How to make your Christmas dinner dog friendly

The best part of Christmas is the food and here at Meatiful, we won’t hear any different! If you feel a little bit guilty when you’re sitting down to tuck into the hearty meal, don’t worry, your pet can get in on the action too! We explain how to safely make a Christmas dinner for your dog that will make their tail wag in merry delight. 

When it comes to a traditional roast dinner, there are many parts of it that your dog can safely eat but at the same time, there are a few things you want to avoid giving to your fur baby.

Thumbs up food

The crowning jewel of any Christmas dinner is the protein and it’s highly likely your pet will agree with this. Your best bet for your dog is lean, white meat that’s had the skin removed. Dark meat is quite rich and may upset your dog’s tummy so opt for turkey/chicken breasts and you’re sure to be on to a winner.

No Christmas dinner is complete without an abundance of delicious fresh vegetables. Vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals that dogs need so you can have peace of mind knowing that you’re helping to keep your dog healthy. The best veg options include boiled/steamed carrots, swede, parsnips, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Chop the veg up and combine it with the protein. We have no doubt you’ll make your dog’s day when you serve up the delicious festive dish. 

Thumbs down food 

As a dog owner, you probably already know that there is a wide range of foods that are either toxic or harmful to dogs. 

We’ll start with the danger foods. Onions are, of course, toxic to dogs but did you also know that the same goes for leeks and garlic? This rules out gravy and stuffing as these will often contain onions or onion powders. 

Most people are aware that dogs can’t have chocolate, but many people don’t know that raisins and sultanas (that make up the delicious filling of mince pies) are also toxic to our canine friends. Not to mention, dogs shouldn’t really have sugar so it’s just one more reason to forgo the mince pies (and any other deserts you have waiting).

When dishing out your dog’s protein, you also want to check very carefully for any bones and remove them before giving the food to your dog. The last thing you want is your dog choking on Christmas day! 

As a general rule, you want to avoid giving your dog anything that is high in fat or contains a lot of sodium. So this pretty much rules out anything with butter, vegetable oil, goose fat, etc. Obviously, we all use these ingredients when cooking our Christmas dinner so the best thing to do is just separate your dog’s portion and make sure you’re only adding salt and butter/etc to the human food. Ultimately, food that’s high in salt and fat can make your dog quite poorly so it’s always best to stay clear, even on a day as special as Christmas. 

If cooking isn’t really your thing or if you’d rather not give your dog human food, why not treat your canine companion to a delicious Meatiful sausage? Made from only the highest quality ingredients, the range comes in three lip-smackingly tasty flavours that will put a spring in your dog’s step. Shop online today and Merry Christmas one and all!