Healthy Thanksgiving Foods Your Dog Will Love

Thanksgiving is almost here!  

One of the best parts of Thanksgiving is getting to enjoy all of your seasonal favorites especially with your dog.  And there are so many food options for your pup to enjoy on Thanksgiving day. In this article, we'll discuss some healthy Thanksgiving foods that your dog will love; as well, as dangerous ones your dog should avoid. We hope this list inspires some yummy Thanksgiving plates your dog can enjoy on this special holiday.

What Are Common, Unhealthy, and Toxic Thanksgiving Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pup?

First, let's get into some of the foods you might not expect to be toxic for your dogs. The following foods need to be kept out of reach. You should also let others know that these foods aren't safe for your dog to eat. 

• Stuffing: Thanksgiving stuffing is usually made with onions, garlic, and scallions, which are very toxic for pets because these foods attack red blood cells. Therefore, is critical to keep anything cooked with these foods away which is why it is best to skip out on giving your dog even tiny morsels of stuffing at the table.

• Mashed Potatoes:  For Thanksgiving, people cook mashed potatoes filled with butter, milk, onion, and garlic butter, which tastes great to us but can cause your dog diarrhea.  Another additive to avoid that people put on mashed potatoes is gravy which is also toxic for your dog. Therefore, your dog can only eat natural, unseasoned mashed potatoes. 

• Turkey: Thanksgiving turkey tends to have a lot of rimming and dressing, which can be hard to digest which can also inflame the pancreas. Bones are also dangerous since they can splinter in the throat or intestines.  This can result in your dog needing surgery. Also, be careful with turkey twines. However, if turkey is fully unseasoned with the skin off, it can make for a safe and tasty treat.

So What Are Our Top Healthy Thanksgiving Dog Foods?

Now let's get to the fun part-- what your dog can eat!
The great thing is that there are many options for your dog to enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving meal.

• Pumpkin: Dogs love pumpkin for the taste and you should love it for the health benefits it provides for them. However, dogs can only eat fresh and pure pumpkin. You may serve your dog pumpkin raw or cooked but with no sugars or spices, if you decide to make them into treats. You don't want to feed them pumpkin pie because it is filled with artificial ingredients. Pumpkin seeds are also safe if they are from a fresh pumpkin; however, once the seeds rot they are harmful.

• Apples: Apples are already a furry friend's favorite but only served raw with no cinnamon, sugar, or spices added. You can slip save some raw apples to your pup or keep some for a Thanksgiving plate.

• Green Beans and Carrots: Dogs love raw veggies and these crunchy snacks are always a hit. Green beans are fibrous, and carrots are high in antioxidants which makes these treats the healthiest. They also tastes so good your dog will thank you.

• Sweet Potato: Sweet potato has a great taste and many health benefits for the pet you love. This root vegetable's sweet taste makes it yummy, and the high fiber is excellent for digestive health. Thy stuffing sweet potato in your pup's Kong or hollow bones. This will keep them entertained while the rest of the family is eating!

• Cranberries and Cranberry Sauce: Cranberry and cranberry sauce is safe for dogs to eat in only small portions. It is okay for your pup to have a few cranberries but go light on the sauce since it contains sugars which can cause an upset stomach. Before feeding your dog cranberry sauce make sure there are absolutely no grapes, raisins, or currants contained inside. 

• Rolls and Cornbread: It's no secret that too much bread isn't the best, especially if it becomes habitual.  However, on Thanksgiving day, your pet will be showing you major gratitude. Cutting up the bread in small bites is critical because dogs tend to eat very fast and too much bread can be very difficult to digest at once. If you are serving your dog cornbread, it's best to make sure that it only contains natural ingredients. Again, avoid heavy amounts of butter and avoid sugar, spices, and cinnamon.

Enjoy Your Holiday

Though we've mentioned a fair amount of healthy Thanksgiving foods your dog will love, there are still toxic foods that must be mentioned. The other toxic foods are grapes, raisins, and chocolate. These foods are critical to keep away from your dog. Thanksgiving is a busy holiday, and if you're not paying close attention, you could leave something fatal in close reach such as paper, twin and keep. Make those foods and products are placed out of reach or discarded if there is no longer a use for them.

Happy Thanksgiving from the team at Bark ATL!  We wish you and your furbaby a holiday full of amazingly delicious food and good company.