It’s that time of year!
Twinkly lights – steamy beverages – yummy food: the list goes on and on for the joys of the holidays. Friends and family come together to enjoy sacred celebrations. As you gather around the table and pass your favorite festive treats, let’s not forget about your furry family members.
Sometimes our pet friends get forgotten during the holidays. The chaos of familial travel or visitors can heighten stress in a pet’s life. So, as you get ready for your Christmas dinner, take a moment to think about treating a certain four-legged family member to a special meal or treat.
The Challenges of Holiday Food and Pets
Thanksgiving tends to coincide with an uptick in vet visits associated with unsafe human foods according to Which Thanksgiving Foods Can I Give My Dog? During the holiday craziness, you may let your guard down or your sneaky pooch may steal some of your fixings.
Consider establishing food rules for your furry friends – maybe even share these with your visitors! You don’t want your little niece or nephew feeding the animals under the table. Maybe your furry friend would benefit from a comfortable, secure location away from the chaos if you are hosting.
If you are looking to expand your pet’s pallet with some holiday food, it is important that you know your pet and their food tendencies. Just because foods are pet-safe doesn’t necessarily mean they will agree with your furry friend. Always make sure to safely test a new or nonstandard ingredient in miniscule amounts.
That being said, here are some festive foods safe for your floof!
Pet-Safe Holiday Food Ideas
There are plenty of nutritious and delicious novelty foods for your pet. Just like us, dogs can love sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, green beans, peas, and turkey meat! If you do decide to feed one of these foods to your floof, make sure you keep it free of any additions (spices, butter, etc.).
Humans aren’t the only ones who love dessert! For a special treat, your pet can enjoy apples (avoiding seeds/cores), pumpkin puree, and plain yogurt (xylitol free). These ingredients have amazing health benefits, including for your pet!
For more information, check out Which Thanksgiving Foods Can I Give My Dog? complete with veterinarian quotes on the benefits of the aforementioned goodies.
Holiday Pet Recipes
If you are looking to take your pet’s holiday meal to the next level, here are some holiday pet recipes you are going to want to try out!
For a beautiful classic, check out these Candy Cane Dog Treats! This simple and healthy recipe that utilizes bone broth is an adorable and neutral treat. You likely have this recipe’s 5 ingredients in your kitchen: These Easy DIY Dog Cookies Are The Perfect Holiday Treat For Your Pup!
For non-holiday themed recipes, check out our blog on Homemade Pet Treats for some recipe highlights!
Pet Cookbooks
If you are a pet chef extraordinaire – or know such a person – have I got a treat for you! Here Are 4 Dog Food Cookbooks You Will Actually Use. This blog highlights some Amazon-sold cookbooks chock-full of recipes. This is the perfect gift for your furry friend, your animal lover friend, or maybe you should treat yourself!
Don’t Forget The Furry Friends
No matter your plans for the holidays, make sure you keep your pets in mind. See to it that they have the best holiday season they can. Try to uphold their routine as much as possible, including around food.
The holidays can be stressful for us all – including our furry family members. Let’s make sure we show them some love this year. Just like us, they are likely to love a special meal or treat in the seasonal spirit.
