Christmas dinner for dogs

Most dogs would love to tuck into turkey and all the trimmings on Christmas Day. But before you fill your dog’s bowl with stuffing and pigs in blankets, it’s important to find out which Christmas foods dogs can eat safely – and which seasonal foods are poisonous and so should be avoided.

Petplan Vet, Brian Faulkner, shares his tips on dog-friendly food during the festive season. ‘Dogs taste food in a similar way to humans, picking up sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami (savoury, meaty) flavours,’ he says. ‘Their noses are super-sensitive, and at Christmas there’s a mind-blowing olfactory experience going on for them!

‘As a rule, however, savoury foods are better for dogs than sweet ones, which contain unhealthy sugars,’ he says. ‘Above all, your dog should continue to have a healthy, balanced diet – even though we humans may be indulging in some decadent treats.’

Here are some parts of our Christmas dinner that dogs can eat – and other festive foods that are fine to share with our four-legged friends.

You can make your dog up a small bowl of unsalted, lean turkey meat, adding some Brussels sprouts and other vegetables – but steer away from onions and carbs such as stuffing, bread or Yorkshire puddings.

Mashed potatoes – with no oil or butter – broccoli, swede, apple and some mild cheese (not blue cheese) are also safe, as are scrambled eggs with no salt, butter or oil. Just make sure to keep new foods to a minimum to avoid stomach upsets.

There are also plenty of Christmas treats for dogs that you can buy, but the quality can be variable. Instead, create some delicious homemade dog treats so as to avoid preservatives and other potential nasties.

If you fancy treating your dog to a home-cooked Christmas meal, check out this vet-approved recipe.

Ingredients

• 500g turkey mince
• 1 large egg
• 100g grated carrot
• 50g diced Brussels sprouts
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sage
• 1/2 tsp cranberry powder

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly.
• Using a spoon, create small meatballs from the mixture and place on a baking tray.
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked through.
• Allow meatballs to cool before serving to your dog. You can store leftovers in the fridge or put some in the freezer for later.

Dogs have individual taste preferences, but you can augment their meaty treats with whatever vegetables they enjoy: carrot sticks, cauliflower, cucumber or peppers.

‘While dogs don’t have cellular enzymes to process whole vegetables, these cause no harm and provide a filling, textured treat,’ says Brian. ‘Lightly cook them or blitz in a food processor to allow your dog to get the nutrients from these vegetables.’

Our sociable dogs tend to love Christmas and other holidays when their ‘pack’ expands and there’s extra attention – and potential treats – to be enjoyed. ‘We feel such an affinity with dogs that it makes us happy when they’re eating. They know just how to play the sad-eyed begging game,’ says Brian.

‘Be very firm with guests who might be tempted to sneak things off their plate to the dog. Explain there’s a special dog Christmas dinner for your pet and prepare a box of safe homemade dog treats they can offer,’ he continues. ‘Once they are finished, that’s it, no more – however adorably pleading the face!’

Mock dog wines and champagnes may be a fun marketing idea, but Brian advises against them. ‘If you give dogs a choice of water or apple juice, they’ll go for water by instinct – and they don’t mind if it’s from a mountain spring or a muddy puddle.

‘Carbonated drinks are not suited to a dog’s digestive system, and they may contain palatants – flavour additives – that are often not declared on the ingredients list and can cause a negative reaction.’

‘Regular mealtimes for humans can be disrupted during Christmas, but unless your dog has health issues which require a strict timetable, it’s fine to vary when you feed your dog,’ reassures Brian – though you should continue to offer a healthy diet so they don’t gain any weight.

As well as making sure your dog eats the right foods, it’s important to keep your dog insurance up to date so you can access the best possible care should your dog fall sick over the festive period. If you have a dog insurance policy with Petplan, you can also access our Pet Expert Chat to ask for advice on your dog’s diet – simply log into your My Petplan account and go to MySupport to get 24/7 vet support.