By the Nini's Choice Team · Updated November 2026
Thanksgiving is a high-temptation day for dogs: rich food on every counter, a house full of guests, and decorations within reach of a wagging tail. This guide covers Thanksgiving safety for dogs, including foods to keep off their plate, how to keep a nervous dog calmer, and a simple look for a family photo.
This article is general information, not veterinary advice. If you think your dog has eaten something harmful, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison helpline right away.
Foods to keep away from dogs
The ASPCA's list of people foods to avoid is the list we use as a baseline. On Thanksgiving, the items that come up most often include:
- Chocolate, coffee and caffeine. These contain methylxanthines, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, restlessness, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and, in serious cases, death. Darker chocolate and baking chocolate carry more risk than milk chocolate.
- Grapes and raisins. These can cause kidney damage in dogs, including when they're baked into stuffing, salads or desserts.
- Xylitol (a sweetener in some sugar-free gum, candy, baked goods and certain peanut butters). It can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar and, depending on the amount, liver damage.
- Onions, garlic and chives, including powdered forms in stuffing, gravies and casseroles. They can damage red blood cells.
- Fatty leftovers such as turkey skin, drippings and buttery sides. The ASPCA Thanksgiving safety tips note that rich, fatty foods can lead to pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) in dogs.
- Cooked poultry bones. Cooked bones can splinter. The ASPCA recommends that if you share a bite of turkey, it should be boneless and fully cooked. Raw or undercooked turkey can also carry Salmonella.
- Alcohol, raw bread dough, and macadamia nuts. VCA's holiday foods guidance and the AAHA's Thanksgiving foods overview also flag these as holiday hazards.
If you want to offer a Thanksgiving taste, the ASPCA's suggestion is to stick mostly to your dog's normal diet, and if you add anything, to use small pieces of boneless, fully cooked turkey, plus plain sweet potato or green beans, mixed into their regular dinner, without seasoning, butter, skin or bones.
A calmer plan for a busy house
Guests, doorbells and a change in routine are often harder on dogs than the meal itself. A simple plan helps:
- Give your dog a quiet room with water, a bed and the door or a baby gate between them and the busiest part of the house. Let guests know the dog isn't a party favor.
- Walk and toilet your dog before people arrive, so they start the afternoon tired and comfortable.
- Keep food up high and don't leave plates on low tables or in the hands of small children near the dog.
- Give them a job. A sniffing or puzzle activity in that quiet room occupies a food-motivated dog while you eat. VCA Animal Hospitals describes snuffle mats as a beginner-friendly foraging toy: you hide dry kibble or small dry treats in the fabric and let your dog sniff them out.
- Snuffle Mat for Dogs: A ruffled snuffle mat with a hanging loop for storage. Use part of your dog's regular dry food so you're not adding a lot of extra calories on a rich day. It's in the Holiday Sale. New to snuffle mats? Read Snuffle Mats for Dogs: What They Are and How to Use Them Safely.
- Dog Puzzle Toy – Treat Dispensing Puzzle: A treat-dispensing puzzle for dogs who like a slightly harder job. Start easy so they win early, and supervise.
- Dog Treat Pouch: A magnetic silicone treat pouch, useful if you're rewarding calm behavior as guests come in. Also in the Holiday Sale.
More calm-day activities are in Dog Enrichment Ideas at Home and in Calm Mealtime and Enrich & Play.
A cute Thanksgiving photo, without the stress
If you want a holiday picture, keep it short, shoot in natural light, and take the accessory off when you're done. The Thanksgiving Dog Bandana is a fall tartan plaid scarf made for this kind of photo, in red or blue and in several sizes (use the size chart on the product page). It should sit comfortably at the neck, and you should be able to slip two fingers underneath.
For more on light, timing and reading stress signals, see How to Take Christmas Photos of Your Dog and the AKC tips for taking photos of your dog.
Shop seasonal looks in the Holiday collection.
Decorations and leftovers
The AKC guidance on dog-friendly holiday decorating recommends keeping breakable ornaments, tinsel, loose hooks and food decorations out of a dog's reach, and securing anything a tugging dog could pull down, including stockings. After the meal, put leftover turkey, bones and foil out of reach, including in a closed trash can your dog can't open.
FAQ: Thanksgiving safety for dogs
Can dogs eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
A small amount of plain, boneless, fully cooked turkey is what the ASPCA describes as an optional taste, mixed into a normal meal. Skip the skin, gravy, seasoning, stuffing and bones, and don't let a generous helping replace your dog's regular food.
What should I do if my dog steals food off the counter?
Note what and roughly how much they ate, and call your veterinarian or a pet poison helpline. Don't wait to see if they "seem fine," especially with chocolate, xylitol, grapes, raisins, bones or a large amount of fatty food.
How do I help a nervous dog with guests?
Give them a quiet space, keep greetings optional, and offer a familiar sniffing or puzzle toy. Don't force a dog to be hugged or posed for photos. If anxiety is severe, ask your veterinarian for a plan before a busy holiday.
Is the Thanksgiving bandana in the Holiday Sale?
No. The Holiday Sale is 15% off a selected set of gifts through December 1 and does not include this bandana. Shipping options and costs are shown at checkout; see the FAQ.
This article is for general information and isn't veterinary advice. If you think your pet has eaten something harmful, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison helpline right away. Questions about an order? Email us at hello@ninischoice.com or see our FAQ.