As passionate dog owners and neighbors here in the Denver and Boulder area, we know your furry crew member is an integral part of your family. Thanksgiving is a day of gratitude, relaxation, and, of course, delicious food. It’s natural to want to share the feast with your best furry friend, especially when those sweet puppy eyes are begging under the table.
However, many of the traditional, rich foods we enjoy pose serious health risks to our dogs, often leading to unexpected and costly trips to the emergency veterinarian. To help you maintain the peace and harmony of your home this holiday, our Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) team has put together the definitive guide on what not to feed your dog on Thanksgiving. In this blog, we explain why certain ingredients are dangerous and how to set your dog up for a calm, happy, and safe holiday.
What Not to Feed Your Dog on Thanksgiving: Common Toxins and Other Dangerous Items
The richness and density of holiday foods pose a high risk to your dog’s digestive system. When considering what not to feed your dog on Thanksgiving, we categorize the risks into two levels: High Toxicity and Severe GI Risk.
High Toxicity Risk
These are the items that can pose an immediate, life-threatening danger to your dog. They contain chemical compounds that are poisonous to dogs, even in small amounts, and consumption requires immediate emergency veterinary attention. Knowing these hazards is the first step toward prevention.
| Food Item | Why It’s Dangerous | Toxicity Level |
|---|---|---|
| Grapes & Raisins | The toxin is still unknown, but consumption can lead to acute kidney failure. Do not leave fruit salad or baked goods containing these unattended. | 🔴 Critical |
| Xylitol (Artificial Sweeteners) | Found in sugar-free baked goods, certain peanut butters, and sugar-free cranberry sauce. Xylitol causes a rapid, life-threatening drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and can cause liver damage. | 🔴 Critical |
| Nutmeg | Often found in pumpkin pie and sweet potato casseroles. Nutmeg contains myristicin, which can cause hallucinations, disorientation, high blood pressure, and even seizures. | 🔴 Critical |
| Alcohol | Any amount can cause intoxication, vomiting, and diarrhea. In severe cases, it can lead to dangerous drops in blood sugar, body temperature, and even coma. | 🔴 Critical |
| Raw Yeast Dough | The warmth of a dog’s stomach causes the dough to rise, which can lead to bloating and stretching of the stomach (a possible precursor to bloat/GDV). The yeast also produces alcohol, leading to toxicity. | 🔴 Critical |
Severe Gastrointestinal (GI) Risk and Hidden Hazards
These foods are major sources of hidden fat, salt, and potential physical hazards that can lead to severe pain and secondary medical conditions. While not strictly toxic, these items can cause life-threatening secondary conditions or serious digestive distress. Understanding these GI risks is crucial for maintaining your dog’s health and comfort.
High Fat Foods and the Risk of Pancreatitis
One of the most common reasons for emergency veterinary visits around Thanksgiving is Pancreatitis, which is the painful inflammation of the pancreas.
The pancreas is responsible for producing digestive enzymes and regulating blood sugar. When a dog consumes a large amount of fat (especially in one sitting), the pancreas goes into overdrive and becomes inflamed. This condition is severely painful and can be fatal. What not to feed your dog on Thanksgiving includes any high-fat scraps like turkey skin or gravy, precisely because of this dangerous risk.
Foods to Avoid Completely
- Turkey Skin and Fat Trimmings: Highly concentrated in fat, even a small piece can be dangerous.
- Gravy: Loaded with fat, salt, and often alliums (onions/garlic) as a seasoning base.
- Butter and Oil: Used in mashed potatoes, stuffing, and vegetable dishes.
- Ham and Bacon: Cured meats are extremely high in fat and salt, leading to a high risk of Pancreatitis and dehydration.
The Truth About Bones
Although dogs and bones feel like the perfect combination, cooked bones are often a recipe for disaster. If you’re thinking about giving your pup a hambone or a turkey leg to gnaw on, we urge you to reconsider. If you take one thing away from this blog, let it be this: Do not feed cooked bones to your dog.
- Splintering Danger: Unlike raw bones, cooked bones become brittle and can easily splinter into sharp shards.
- Internal Trauma: These sharp fragments can cause serious trauma, leading to life-threatening perforations or obstructions in the throat, stomach, or intestines, often requiring expensive, emergency surgery.
- The Carcass: Once the turkey is carved, secure the carcass immediately. It is a high-volume source of both fat and dangerous cooked bones.
Alliums and Seasonings
Onions, garlic, chives, and leeks belong to the Allium family and are toxic to dogs. Foods in the Allium family remain toxic whether cooked or raw, powdered or fresh. They damage your dog’s red blood cells, leading to anemia (red blood cell destruction).
