Thanksgiving is all about food. While it’s a wonderful time to spend with family and be grateful for your blessings, everyone is most excited about the food at a Thanksgiving dinner. Some of us spend weeks just thinking about the mouth-watering turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie! These dishes are special because we only eat them once a year. During Thanksgiving, it’s important to keep your American cocker spaniel safe. There is so much food during holiday festivities that it’s easier than ever for them to get into something. However, there is good news, too. There are quite a few traditional Thanksgiving foods that American cocker spaniels and AKC cocker spaniels can eat! Here is a list of the safe and not so safe foods for your furry friend this Thanksgiving:

Dog-friendly Thanksgiving foods

  • Turkey: Your dog loves turkey just as much as you do! It’s completely safe for them to eat, as long as it’s fully cooked and skin-free.
  • Pumpkin puree: Pumpkins are healthy for dogs because they’re full of fiber. Just make sure that your dogs only eat fresh pumpkin free of any spices or sugar.
  • Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are a vitamin and nutrient-filled snack that your dog can have year round! As long as you feed your pups fresh (not canned) sweet potatoes and yams, this is a safe Thanksgiving treat.
  • Carrots: Carrots are high in antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber- all great for dogs! Dogs can enjoy this food either raw or cooked!
  • Green beans: Green beans are safe for dogs to eat- as long as they aren’t part of a casserole. These beans are high in vitamins C and K, which can help keep your dogs healthy.

Here we’ve gone through a list of delicious dog-friendly thanksgiving foods. Your dog will surely love these delicious foods but always be concerned about how much food your Cocker Spaniel consumes as overfeeding may lead to serious health issues.

Dangerous Thanksgiving foods for dogs

  • Cooked bones: Bones are toxic for dogs at any time of the year because they can cause indigestion. They can even splinter in your poor dog’s tummy!
  • Turkey skin: Turkey skin can easily upset a dog’s tummy because of its high fat content and seasonings. While dogs can eat small amounts of turkey meat, they should never eat the skin.
  • Nuts: Some nuts are safe for dogs in moderation, but walnuts and macadamia nuts should be avoided. These nuts are high in fat, which can lead to vomiting and pancreas problems in dogs.
  • Raisins: Both grapes and raisins are incredibly dangerous for dogs to eat because they can cause fatal kidney damage. Be sure to keep all salads with this fruit far away from your American cocker spaniel!
  • Onions, garlic, scallions, and chives: The thiosulphate found in onions, garlic, scallions, and chives is toxic to dogs. This is why they should never consume any Thanksgiving stuffing!
  • Chocolate: Chocolate is toxic for dogs due to an ingredient called theobromine. Dogs are incapable of digesting theobromine and can die if they consume it.

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate with friends and family- including your fur family! However, it’s crucial that you keep your American cocker spaniel and other dogs safe during the holiday festivities. Fireworks and noisy events may cause a lot of stress for your Cocker Spaniel — so always pay special care to your dog when you organize any fireworks event.
If you stick to the guidelines above, both you and your dog will be sure to have a safe and fun Thanksgiving.