5 treats that will make Thanksgiving fun for your furry friend
By the time Thanksgiving Day actually rolls around, you’re probably drooling over the prospect of a plateful of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. But what about your pup? He shouldn’t be left out of the Turkey Day celebrations. Whip up a few pet-friendly courses, including these treats, so that your pooch can enjoy a Thanksgiving feast, too.
- Turkey Meatloaf [Travels With My Dog]
Your canine companion deserves to enjoy some Thanksgiving turkey, too, but that doesn’t mean you should slave away in the kitchen for an extra day. Instead, make this easy, healthy turkey meatloaf that’s safe for your pup. It consists of high-quality protein in the form of eggs and ground turkey, plus fiber-rich oat bran and amaranth seed and antioxidant-packed carrots and sweet potato. Simply bake in a greased pan and slice it into small squares for your dog to enjoy on Thanksgiving Day. - Cranberry-Cheese Cookies [Gluten-Free Canteen]
Do you heap your Thanksgiving plate with a side of cranberry sauce every year? Here’s a version of this traditional accompaniment that your dog will enjoy. You’ll have to think ahead in order to make these cheesy “cookies” since the dough needs to refrigerate at least overnight, ideally for two days. But other than this detail, the cookies are pretty easy to make. Toss the ingredients, including fresh cranberries and grated hard cheese, into your food processor. Then, after refrigerating the resulting dough, roll it out between pieces of parchment paper and use cookie cutters to create fun shapes or simply cut it into squares. - Apple Oatmeal Treats [Brownie Bites]
Add another slightly sweet course to the canine feast with these apple-oatmeal treats. The natural sugar in a banana and applesauce sweeten a biscuit made with a base of shredded carrot, whole-wheat flour, oats, and water. The result is a tasty treat packed with lots of fiber to keep your pup both happy and healthy as you devour your own eats at the table. - Pumpkin Pie Dog Biscuits [Dog Treat Kitchen]
Let your furry friend skip straight to dessert and dole out one or two of these DIY, dog-friendly pumpkin pie bites. Pure pumpkin isn’t just safe for dogs, it’s actually good for them. After all, it packs a nutritious punch of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and some potassium. These pumpkin pie biscuits skip any added sugar in favor of ginger, cinnamon, and allspice, with a bit of natural peanut butter, rolled oats, and whole-wheat flour forming a filling base. - Safe Table Scraps [Pet Health Network]
You don’t necessarily need to mix up a batch of special doggy treats in order to include your pup in the day’s festivities—you can just feed him some scraps from your own table. Many of the dishes you’re already serving are safe to share with dogs, like a small amount of lean turkey breast, plain veggies, and, of course, cheese. You can even let him have a few nibbles of stuffing, as long as it doesn’t contain any potentially toxic ingredients like raisins, currants, onions, or garlic.