safe for humans can be toxic for dogs. They can cause digestive problems, and in extreme cases, some people foods can be fatal for dogs.

Under no circumstances should you give your dog alcoholic beverages, chocolate, or sweets of any kind.

The reason you want to avoid feeding your dog sweets is because they may contain a sweetener known as Xylitol, which is fatal for dogs.

Onions, garlic, scallions, leeks, etc. can also make your dog sick.

Thanksgiving foods are often rich and decadent, heavy on the butter, cream, and seasoning.

Do not feed your dog the following foods from your Thanksgiving table:

  • Seasoned turkey skin
  • Broth from a seasoned turkey
  • Dressing or stuffing that contains onions and seasonings
  • Seasoned gravy
  • Sweets — candies, cakes, pies, etc.
  • Casseroles
  • Seasoned mashed potatoes

Happy Thanksgiving! Be sure to take a look at our Goldendoodle puppies. They are ready for their new forever homes!