The holiday season can bring tons of happiness for both you and your pup. One that your pup can be looking forward to but could cause heartache is the holiday food, especially if you accidentally give your pup food that they cannot have. Don’t fret and be constantly googling over the holiday season about what you can and can’t feed your pup; we are breaking down the traditional holiday foods that are okay to give to your pup and the ones to stay away from.
Turkey
Normally, turkey would be a healthy form of protein for your pup but during the holidays, it may need to be avoided. The reason behind this is all the added butter, oils, and spices that make the turkey taste yummy to us but can cause upset tummies for our pups.
If you are planning to cook a plain turkey without any seasonings or extras, then this can be a great treat to share. A good note to add, onions are toxic to pups and garlic can potentially be toxic in large quantities so you may need to be extra careful with making sure you are feeding your pup plain, cooked turkey. Or maybe consider purchasing some deli turkey to include your pup in the festivities.
Ham
While ham packs a high source of protein, it’s not the best option for your pup. Whether it be deli ham or cooked ham, both are unhealthy with the high amounts of salt in the former and high amounts of sugar in the latter. Experts debate back and forth about the digestibility of ham, with most saying it is hard for pups to digest with the higher amount of fat it contains.
With this, it wouldn’t hurt to give your pup a sliver of something but you must be aware of negatives of your pup eating. Remember, avoid using spices and seasonings if planning to give your pup any holiday foods.
Potatoes (of any variety)
White potatoes, such as mashed potatoes, are okay for your pup to eat as long as you don’t add anything to them. This includes butter, milk, salt, pepper, garlic, etc. to them. Potato skins aren’t good for them either so we suggest peeling the potatoes before cooking then mashing them up for your pup.
Sweet potatoes that are mashed or cooked are fine for pups to eat but the same rule applies. The marshmallows and sugar may be good tasting to you but can cause a hurt belly for your pup!
Cheesy Potatoes are always a fan favorite but they contain too much fat for your pup to consume so avoid those as well.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin is flavorful, healthy, and tasty option you can feed your pup! Before feeding your pup canned pumpkin, be sure to read the label. You want to avoid giving canned pumpkin pie mix, this contains too much sugar and spices for your pup to digest properly—plain is best.
Carrots
Carrots are such a good and fun treat for your pup! They are healthy all around, you can feed them raw or cook them in a variety of ways and they are still good for your pup.
Fun fact – the green tops of carrots are also edible and fine for your pup to eat, no need to cut them off!
Corn
Corn is completely safe for your pup to eat. In fact, it is full of proteins, carbohydrates, linoleic acid, and antioxidants. Be sure to not butter or season them before serving to your pup!
Rolls
There is some debate over the healthiness of dinner rolls. Bread doesn’t have any nutritional value and is basically a filler food for your pup but it won’t harm them to eat it. Just like for us, bread is best in moderation.
Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce, relish, and similar dishes are too sugary for pups to eat so keep those out of reach.
However, plain cranberries are great to share with your pup! The flavor may be too tart flavor for their liking but it isn’t toxic for them to eat. To allow your pup to enjoy with you, set some to the side before preparing a sugary option for yourself and family.
Green Beans (of any variety)
Green Beans are great for pups, whether they be raw, steamed, or canned!
Green Bean Casserole, on the other hand, is not the best for pups. With the added fats, oils, and seasonings, it can be very unhealthy for your pup to eat. An option for your pup to take part in the holiday deliciousness could be for you to set aside a little bowl of plain green beans while prepping your casserole for dinner.
Sweets (Cookies, Ice Cream, Cake, Pie, Whip Cream, Fudge, Etc.)
Avoid feeding your pup any holiday sweets! All contain high amounts of sugar and fats that are unhealthy for your pup.
As said above, a rule of thumb is to always give your pup human food in moderation. They are much smaller than us and their bodies cannot handle high levels of fats, sodium, and sugars.