As Christmas food smells start to drift around your home, there’s no doubt you’ll get those puppy dog eyes begging you for a taste. The festive period is a time for sharing, so you’ll likely want to treat your beloved four-legged friend to some tasty goodies. But some human foods are toxic to dogs, so it's important you know what is safe for you pooch to eat. We’ve created this Christmas dinner for dogs guide to help you dish up a feast on the day.

Can Dogs Eat Christmas Dinner?

Yes! There are many festive food items that are safe for dogs to eat, and they’ll most certainly enjoy doing so. But there are also some foods that should be avoided as they can cause digestive problems or worse. Dogs are omnivores, which means they can get the nutrients they need from both plants and meat.

A normal dog food diet of either dry or wet food offers a balanced diet for them, as well as their essential vitamins and minerals, however you can also treat them to some other food occasionally. Introducing new foods can cause a tummy upset, so only offer small amounts gradually. Also keep in mind that your dog’s food is weighed to maintain a healthy weight, so you’ll need to reduce the amount if you’re feeding them other food on that day.

What Can Dogs Eat on a Christmas Dinner?

When preparing a Christmas dinner for dogs, keep it simple. Plain vegetables and meats are the safest and healthiest options. Avoid cooking with oils, butter, salt, pepper, and seasonings because these contain ingredients that may be toxic for your pooch. And make sure all foods are soft and cut into small pieces, otherwise they may be a choking hazard.

Fresh food is best as most tinned items contain added salt or sugars. Sometimes a change in your dog’s diet can cause a tummy upset, so only serve small amounts at a time. It’s also likely that a tasty Christmas dog dinner will result in some stinky farts... you have been warned!

Here are some dog friendly Christmas foods that you can serve up as a Christmas dog treat:

• Turkey and chicken: remove skin and bones and stick to white meat.
• Pigs in blankets: both bacon and sausage are high in fat and salt, plus pork is difficult for dogs to digest, so only give a small amount.
• Salmon: make sure there are no bones.
• Prawns: cooked and peeled to avoid harmful bacteria and the risk of choking.
• Potatoes: boiled or mashed but without butter or salt. Only feed a small amount as potatoes are high in starch, so can be difficult to digest.
• Cranberry sauce: often high in sugar, so look for an unsweetened version. For a safer alternative, add some fresh cranberries to your Christmas dog dinner.
• Carrots: fed raw as a crunchy treat that most dogs love. They’re fine to feed cooked too.
• Peas: boiled without any seasonings make a great veggie option.
• Broccoli: another veggie that dogs tend to enjoy raw but beware of the hard stem. It’s safest to serve cooked broccoli.
• Cauliflower: avoid giving your dog cauliflower cheese; just plain boiled cauliflower is the best way to add this to your dog’s meal.
• Green beans: another healthy cooked vegetable option.
• Brussel sprouts: if there are leftovers, you can usually find some brussels lurking around. Your dog will enjoy these, but you probably won’t enjoy their farts afterwards!

Alternatively, you can buy a tinned Christmas dinner dog food that contains festive ingredients like turkey and cranberry.

What Not to Feed Your Dog at Christmas

Some traditional Christmas foods are toxic or can be harmful to dogs, so keep them out of reach. Even a wrapped box of chocolates hidden under the Christmas tree will probably be found and gobbled up before you know it. If your dog eats any food, it shouldn’t, they’ll need to be seen by your vet. Some foods can cause serious health issues or even death, especially these ones:

• Cooked bones: softened during the cooking process so are prone to splintering, which can cause blockages and intestinal damage.
• Onions and garlic: these are part of the Allium family, along with chives, shallots, spring onions and leeks. If a dog eats even a small amount of these foods, it can cause damage to their red blood cells. They’ll also cause diarrhoea and vomiting. Garlic and onion granules are even worse, and can be found in seasonings, sauces and gravy so avoid adding any of these to a Christmas dog dinner.
• Gravy: this often contains garlic and onion and can be high in salt and fat. There are dog gravy options available to buy, made with bone broth.
• Christmas pudding, mince pies and Christmas cake: contain lots of raisins and sultanas which are highly toxic for dogs.
• Stuffing: contains onions, which are toxic to dogs. Stuffing also contains spices and herbs, which can cause a stomach upset.
• Macadamia nuts and walnut: contain a toxin that causes neurological problems or seizures in dog. Never leave a bowl of nuts within reach of your dog.
• Chocolate: contains theobromine which is highly toxic to dogs - even a small amount can be fatal. Dark chocolate contains the highest level of theobromine. Cocoa powder also has very high levels, so take care when baking Christmas treats. And don’t hang chocolate decorations on your Christmas tree, they’ll soon be sniffed out!
• Dairy products: a dog’s digestive system is not designed to digest dairy products after it has been weaned from its mother’s milk. Adult dogs can be lactose intolerant to varying degrees, so dairy products can cause loose stools, diarrhoea, vomiting, gas and a tummy ache. Dairy products are also often high in fat which can lead to pancreatitis, however you should be able to find dairy free alternatives that are safe for dogs to eat, like a dog ‘chocolate’ advent calendar, or doggy ice cream.

Can dogs have Christmas dinner? Yes, they can! And the best part is, you don’t need to look for a complicated Christmas dinner recipe specifically for dogs, as they can share a lot of what you’ve cooked for your Christmas Day guests.

There are many meats and vegetables that can be served as part of a dog’s Christmas dinner, including that tantalising Christmas turkey that has been cooking for hours. But there are some human foods that are unsafe for dogs to eat. Luckily there are often alternatives, like dog friendly gravy or chocolate.

Even if you’ve been extremely cautious, your dog may manage to sneak an extra treat. Contact your vet if your dog eats something it shouldn’t or shows signs of digestive upset, like vomiting and diarrhoea.

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