15 Dangerous Foods for Dogs to Avoid This Christmas: Celebrate Safely with Your Pooch
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Celebrate the festive season safely with this essential guide on dangerous foods for dogs. Learn which holiday treats to keep away from your dog, along with safe alternatives to ensure a stress-free Christmas for you and your dog. Stay informed and enjoy the festivities without any mishaps! Stay informed, stay safe, and enjoy the season with your furry family member and without the stress.
Christmas is around the corner and that means plenty of festive cheer to go around. With all this festive cheer it may be tempting to spread a little to your dog through some Christmas food but you have to beware of the dangerous foods for dogs that bombard our Christmas dinners.
Risks of Dangerous Foods For Dogs
Each food has its own risk which is listed below and they can affect our dogs differently due to things like amount ingested, however, it is critical to get in contact with a vet if you believe your dog has eaten any of these foods. You may be redirected to an out of office number but if you can’t contact your vet look into your local animal poisoning line.
What To Tell Your Vet
You’ll be asked a few questions to figure out what the best option of treatment is and whether or not they’ll need to be seen to.
Try to have the following information on hand…
What you think your dog has been exposed to
Keep the packaging if possible for any extra ingredients which may have to be of note
How much you think they’ve eaten
This may be difficult especially if your dog has sneakily had something they shouldn’t have but try to get a guess of how much they’ve eaten
Any effects you’ve seen
Dependent on the timeframe and how much your dog may have ingested, they may or may not be showing any effects. Even if they aren’t showing any signs of poisoning now, they may do later which may be late, always contact your vet just in case!!
Avoidance is Key!
Dogs are opportunists and depending on the scenario, the payout and the stars aligning, they may take the chance.
It’s impossible to keep an eye on our dogs at all times, especially Christmas when there is so much going on.
The key to avoidance is helping your dog win. By this I don’t mean make it easy for your dog to get the food but put a bit of management in place to help your dog avoid letting the intrusive thoughts win.
A few methods for a dog-safe festive period…
- Keep advent calendars and stockings out of reach
- Section off the Christmas tree (especially if you have chocolate coins on the tree or food in presents but you also need to beware of things like Christmas lights and ornaments becoming choking hazards if your dog gets a hold of one)
- Move all plates from table/eating area when done
- Keep your dog out the kitchen while cooking
- Section off the kitchen or clean the floor before leaving it (your four legged hoover may want to play clean up)
- Keep the bin closed!! An open bin will tempt your dog to scavenge
- Place/crate training
- Giving a frozen Kong to keep them occupied while you cook
- Use doors, baby doors and barriers to stop your dog from going in areas
- Make sure NO ONE gives your dog any leftovers unless they know they are safe (I avoid this all together just to be sure)
Discover how you can navigate a stress-free festive period with your dog in my blog post below.
My #1 Lifesaver For Xmas – Frozen Kongs
Before I go through the dangerous foods for dogs, I just wanted to share what I have found to be my lifesaver for Christmas (and in so many other scenarios).
Frozen Kongs! What? Yes, frozen kongs!
I discovered these whilst dealing with Jasper’s separation anxiety but I use them in so many scenarios such as Christmas. The concept is simple, you just fill up with any certain filling and pop it in the freezer, after a few hours give this to your dog and they will end up being preoccupied for a good while! Some of Jasper’s take him a couple of hours!
Kongs are also great for mental stimulation, dealing with boredom and keeping your dog preoccupied while your do things such as cook. The best thing is you can come up with numerous recipes and flavours for your dog to enjoy.
It’s hard keeping an eye on our dogs at all times but we can make sure that we keep them preoccupied and busy in times when we can’t watch them. I also recommend lick mats as well as a great boredom buster too! You can explore more about lick mats here.
15 Dangerous Foods For Dogs To Avoid This Christmas
Chocolate
With Halloween and Easter trailing behind, Christmas is the time we have the most chocolate in our homes and due to this, it’s the most common poison at Christmas.
Theobromine is highly dangerous to dogs and this is the key ingredient when it comes to chocolate.
Make sure to keep things like advent calendars and selection boxes out of reach.
Raisins and grapes – Christmas pudding and mince pies
You’ll find raisins in things like Christmas cake/pudding and mince pies. You should avoid feeding these to your dog as raisins, sultanas, currants and grapes are all toxic to our dogs.
These foods can cause stomach upset and even kidney failure
Macadamia nuts
These aren’t too popular when you compare them with things like Christmas cake and chocolate but macadamia nuts are also something to be aware of.
These foods can cause tiredness, weakness in back legs, stiffness and tremors in dogs.
Christmas plants
Okay this isn’t technically a food but is still something our dogs may ingest over the festive period.
Holly, poison ivy and mistletoe are all toxic and can be deadly to dogs so either avoid using them or keep them out of reach from dogs and keep an eye on case any fall
Sage and onion stuffing
Sage and onion stuffing contains “plants/herbs/ that belong to the allium family, such as chives, leeks and shallots, and these plants are known to all contain a substance that can damage a dogs red blood cells leading to issues such as anaemia.
Blue cheese
‘Roquefortine C’ is a substance found on blue cheeses. This substance is formed due to the fungus which dogs are extremely sensitive to. Exposure can cause serious muscle tremors and seizures which may last for a couple of days.
Alcohol
Dogs are super sensitive to alcohol, ethanol, to the point even the smallest amount can cause concern.
It can be tempting to give your dog a lick of your Bailey’s but avoid this!! Dogs may experience drowsiness and in severe cases low body temperatures, seizures and comas.
