Keep Your Dog Healthy During the Holidays
It doesn't matter if you dog has just inhaled a 20-pound bag of chow, if there's family coming over for a nice holiday bird, ham or prime rib, the mutt is still going to drool as it sits by gramma's table. And being the motherly type, you know she's sneaking a turkey bone, loaded with meat to the dog.
Bad gramma.
Vets Are Usually Closed on Xmas
As humans, we love our fats. Dogs, on the other hand, can't process human food unless you prepare it for them using dog-friendly recipes. Simply giving them scraps can do a number on their pancreas, blood sugar levels, digestive system and tummies.
Other need-to-know things about what you should avoid feeding your best buddy:
€ Cellophane, aluminum foil or anything you wrap leftovers in are not digestible. No one in their right mind would give their pup a wad of waxed paper. But the animal will ferret-out what's inside the trash can while sniffing around the kitchen.
€ Clean your countertops unless you have a really small dog. They'll place their paws on the table when you're eyes are in the other room watching the game.
€ Any bones from a fowl will splinter when torn apart by your dog's mouth. As they swallow it, the scraps sliver into sharp shards of death that could rip a hole in their intestines or stomach. Same with pork bones. The only skeletal thing you could consider giving your animal is a nearly indestructible beef bone. Not T's, rib-eye or porterhouse - they're going to also make tiny weapons as they travel down the canine's throat. Make sure the bone is thick and rock-like.
€ Grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts can cause them not just an aching stomach, but they could die because of what these foods are made of.
€ Chocolate and any type of candy is a no-no. Especially something from the cocoa tree.
€ Even sugar-free candies are toxic. Why? It's because of this chemical called xylitol. Manufacturers use this stuff to make the treat sweet. For the dog, it could cause their liver to go on the blink, permanently.
€ Mix-up a batch of rum-soaked egg nog? Any type of alcohol can kill your pet. Raise your glasses high.
€ Two ingredients of the holy trinity of cooking are garlic and onions (peppers are the third, in case you didn't know). Want to punish your dog with anemia, feed them these two succulents. Peppers? Some dogs actually enjoy a slice-or-two of raw pepper. No problem there.
€ If there are kids helping you prepare some baked goods - cookies, bread, cake - they always like to sneak a taste of the uncooked dough. A dog has a tendency to be a glutton. As your bread rises, you're tending to other matters. The dough is a temptation for your canine. Since the stuff would continue to expand on the table, can you imagine what it will do to a dog's system? As they grow bigger-and-bigger, they're not becoming balloons, but they risk exploding all over your Xmas ham.
Gold Standards
What's a mother to do when the gaggle of relatives and friends begin to arrive?
€ If your lifelong friend is crate trained, time for a little off-line time before the meal.
€ A well-trained animal can stay in the room. Just give them a place to hang and bring their blanket or huge pillow. Surround the mutt with fave toys, too.
€ When you eat, feed the pal at the same time. They're part of the family. Let them enjoy a nice bowl of their own grub as you settle-in passing the potatoes to the humans in the group.
€ Got a baby gate? Take the big guy to another room and fence them in.
Human Food That Dog's Can Eat
Gonna make this simple. There are some so-called human foods that dogs can munch-on €¦ in moderation:
€ Beets of the raw variety are actually treats for a mutt.
€ Most types of green vegetables are just fine for the canine's palate. Green beans, spinach, broccoli, asparagus are just ducky. Does your dog have stink mouth? A couple of sprigs of fresh parsley will work wonders.
€ Meat, as long as it's lean.
€ Every store-bought bird usually comes with a pack of organ meats inside the cavity. The liver, gizzards and heart can be boiled and fed to your pet. An added plus is that the broth can be used to add extra flavor to your gravy.
Bad gramma.
Vets Are Usually Closed on Xmas
As humans, we love our fats. Dogs, on the other hand, can't process human food unless you prepare it for them using dog-friendly recipes. Simply giving them scraps can do a number on their pancreas, blood sugar levels, digestive system and tummies.
Other need-to-know things about what you should avoid feeding your best buddy:
€ Cellophane, aluminum foil or anything you wrap leftovers in are not digestible. No one in their right mind would give their pup a wad of waxed paper. But the animal will ferret-out what's inside the trash can while sniffing around the kitchen.
€ Clean your countertops unless you have a really small dog. They'll place their paws on the table when you're eyes are in the other room watching the game.
€ Any bones from a fowl will splinter when torn apart by your dog's mouth. As they swallow it, the scraps sliver into sharp shards of death that could rip a hole in their intestines or stomach. Same with pork bones. The only skeletal thing you could consider giving your animal is a nearly indestructible beef bone. Not T's, rib-eye or porterhouse - they're going to also make tiny weapons as they travel down the canine's throat. Make sure the bone is thick and rock-like.
€ Grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts can cause them not just an aching stomach, but they could die because of what these foods are made of.
€ Chocolate and any type of candy is a no-no. Especially something from the cocoa tree.
€ Even sugar-free candies are toxic. Why? It's because of this chemical called xylitol. Manufacturers use this stuff to make the treat sweet. For the dog, it could cause their liver to go on the blink, permanently.
€ Mix-up a batch of rum-soaked egg nog? Any type of alcohol can kill your pet. Raise your glasses high.
€ Two ingredients of the holy trinity of cooking are garlic and onions (peppers are the third, in case you didn't know). Want to punish your dog with anemia, feed them these two succulents. Peppers? Some dogs actually enjoy a slice-or-two of raw pepper. No problem there.
€ If there are kids helping you prepare some baked goods - cookies, bread, cake - they always like to sneak a taste of the uncooked dough. A dog has a tendency to be a glutton. As your bread rises, you're tending to other matters. The dough is a temptation for your canine. Since the stuff would continue to expand on the table, can you imagine what it will do to a dog's system? As they grow bigger-and-bigger, they're not becoming balloons, but they risk exploding all over your Xmas ham.
Gold Standards
What's a mother to do when the gaggle of relatives and friends begin to arrive?
€ If your lifelong friend is crate trained, time for a little off-line time before the meal.
€ A well-trained animal can stay in the room. Just give them a place to hang and bring their blanket or huge pillow. Surround the mutt with fave toys, too.
€ When you eat, feed the pal at the same time. They're part of the family. Let them enjoy a nice bowl of their own grub as you settle-in passing the potatoes to the humans in the group.
€ Got a baby gate? Take the big guy to another room and fence them in.
Human Food That Dog's Can Eat
Gonna make this simple. There are some so-called human foods that dogs can munch-on €¦ in moderation:
€ Beets of the raw variety are actually treats for a mutt.
€ Most types of green vegetables are just fine for the canine's palate. Green beans, spinach, broccoli, asparagus are just ducky. Does your dog have stink mouth? A couple of sprigs of fresh parsley will work wonders.
€ Meat, as long as it's lean.
€ Every store-bought bird usually comes with a pack of organ meats inside the cavity. The liver, gizzards and heart can be boiled and fed to your pet. An added plus is that the broth can be used to add extra flavor to your gravy.