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Christmas is an exciting time of the year for the entire family, including your dog. Most owners want their four-legged furry friend to be involved in all the festivities, including a dog Christmas dinner.
Much of what we eat at Christmas is suitable for your dog, but there are a few things to watch out for. Turkey bones, grapes, dried fruit such as raisins and dates, chocolate (unless it’s canine-friendly theobromine-free chocolate), macadamia nuts and alcohol are just a few. They can all cause serious health problems for dogs, so they must be kept out of their food bowl.
That still leaves lots you can share with your dog. Alternatively, you could purchase a ready-prepared dog Christmas dinner.
Dog Christmas Dinner – Starters
Starters should generally be avoided. Starters typically consist of things such as pate, smoked salmon or prawns. Whilst a small amount is acceptable, it is usually not advisable as it can upset your dog’s tummy.
Main Course
Your dog will want to join in enjoying the roast
The Meat
Make sure the meat you serve is free from bones, which can shatter and lodge in his throat and avoid adding gravy as it can be high in salt and may contain onion.
The skins of turkeys also have a lot of fat that your dog will not properly digest.
The Potato.
The good old potato is a staple food for the family. When doing the roast potatoes for the Christmas meal, make sure you don’t add salt to them – you add salt to your taste afterwards.
Carrots.
Either raw or cooked, carrots are perfectly safe for dogs to eat. I recommend cutting them up rather than giving them whole to prevent choking. Again, like with potatoes, don’t add any salt.
Other vegetables for the dog.
If you want your furry pal to join the roast dinner, you can feed them green vegetables like green beans, peas, spinach, carrots and boiled potatoes. Avoid adding spices or butter, which can irritate your dog’s stomach. Also, avoid avocados and mushrooms.
Onions and garlic, etc.
These should be avoided at all costs, and it is worth checking the ingredients on any packaging.
Accomplishments.
Gravy.
Gravy should be avoided when making the dog Christmas dinner as it could contain garlic or onion and be toxic for dogs. It most definitely will be too salty.
Generally, gravy is fatty and should be avoided as it could cause digestive problems such as diarrhoea and vomiting. You can buy dog-friendly gravy,
Stuffing.
Stuffing must be avoided entirely as it contains onions, garlic, spices and herbs. Onions are incredibly toxic to dogs, so foods with onions should not be fed to your dog. Some spices and herbs can cause an upset stomach.
The Desert.
Christmas Pudding and Mince Pies.
We all want some figgy pudding except for dogs. Dogs can’t eat grapes, dried grapes (raisins and sultanas) or dates, so Christmas pudding and mince pies are instantly a no-go. If you want your dog to feel included, you can make some doggy mince pies replacing the mincemeat with dog food.
Don’t forget that Christmas cake, stollen and Panettone contain dried fruit.
Cheeseboard.
If your dog is used to having cheese, he’ll love to share a little bit at the end of the meal, but as high fat, lactose-containing food, if he’s not had it before, it might upset his tummy a little.
Sweets and Chocolate.
Chocolate is highly toxic to dogs; even small amounts can be dangerous. Chocolate contains the chemical compound theobromine and can cause severe reactions such as tremors, convulsions, agitation, and hyperexcitability. Sweets are far too sugary for your dog to eat. Chocolates and sweets are a complete no.
So don’t be tempted to pass him the after-eights.
Nuts.
Nuts are potential choking hazards, so they shouldn’t be offered whole. Some nuts, such as Brazil nuts and macadamias, are toxic and can cause vomiting, tremors and hypothermia if ingested, so keep the nut bowl out of harm’s way.
Alcohol.
Don’t be tempted to share your tipple. Dogs’ kidneys can’t process alcohol and can get ill very quickly.
Now that you know what not to serve your dog for Christmas dinner, you can enjoy your festive time and make your dog Christmas dinner with the foods that will be great for them.
When we make a Christmas Dinner, we go to town with the average cost being over £16 per person, and it would take 36 hours of marching to work it off
Below is an excellent healthy option for your dog on Christmas day. Make it in advance to save yourself yet another job on the day
Christmas Dinner for Dogs Recipe 1
Ingredients
100g minced turkey
50g cooked rice
Small Carrot
A couple of Brussels Sprouts
Heat some olive oil in a pan and gently fry the mince. Stir in the rice, carrot and sprouts, allowing the ricer to soak up the juices and the vegetables to soften.
Once it is all cooked, please remove it from the heat and cool it before serving.
Missy and Roxy give this five-stars
Christmas Dinner For Dogs Recipe No 2
This recipe is ideal for a medium dog and contains around half the recommended calories. The recipe contains 10g of fat and 88g of carbs
Ingredients
100g turkey, roasted skinless
40g canned salmon, drained
350g potatoes, boiled or plain mash
50g Brussels sprouts, boiled
50g carrot, raw or boiled
6tbsp giblet stock
Like all recipes I have made, Missy and Roxy are straightforward. Mix them all up, place them in a bowl, and watch your dogs woof it down.
Finally, don’t forget to check out what foods are safe for your dog this Christmas.
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