Hey, you eat an awesome dinner for Thanksgiving, why shouldn’t your dog?!
Woo Hoo It’s time for Thanksgiving Dinner!
If you are lucky enough to not be traveling on this Thanksgiving eve, you are likely in the kitchen preparing the big feast. Is your dog watching your every move, just willing you to drop something? I bet this scene is playing out in kitchens across this great country! No doubt about it, Thanksgiving dinner smells great! But can you imagine what it is like for your dog?
A dog is pretty much ruled by its nose!
Depending on the breed, a dog’s sense of smell is between 10,000 to 100,000 times stronger than a human’s sense of smell. Humans only possess about 6 million smell receptors, while our canines can have up to 300 million. Not only that, but their sniffers can detect every. single. ingredient. You and I might smell the yummy turkey and pumpkin pie cooking, but your best friend who is currently giving you the saddest, most hungry eyes you have ever seen, smells not just the turkey, but the sage, rosemary, garlic, mashed potatoes with butter and gravy, cranberries, oranges, cloves, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg… You name it, they can smell it!!
Now that you feel guilty for tempting your dog with all of the yummy smells, you are probably ready to serve up a plate for your pup. Before you do, ignore those hungry puppy dog eyes and consider if your meal is safe for dogs too…here are some things to consider: Onions are deadly for dogs. So is alcohol. Often, our Thanksgiving dinners are much too rich and can cause upset doggie bellies, or worse. And no one wants to spend the night in the emergency vet clinic. So what can you do?
Keep their meal simple!
A little turkey, no gravy. Veggies with no butter or sauce. A small spoon of mashed potatoes. Skip the stuffing, do NOT give them onions, and skip the dessert. A dollop of whipped cream makes an extra special treat!
Or…you can whip up a batch of their own yummy goodness and let them have several days of Thanksgiving! Here’s my recipe for Harvey this year:
Harvey’s Thanksgiving Stir Fry
1 package ground turkey breast (should yield about 2 1/2 – 3 cups)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp rosemary
2 tbsp brown rice flour – optional
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 eggs – whisked
1 16oz can plain pumpkin purée
1 1/2 cup cooked green beans
1 cup cooked quinoa
Add ground turkey, garlic powder, cinnamon, rosemary, rice flour and olive oil to a skillet and cook until there is no pink left in the turkey. Push to side of skillet and pour eggs, scramble, then mix with turkey. Add cranberries, pumpkin, cooked green beans, cooked quinoa and thoroughly mix. Refrigerate in an airtight container.
For a 35lb dog, feed 1 1/2 cups 2x per day – adjust according to your dog’s weight.
Yummy Yummy I’ve got Thanksgiving in my tummy!
To learn more about dangers on the Thanksgiving table, check out the Dogington Post.
What Thanksgiving traditions do you share with your dog? Tell us in the comments below or head over to my facebook page!
Stay safe and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Until next time, have joy in your heart, a smile on your face, and a dog by your side!
Bonnie
