Holiday Treats for your Dog

The holidays are a time of giving. This joyful spirit can be carried over to your canine companion as well, but make sure you know what you're doing before you welcome your pet fully into the holiday festivities. Feeding the following treats to your dog could ruin both of your holidays.

Chocolate

Chocolate is often plentiful during the holiday season and it can be very dangerous for dogs. It can cause problems in your dogs urinary, circulatory, digestive and nervous systems. It can also be potentially fatal. Additionally, dogs love the taste of chocolate, so you should take extra care to keep it away from him.

Other Candies

While chocolate is the most dangerous, a number of other candies and treats are potentially threatening to your dog. Raisins and grapes are toxic, as are macadamia nuts. Furthermore, many candies contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener that is harmful to dogs. You should also make sure you pick up after yourself, the foil wrappers on candies can be harmful if swallowed.

The Main Course

Table scraps from a holiday feast are not an ideal food source for your dog. Many table foods can cause digestive problems, especially if greasy or fatty. Though it may seem appropriate, dogs should not be fed animal bones unless the bones have been properly treated.

Drinks

Popular drinks that may be present during the holidays, like coffee and tea, can be very harmful for dogs, because of the Xanthenes they contain. Alcoholic drinks should not be given to dogs and can be fatal.

Since human foods and drinks are often harmful and sometimes deadly for your dog, you should give him treats designed for canines. Pet stores sell many treats appropriate for these occasions. Just remember, human treats aren't the same as dog treats.