Cooked bones
Giving the dog a bone can actually do more harm than good. Cooked bones become brittle and can splinter and get lodged in your dog’s throat and cause other severe issues.
Avoid giving cooked bones or meats that may have cooked bones inside.
Raw bones are a different issue, I only recommend bones that you’d get from a butcher or from a raw pet food shop purely for safety.
Onion, garlic and chives
Once again just like the stuffing, these foods can cause issues and damage with red blood cells. If you’re like me, I use a lot of flavourings, spices and herbs when I cook and that includes things like onions and garlic. Keep your dog out of the kitchen to avoid hoovering any of these stragglers.
Nutmeg
This one is a bit more of a lesser known toxin but nutmeg is in quite a lot of things over the Christmas period, it’s what I call a festive spice.
Inhalation/ingestion can cause tremors and seizures. There was actually a “trend” of people getting a high off of nutmeg, imagine what that would do for our dogs.
Fatty foods
Fatty foods can be dangerous for everyone but for our dogs they can be dangerous. Over Christmas there are plenty of fatty foods such as pigs in blankets which would be a major temptation for our dogs.
Xylitol
This is a popular sweetener and is one that is often found in some peanut butters.
Xylitol can also be found in sweets and lollies and baked goods. Make sure you read the ingredients if your dog have ingested something and see whether it may have xylitol as it’s sweetener.
Xylitol can cause a drop is blood sugar levels, vomiting, lethargy and even liver failure in severe cases.
Milk and dairy
Dogs lack lactase (excuse me there), which is the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk, which means they struggle to digest anything dairy.
Dairy based foods can cause.stomach upset, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Salt and Salty Snack Food
Salt is everywhere nowadays. You may find salt in your dog treats, food, snacks etc. It’s hard to fully restrict how much salt your dog takes.
Making sure your dog has water available at all times, salt will cause excessive thirst and urination so you will want to make sure your dog can replace these liquids.
Too much salt can cause seizures and even death so beware over Christmas as our foods will tend to have a higher salt level.
Yeast dough
For those of us who like baking we may have yeast dough around or foods containing this.
The dough can rise and cause gas to accumulate in the dogs digestive system.
This can be very painful and can cause bloat and/or stomach twisting.
Safe and Festive Alternatives to Dangerous Holiday Foods
Instead of constantly worrying about your dog sneaking a bite of something dangerous during holiday meals, why not plan ahead with some safe, festive alternatives? This can be a great way to include your dog in the holiday fun without the risks associated with human foods that may be harmful to them.
One easy idea is preparing special dog-friendly treats, such as pumpkin and peanut butter biscuits, which are not only delicious but also safe. For a more elaborate option, you can create your own “doggy Christmas dinner” using ingredients like lean turkey (plain and without seasoning), sweet potatoes, and green beans. These foods are all safe for dogs and can help them feel like part of the celebration.
By offering these alternatives, you eliminate the temptation for your dog to beg for scraps or sneak food off the table, preventing accidents and reducing stress for you. Not only will your dog enjoy their festive meal, but you’ll also have peace of mind knowing they’re not consuming anything harmful. Keeping these options on hand during the holidays ensures your dog stays happy, healthy, and part of the family traditions.
4 Great Dog-Friendly Xmas Dinner Ideas
Dog-safe leftovers or dinners
If you are inclined to feed your dog food from your Christmas dinner or if you want to make them their own, then make sure you are avoiding the dangerous foods for dogs that have been listed above. Go for unsalted meats but then add things like pumpkin and cranberries etc. You can make a nice Christmas dinner for your dog that doesn’t have any dangerous foods.
Raw food
If your dog is on a raw food diet you can make it special for your dog over the Christmas period. For example, over the Christmas period, Jasper’s raw food place does goose, turkey and cranberry!
Raw food is great if you want variety with your dogs and I really do recommend it. If your dog isn’t on a raw food diet already it’s best to avoid giving a raw meal just for Christmas.
Branded christmas dinners
You can buy Christmas dinner that comes in the form of “wet food”. For dogs that have kibble, wet food can be a lovely change, plus you can have some great flavours especially over the Christmas time.
Frozen kong
Once again you can use a frozen Kong as a lovely treat for your dog. Discover a great homemade Christmas dinner recipe or maybe even use the three bird feast above?!
There’s so much you can do with frozen kongs and they can keep your dog enjoying their food for longer!!
FAQs
Which Christmas decorations are poisonous to dogs?
We can decorate our houses in so many ways to celebrate the Christmas cheer, but believe it or not some may cause issues for our dogs.
Things like tinsel, baubles, batteries and silica gel all can cause issues. Also keep an eye out for Christmas plants like mistletoe and holly.
How do I get my dog to stop eating Xmas presents?
A pet/baby gate. The easiest thing to do is to section off your presents and also the tree as well. This reduces chances of “mishaps”.
Is Christmas stressful for dogs?
Of course it is, even though it’s a great time, there is a lot of change in routine, you may have visitors, you may have to visit others, loud music etc.
In stressful times our dogs are also more likely to wander off to quieter areas and that’s where they may end up finding trouble.
Final Thoughts
As long as you are aware of the dangerous foods for dogs over the Christmas period, you will be able to ensure that your dog stays safe. Make sure that you stay vigilant and avoid your dog from getting bored and up to no good.
We may feel like we want to treat our dogs over Christmas so they feel included but just make sure you and everyone in the household understands the foods your dog is allowed and not allowed to have a dog-safe Christmas.
