When preparing your Christmas meal, of course, you’ll want your dog to share in the joy and celebration by treating him to a something traditional. But you must understand that not all human foods are safe for dogs. Here are some foods that your dog can eat, and some it would be better to take off the menu.
4 Foods Your Dog Can Eat
Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a very traditional food that your dog can eat and enjoy at Christmas. Mashed potatoes are a very tasty but also very nutritious meal for your dog. If you’re trying to give them mashed potatoes for the first time, you should keep in mind that they might not like it. Most dogs do, but some of the picky eaters might not.
Dogs can eat a heaped portion of mashed potatoes at a sitting if allowed. But you shouldn’t allow them to eat much more than this, or they’ll become too stuffed and get sick. They should only be fed one good portion – depending on their size – at a time.
Chestnut
“Can dogs eat chestnuts?” This is a question that many dog owners have asked at some point in time. The answer is yes, they can – but the feeding has to be supervised. A chestnut meal is tasty and nutritious, but you can only feed them a minimal quantity.
Some dogs can also be allergic to chestnut, so you should check to be sure before allowing them to eat it. If it’s the first time you’re giving your dog chestnut, you should make sure to only feed them a small quantity. An excessive amount of chestnut can lead to vomiting or diarrhoea, because the dog’s digestive system isn’t used to it.
Turkey
Turkey is a wholesome food that your dog can eat. In fact, it’s highly recommended, because turkey is high in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which make your dog healthier. Dogs love turkey, thanks to its superb aroma and awesome taste.
Remember that the quality of the turkey is extremely important for your dog’s health and well-being. Try to get a high-grade turkey that’s free from chemical preservatives, as getting a low-grade turkey could affect the health of your dog.
Greens and Vegetables
Most people think that greens and vegetables are bad for dogs, but that’s not true. Although some – particularly bulb vegetables, can be harmful to dogs, not all vegetables are.
You should try to your dog part of your Christmas greens to see if he likes them. He might not like the idea of being given vegetables alone, so you can pair the vegetable meal with a small amount of turkey or mashed potatoes.[spacer height=”20px”]
Foods Your Dog Shouldn’t Eat
Bulb Vegetables
Bulb vegetables like onions and garlic shouldn’t be fed to your dog. Bulb vegetables can cause your dog digestive problems because of their composition. They can induce vomiting and diarrhea in dogs, but that isn’t even the worst part. They’re also capable of damaging your dog’s red blood cells, which can lead to anemia.
Chocolate
There’s a very common misconception that chocolate is an okay Christmas treat for your dog; this isn’t true. Although rarely fatal, chocolate ingestion can result in health problems. It’s toxic to dogs because of a chemical called theobromine. Besides this, it’s said that dogs can easily choke on chocolate. Refrain from giving your dog chocolate, even on special occasions like Christmas.
Christmas Pudding
No matter how tempted you are, don’t feed your dog Christmas pudding. Many of the ingredients used in Christmas pudding are detrimental to a dog’s health. Feeding your dog Christmas pudding could at the least make their stomach upset. In serious cases, it could lead to kidney damage.
Besides, Christmas pudding isn’t even nutritious. Why would you want to give them that when you can choose nutritious and safe dog foods?
Mince Pie
Just like Christmas pudding, mince pie is made up of ingredients that are harmful to dogs. While some might feed mince pie to their dog with little or no consequences, others aren’t so lucky. The consequences of feeding dogs mince pie usually vary, depending on the digestive system of the dog.
Conclusion
Christmas is a joyous season, and it should remain so. But if you feed your dog a meal that upsets his health and wellbeing, it can get sad quickly. Check properly if your dog can eat the Christmas meals you’ve prepared before dishing it up for him. There are several human meals which your dog can be served on Christmas. Try to feed him those, and steer away from anything harmful.
