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It's not just humans who get excited for Thanksgiving. For dogs, a day full of wonderful scents and tasty morsels is hard to pass up. The good news: plenty of foods from your table are safe to share — as long as you know which ones to skip.
Safe Foods (Plain and in Moderation)
1. Sweet Potatoes
A great food for dogs and humans alike — full of fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and beta-carotene. Serve plain, with no added butter, sugar, or marshmallows.
2. Apple Slices
Remove the skin, seeds, and core first — the seeds contain compounds that aren't safe for dogs. A few plain slices make a crunchy treat.
3. Turkey Meat
Plain, well-cooked white meat with no skin, no bones, and no seasoning is fine in small amounts. Skip the drippings and gravy unless it's unseasoned.
Other safe foods in moderation, plain and unseasoned: regular potatoes, green beans, peas, cranberries, carrots, and pumpkin (plain, not pie filling). A small dab of whipped cream is an occasional treat for most dogs.
Unsafe Foods to Keep Away
1. Turkey Skin and Bones
Cooked bones can splinter and damage the digestive tract, and the skin is loaded with fat and seasoning that can trigger stomach upset — or pancreatitis in sensitive dogs.
2. Fats and Seasonings
Fatty, fried, buttery, or heavily seasoned foods are harsh on a dog's stomach and can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
3. Anything With Xylitol
Xylitol (sometimes labeled "birch sugar") is a sugar-free sweetener in many gums and desserts and is highly toxic to dogs. If you share a sweet, double-check it's xylitol-free — and note that many peanut butters contain xylitol.
Other unsafe foods: onions and garlic, grapes and raisins, chocolate, alcohol, nutmeg, rich casseroles, ham bones, stuffing, and creamed vegetables. For a full rundown, see the AKC's Thanksgiving foods guide and the ASPCA's list of people foods to avoid.
A Calm Treat for the Big Day
Holidays mean a full house, doorbells, and commotion — a lot for some dogs. For a safe, go-to treat that also supports calm, our organic hemp dog treats come in a pumpkin-harvest flavor dogs love.
Organic, full-spectrum hemp biscuits to support calm on a busy holiday — human-grade and third-party tested, made on our Colorado family farm.
Shop Hemp Dog Treats →Frequently Asked Questions
Can dogs eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
Yes — plain, well-cooked white turkey meat with no skin, bones, or seasoning, in small amounts. Skip the skin (fatty and seasoned) and never give cooked bones, which can splinter.
Can dogs have mashed potatoes or gravy?
Plain potato is fine, but most mashed potatoes and gravy are loaded with butter, salt, and seasonings that upset a dog's stomach. If you want to share, set aside a plain, unseasoned portion first.
Is pumpkin pie safe for dogs?
Plain pumpkin is great for dogs, but pumpkin pie is not — it's high in sugar and spices like nutmeg. Stick to a spoonful of plain canned pumpkin instead.
What Thanksgiving foods are most dangerous for dogs?
Onions and garlic, grapes and raisins, chocolate, alcohol, xylitol-sweetened desserts, and cooked turkey bones are the ones to keep well out of reach.
This content is for general safety information and is not a substitute for veterinary care. If you suspect a poisoning, contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control center immediately.
