5 Dog-Friendly Christmas Foods You’ll Want To Share

Black Dog with Pie

‘Tis the season of feasting and merrymaking. Leaving our pooches out of the celebrations is going to take more control than ever. From ham to log cake, roast turkey and more, it’s easy for well-meaning family and friends to unknowingly turn your dog’s digestive system upside down.

Share this nifty roundup of festive food that dogs can happily chomp on with them and it’ll save you from a morning after of the type of presents you don’t want to receive, and needless to say, your dog’s tummy will thank you for it!

Turkey
The centrepiece to every Christmas dinner, turkey is a low-fat white meat that dogs will enjoy eating. Pick out the parts that are the leanest (the white parts) with excess fat removed and give the cooked meat a good rinse with water to remove any salt from the meat before giving it to your dog. Do make sure that it is given skinless and boneless, and definitely without any trimmings and gravy. As with most foods, practicing moderation is key when feeding turkey meat.

Brussels Sprouts
Steamed, boiled or microwaved, this cruciferous vegetable is loaded with an array of vitamins including vitamin k – a bone builder and heart strengthener, vitamin A, vitamin C, in addition to fiber and anti-oxidants. While it is a safe food choice for dogs, stick to just one or two Brussels sprouts at most, otherwise you’ll end up with a gassy pup walking around your dinner table.

Cranberries
If you are one of those who take their Christmas dinners extremely seriously and make your own cranberry sauce from scratch, slip your buddy some of those fresh, whole cranberries. Cranberries are well-known for helping both humans and dogs maintain healthy urinary tracts. It also contain vitamins A, B1, B2 and C. Keep your eyes peeled for any spoon licking as cranberry sauce itself contains amounts of sugar and other potentially dangerous ingredients to dogs such as raisins and nutmeg.

Sweet Potatoes
Not only are they chock full of carotenoids which are converted into vitamin A, rich in dietary fiber and minerals like potassium, manganese and magnesium, sweet potatoes also contain lesser carbohydrates and are much healthier compared to regular white potatoes. Set some of these health-giving cooked chunks aside that are without any butter or salt to treat your dog.

Green Beans
Not only are green beans a super nutritious and low calorie vegetable, it contains minerals such as manganese and folate, and vitamins K, C and B2. These stringy beans also contain valuable amounts of the mineral silicon, a bone and connective tissue-supportive nutrient. As long as the green beans have not been cooked with other alliums like onions, whole garlic or leeks, they’re absolutely safe and beneficial for your pal.