When guests are coming to town and festivities are planned, it’s important to remember that your dog needs special attention to make their holiday enjoyable and hazard-free. Keep it safe and make it fun for your dog this Thanksgiving with these dos and don’ts for pet parents.
You may even be traveling with your dog for the holiday, which can lead to a whole other list of safety concerns. No matter how you’re celebrating this Thanksgiving, be sure you’re paying just as much attention to your dog as you do every other day of the year.
Here are out top dos and don’ts for celebrating Thanksgiving with pets!
DO supervise children at all times with your dog. While your nieces and nephews may be delighted with your pet and are trying hard to be gentle, many of them- especially those who are less familiar with pets, and your dog in particular- may be unintentionally rough or handle your dog in a way that bothers him. For everyone’s safety and comfort, make sure that your dog isn’t left unsupervised with children.
DON’T expect more of your dog that they can handle. For a dog who is used to spending a significant amount of time alone, or just with your family, it may be overwhelming to find himself in a room full of chattering relatives and active children. Find time to let him be alone if you possible can so that he doesn’t panic.
DO include your dog in the sporting activities! While everyone’s tossing around the football, you can engage your pup with a frisbee or ball. It will give them some serious fun and tire them out just before dinner!
DO get your pup and special holiday themed toy to enjoy! A big party can be a stressful time for them, and you want them to be aware that you know they’re doing their best.
DON’T let your dog snack all day long. Even if the treats are healthy, your dog can get pretty sick if he has too much to eat. Instead, get him a dental chew or interactive toy to keep him busy while everyone else is doing their thing.
DO as your family not to sneak your dog food from the table. You’ve already made plenty of thanksgiving appropriate foods for your pet, so use that.
DON’T expect your dog to entertain himself when the counter tops are covered in tempting food. Locking him in another room while delicious aromas waft his way will make him over-excited and frustrated. Instead, find a way to keep him preoccupied while you finish up the dinner details.
DO give your dog his special meal before everyone sits down at the table. This way his tummy will be full, and he’ll be less tempted to beg for scraps.
DON’T give your dog table scraps. It is frequently bad for dogs and can make them ill very quickly. Some things you’ll want to avoid, particularly common Thanksgiving foods that will be around all day include rich, fatty foods like turkey skin and gravy, onions, grapes, raisins, nuts, chocolate, alcohol, and coffee.
DO feel free to give your dog limited options from the Thanksgiving table that are good for him! Some of these options include skinless, boneless turkey, steamed, plain green beans, plain carrots, plain mashed sweet potatoes, pumpkin or butternut squash.
DON’T leave trash cans open. Open trash cans are an easy target for your dog to get into trouble. Even a small dog can knock an open trash can over and get themselves into trouble. Close all trash cans and take tempting-smelling trash out of the room where your dog will be spending time, so they don’t paw at all day long.
DO keep your vet’s phone number and the Pet Poison Helpline number close at hand in case an accident does occur. You won’t want to spend a single second looking it up if your pet is in trouble.