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Do you want to make Thanksgiving special for your pet?! Here are a few suggestions for pet friendly Thanksgiving dinner recipes!

by Elka Georgieva

Our dogs are a part of our family so it's only fair that they get to partake in our family traditions and family meals with us. Few holidays say ‘family meals’ like Thanksgiving. While traditional Thanksgiving dinner is best saved for human members of the family, especially since certain ingredients such as chocolate, onions, and raisins are toxic to canines, there are some great ideas for incorporating certain aspects of thanksgiving dinner into a homemade Thanksgiving feast for your dogs.

The meal can certainly incorporate turkey, green beans, rice, zucchini, carrots, cheese, apples, oatmeal, and a whole slew of other tasty ingredients. Put together according to a few handy recipes now, your pup can be part of the family celebration on Thanksgiving. And if you have leftovers...your four-legged child will give you thanks for those as well.

Homemade Thanksgiving Turkey and Rice Dinner

The following recipe provides a great combination of dog-safe choices for a tasty dog meal suitable for the theme of Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

  • Lean Turkey (3 lbs)
  • 5 cups of rick (uncooked)
  • 2 shredded carrots
  • 3 cups of chopped spinach
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 shredded zucchini

Preparation Directions

  • Measure about 3 cups of water to cook the 1.5 cups of uncooked rice
  • Brown the lean turkey on medium heat in a large pot, combining it with olive oil to prevent it from sticking. (If olive oil is not an option, you can substitute it with any other dog-friendly cooking oil). Crumble the cooking turkey with a spatula.
  • Add the cooked rice to the turkey pot along with carrots, spinach, and zucchini. Set the temperature to low and allow the combination to cook until the spinach wilts and the food cooks all the way through.
  • Once the food has finished cooking, let it cool. Once it cools down, you can feed it to your dog!

Leftovers for the meal can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It is not recommended to be served to your pet after 5 days. However, you can freeze the meal to serve at a later date in an airtight container in the freezer for as long as 3 months.

Homemade Turkey and Sweet Potatoes Dinner

Whether you incorporate leftovers or cook the meal from scratch, your dog will adore the turkey and sweet potato combination of this delectable recipe with a moderate carb level, suited perfectly for healthy adult dogs. Small dogs can enjoy 3/4s of a cup, with medium dogs needing about 1.5 cups, while more active and larger furry friends might eat as many as 3 cups of the calcium heavy meal.

Ingredients

  • Light and dark skinless turkey mean (about 3 lbs)
  • 1 lb of sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup (roughly 6 oz) of cooked oatmeal
  • 4 tablespoons of turkey gravy (this one is an optional addition, and can be substituted by olive oil)
  • 2 tablespoons of cranberry sauce

Preparation Directions

  • Lightly oil a roasting pan. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.
  • Cook a thigh or boneless breast for 30 - 45 minutes, a boned breast or thigh for 45 minutes to an hour, or an entire turkey for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the point where, upon piercing, the meat juices are clear. Then, allow it to cool.
  • Remove the bones. Dice the meat into large chunks.
  • Roast the sweet potatoes with the turkey for the last 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are tender.
  • In the meantime, follow the package instructions to pre-cook the oatmeal.
  • Mix the turkey meat, the sweet potatoes, the oatmeal, and cranberry sauce together. If gravy or an oil is being used, add it in now and thoroughly mix it into the combination.

That's it, as soon as it has cooled and been fully mixed, feel free to serve your pup their Thanksgiving feast.

Homemade Chicken Dog Treats

If you have a dog who prefers chicken over turkey, you can let them skip the goggles for some chicken flavored dog treats, freshly homemade for their Thanksgiving meal. With just seven ingredients, you can make as many as 5 dozen chicken flavored dog treats for your favorite pup, or for a bunch of his neighborhood friends.

Ingredients

  • 5 cups of low-sodium canned chicken stock (have more on hand for brushing as well)
  • 25 cup of wheat germ
  • 1 cup of all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup brewer’s yeast
  • 5 tablespoons of canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon of salt

Preparation Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 400F.
  • Whisk together flour, wheat germ, salt, and yeast in a bowl and set it aside for the moment.
  • Place oil in a large bowl and in three alternating batches add in the flour and stock mixture, beginning (and ending) with stock. Mix well.
  • Roll out a sheet of about 3/8 inch thick dough on a floured work surface.
  • Use a bone-shaped cookie cutter to shape the treats or cut around a shape with a butter knife.
  • Customize the treats in whichever way you prefer. When done, transfer the shaped dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Then repeat the process with whatever dough you have left.
  • Place the baking sheet in the 400-degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove them after that time period and brush their surface with chicken stock, then rotate them on the baking sheet, and bake for another 10 minutes.
  • Repeat the process with as many dough shapes as you have.
  • When done with each set, let the biscuits stay in the oven after it has been turned off with the door closed until they have completely dried for about 1.5 hours.
  • They can then be wrapped or stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Give your pup a chance to celebrate with you by consuming a delicious Thanksgiving meal in your company. They likely love being part of your family already, but now they will be even more ...thankful.

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