How to Celebrate Thanksgiving with Your Puppy

October 31, 2019

Apart from eating one of the most delicious meals of the year, Thanksgiving is also a time to spend with family and friends—and that includes your beautiful puppy!

Getting ready for Turkey Day can be pretty hectic, causing your puppy unneeded stress and anxiety. You may be tempted to leave your puppy inside a quiet room as you and your guests indulge in turkey and pumpkin pie, but this isn’t exactly a good idea.

Puppies are social creatures. They need consistent human interaction to be happy, and being locked in a room for hours will only make their stress worse.

So don’t exclude your puppy from the Thanksgiving festivities; let them join in! Here are a few tips you can follow to celebrate Thanksgiving with your puppy.

1. Introduce your pup to family and friends.

If you haven’t introduced your puppy to your family, the time to start is NOW. Your guests may be cautious or even scared to approach your pooch for the first time. To calm their anxieties, let your guests know the best ways to greet your cuddly soulmate. You should also be wary of children, who may be overly excited or aggressive when they greet your pup. Make sure your puppy is socialized enough to handle large crowds of people and strangers petting them.

2. Dress your pup for the party.

Before our guests come over, we always take the time to get dressed in our best outfits. What about your puppy? They need to look good too! You can place a little bowtie or bandana around their necks to amp up their beauty. If your puppy loves to wear clothes, there are many Thanksgiving-themed shirts or dresses available. You can also opt for a cute pilgrim or turkey costume so that your furry friend is the center of attention. 

3. Engage your puppy in fun activities.

There’s a chance your puppy may feel bored or left out in typical Thanksgiving festivities (ahem, dinner). But there are several fun alternatives your furry friend can partake in to alleviate their boredom. Is your family watching the Thanksgiving parade on TV? Let your pup cuddle up to them on the couch! Are the children playing catch outside? Encourage them to let your furry cutie join their game. You can also start a fun dog-friendly game that your guests can play too. Regardless of what activity you engage your pup in, they’re bound to have the time of their lives. 

4. Keep Thanksgiving food away.

You can’t have Thanksgiving without the standard turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce and pie meal. Unfortunately, many of these foods can cause your fur-baby to feel sick. Review the list of foods your puppy can and can’t eat before something is fed to them. Tell your family members not to feed your furry friend any table scraps, even if they beg! If a guest wants to treat your pup to a snack, a couple of healthy DIY treats should do the trick!

5. Start an after-dinner tradition.

What’s your usual activity after Thanksgiving dinner? TV and conversation? A walk around the neighborhood? If your pup isn’t snoozing on their doggy bed, start engaging them in a game or activity, especially one that burns off those calories. Bring out their favorite toys and play with them for a while. Put on their leash and head outside for a quick walk. Whatever activity you do, you and your fur-baby will have a great bonding experience!

By following these tips, you will ensure your puppy is a part of the family this Thanksgiving. You may even have a little time to cook your pup their very own Thanksgiving meal. Just make sure your family members and guests understand how to approach and handle your puppy. We hope you and your furry soulmate have a terrific Turkey Day!