Thanksgiving Foods Dogs Can and Cannot Have

Your dog can have a few small bites of plain, fully cooked, boneless, skinless turkey on Thanksgiving, along with a little plain sweet potato or a few green beans. Almost everything else on the table is too rich, too risky or outright toxic, so the safest plan is to share very little and guard the rest.

The trouble on Thanksgiving is rarely the dog's own plate. It is the unattended plate, the open trash bag and the pie sitting on a low table. Here is what to hand over, what to keep away, and how to set up the day so nobody ends up at the emergency clinic.

What your dog can safely share

Keep it plain: no butter, gravy, seasoning, onion or garlic. Small pieces of boneless, skinless, thoroughly cooked turkey make a nice topper on regular food. Raw or undercooked turkey can carry salmonella, so cook it all the way through.

Plain sweet potato and green beans are reasonable extras too. The ASPCA suggests mixing a few small pieces of turkey, sweet potato or green beans into your dog's usual dinner rather than serving a separate feast.

Keep portions small. A big helping of rich food, or gulping it down too fast, can upset a dog's stomach all by itself.

Foods to keep away from your dog

These are the ones that cause the most trouble at a holiday table.

• Turkey skin, gravy and fatty scraps. Fat can set off pancreatitis, an inflamed pancreas that can become life-threatening. Even a small amount of grease or skin is enough to cause a problem in some dogs.
• Cooked bones. Poultry bones are a choking hazard and tend to splinter. They can injure the esophagus, stomach or intestines or cause a blockage, and surgery is sometimes needed.
• Onions and garlic, including the ones cooked into stuffing and gravy. They can damage red blood cells and lead to anemia.
• Grapes and raisins, which turn up in stuffing, salads and baked goods. They can damage a dog's kidneys. Read more on our grapes page.
• Sugar-free desserts. Some contain xylitol, which can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and liver failure.
• Raw yeast dough and rolls that are still rising. The dough keeps expanding in the stomach, causing painful gas and bloating, and the fermentation produces alcohol.
• Alcohol. Even a few laps from a forgotten glass can cause poisoning in a dog.
• Chocolate. Pies, brownies and candy dishes all count.
• Bouillon and very salty broth. The sodium load can lead to thirst, vomiting, tremors and seizures.
• Rich desserts. Pumpkin pie with whipped cream or apple pie with ice cream can bring on pancreatitis.

The kitchen, the counters and the trash bag

Most Thanksgiving emergencies come from things dogs take, not things people hand over. A turkey carcass on the counter, a garbage can full of bones and onion trimmings, or a dish of stuffing left at nose height can all do real harm.

Seal the carcass, bones and scraps in a tightly tied bag, then put it in a closed container outdoors or behind a closed door. Empty the kitchen trash throughout the day instead of letting it fill up. A baby gate across the kitchen doorway keeps a determined counter-surfer out of the action.

Clear plates and glasses as you go, especially anything alcoholic. Ask guests to keep purses, bags and coats up and out of reach too, because visitors' medications are a common cause of pet poisoning.

Guests, doors and a quiet place to retreat

A houseful of visitors can overwhelm even a friendly dog. Give yours a quiet spot away from the noise, such as a bedroom or a crate with a favorite toy, and make it available before the doorbell starts ringing.

Watch the door during arrivals and departures, because open doors and excited dogs are how many pets get lost. Check that your dog's ID tag is current and that the microchip is registered with your up-to-date details.

Decorations count too. Amaryllis, baby's breath, sweet William, some ferns and hydrangeas are toxic if chewed. Corn cobs, pine cones and small gourds are choking and blockage risks. If you are unsure about a plant, check it against the ASPCA's toxic plant list before it goes on the table.

Give your dog a Thanksgiving of their own

Dogs do not need turkey to enjoy the day. They need something to do while the humans eat. Spread part of your dog's regular dinner on a lick mat, or stuff a puzzle toy, and hand it over in a quiet room just before everyone sits down.

Stick to the usual feeding schedule where you can. A long walk before guests arrive helps too, since a tired dog is far less likely to patrol the table.

If family members want to treat your dog, put a small bowl of approved bites on the counter, such as a few pieces of plain turkey and green beans. That way the treating happens on your terms.

If your dog eats something they should not

Call your vet or the nearest emergency clinic straight away. You can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 (US; fees may apply). Outside the US, contact your local emergency vet.

Do not try to make your dog vomit. Some things do more harm on the way back up, such as splintered bones that can injure the esophagus, and the decision belongs to a vet or poison specialist. Have the details ready: what your dog ate, roughly how much, when, and how much your dog weighs.

Over the next hours, keep an eye out for vomiting, diarrhea, belly pain, sudden depression or any other change in behavior. Our page on vomiting in dogs explains what to look for.

When to call your vet

Call straight away, day or night, if your dog:

• Ate onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, raw dough, chocolate, alcohol or anything sweetened with xylitol
• Swallowed a bone or you suspect a blockage
• Is vomiting repeatedly, cannot keep water down or has a hard, swollen belly
• Seems unusually tired, wobbly, tremulous or has a seizure

When you cannot tell whether something is dangerous, call anyway. A quick phone call costs far less than a holiday night in intensive care.

Written from veterinary sources by the Pawsplained editorial team. Not yet reviewed by a veterinarian; this is general information, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. Updated Oct 30, 2026. Editorial policy