- Hidden Danger: They are the foundation of flavor for stuffing, soups, casseroles, and marinades. Even a small amount of leftover gravy or a piece of turkey cooked with onion powder is dangerous. These common ingredients make up the core list of Thanksgiving foods toxic to dogs, and their consumption can lead to serious health issues for your canine companion.
While other herbs like rosemary and sage aren’t strictly toxic, they can cause significant stomach upset if eaten in large quantities. When feeding your dog anything, the golden rule is to stick only to plain, unseasoned food.
Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
Potatoes and sweet potatoes can be safe additions to your dog’s meal, but only when prepared plainly. This is a frequent source of confusion for owners, who often do not realize that the way we prepare these foods for human consumption makes them dangerous for our dogs. To prevent potential harm, the rule is simple and absolute: plain and cooked only.
- The Solanine Risk: Raw potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams contain a toxin called solanine. This is eliminated through cooking. Never feed your dog raw potato pieces.
- The Hidden Danger: When potatoes or sweet potatoes are mashed, they are almost always prepared with milk, butter, salt, and sometimes garlic or chives. A dog cannot safely consume mashed potatoes unless they are boiled and prepared completely plain.
What is Safe to Feed Your Dog on Thanksgiving?
If you absolutely must share a piece of the holiday with your four-legged companion, it must follow the Plain Rule. This rule aligns with the clear communication and healthy boundaries we emphasize at BlackPaw Dog Training.
Remember, any shared food should not account for more than 10% of your dog’s total daily calories.
| Dish | Safe Option (Prepared PLAIN Only) | Why It’s Safe |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Small piece of cooked, white meat. Must be boneless, skinless, and only in moderation. | Excellent source of lean protein. |
| Sweet Potatoes | Small amount of boiled or baked sweet potato. NO sugar, butter, marshmallows, or spices. | Good source of fiber and vitamins (A and C). |
| Mashed Potatoes | Small amount of boiled potato. NO butter, salt, milk, or cream. | Contains necessary vitamins, but strictly must be plain. |
| Pumpkin | A tablespoon of plain, canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling). | Great source of fiber to help digestion. |
| Green Beans | Steamed or boiled plain (no butter, oil, or canned soup/cream). | Source of vitamins and fiber. |
Freedom Through Training
The best way to prevent your dog from eating Thanksgiving foods toxic to dogs is a combination of securing all food and having reliable control over your dog in a high-distraction, high-reward environment.
This is why BlackPaw Dog Training focuses on real results, real fast, giving you the confidence that comes with a reliable off-leash dog. On a holiday like Thanksgiving, a dog with solid foundational obedience has a few key advantages:
- Reliable Place Command: You can send your dog to their “place” (bed or mat) for the entire duration of the meal, minimizing exposure to dropped food and human traffic.
- Solid “Leave It”: This is a critical life-saving command that allows you to instantly stop your dog from ingesting a dropped grape, a piece of cooked bone, or another hazardous food.
- Calm & Balanced Mindset: Our training addresses core anxieties and impulses. A dog in a calmer, more balanced state is less likely to engage in frantic scavenging and begging behavior.
If your holiday is currently defined by constant fear of jumping guests, excessive begging, or anxiety about what your dog might grab, we can help. Our Boarding School Programs are designed to deliver a transformed dog and the peace of mind that comes with perfect, real-world control.
Emergency Action Plan
Despite your best efforts to know what not to feed your dog on Thanksgiving, accidents happen, especially with the abundance of food. If your dog consumes something on the High Toxicity Risk list (like Xylitol, Raisins, or Cooked Bones), follow these steps immediately. Do not wait for symptoms.
- Do Not Induce Vomiting (unless instructed by a vet).
- Remain Calm: Your dog senses your energy.
- Gather Information: Note exactly what the dog ate, how much, and when.
- Call Immediately: Contact your local emergency veterinary clinic or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Enjoy the Freedom of a Safe Thanksgiving
This Thanksgiving, let’s focus on the joy of companionship, not the stress of managing a behavioral crisis. By keeping the list of Thanksgiving foods toxic to dogs—or, rather, what not to feed your dog on Thanksgiving—in mind and maintaining clear, consistent boundaries, you set your dog up for success.
The expertise we bring from our Search & Rescue background allows us to give you the tools for ultimate safety and control, ensuring your dog can participate Colorado lifestyle, whether that’s hiking, camping, or simply enjoying a peaceful holiday dinner with family.
If you are tired of the anxiety and ready for a definitive solution, contact BlackPaw Dog Training in Boulder, CO today. We are passionate about giving you and your family the Freedom Through Training you deserve.