Thanksgiving is a time of family, food, and celebration. Your dog also may want something special during the holiday feast. The dog food topper is a simple idea that can be an easy way to incorporate a little doggy food into your dog’s regular meal.
The best topper is one made with simple ingredients and without ingredients that are poisonous to dogs. You don’t have to give your dog leftovers from a hearty Thanksgiving feast. Otherwise, you can cook a small amount of safe food in a separate area.
Today, we’re going to go over healthy Thanksgiving dog food toppers, quick and easy recipes, safe ingredients, tips on serving and foods to avoid.
What Is a Dog Food Topper?
A topper for dog food is a small portion of food that sits on top of your dog’s food.
Can add extra flavor to food without supplanting the food.
Small amounts of plain cooked turkey, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots or green beans can serve as a topper for many healthy dogs for Thanksgiving.
The secret is in the amounts.
A topper is not a meal in and of itself, but rather an additional food item.
Most of the nutrition your dog needs should come from their regular complete and balanced diet.
What Is a Thanksgiving Dog Food Topper?
What is a Thanksgiving Dog Food Topper?What’s the point of a Thanksgiving Dog Food Topper?
A Thanksgiving dog food topper can be helpful if you want to share a special holiday meal with your pup, but don’t want to serve them the table scraps.
It also allows you to manage the ingredients.
You can make a small piece of turkey without gravy for your dog instead of giving him gravy covered turkey.
Instead of pumpkin pie, you can use plain pumpkin.
This easy method saves on excess sugar, salt, fat and flavorings.
1. Plain Turkey Dog Food Topper
Some of the easiest Thanksgiving toppings are plain cooked turkey.
Use turkey that is:
- Fully cooked
- Plain
- Boneless
- Skinless
Remove heavy seasoning from food.
Trim off excess fat before serving.
Slice turkey into small pieces or shred it.
Mix a small quantity in with your dog’s regular meals.
Never feed turkey that has been marinated in gravy, butter, onion or strong seasonings, or anything containing garlic or onion.
Turkey bones should not be fed to dogs after cooking as they may break apart.
2. Pumpkin Dog Food Topper
An alternative option is plain pumpkin.
Do not use pumpkin pie filling.Do not use pumpkin pie filling—use plain pumpkin puree.
In small quantities, pumpkin can be a healthy addition to the diet of many dogs, as it provides valuable fiber.
Feed your dog a little bit at a time and mix it in with their daily meals.
Introduce pumpkin to your dog one time at a time and monitor for gastrointestinal distress if it has not been previously introduced.
A large amount of pumpkin may lead to gastrointestinal issues as well.
3. Sweet Potato Dog Food Topper
Simple Thanksgiving dog food topper from plain cooked sweet potato.
Cook sweet potato until soft.
Take the skin and mash the flesh.
Do not add:
- Butter
- Sugar
- Syrup
- Marshmallows
- Salt
- Seasoning
Once the sweet potato has cooled, mix in some plain, cooked sweet potato to your dog’s usual food.
4. Turkey and Pumpkin Topper
A simple holiday topper is to mix plain turkey and plain pumpkin.
Bite size chunks of cooked turkey and some plain pumpkin puree.
Combine and then top your dog’s food with a small amount.
Limit the size of the serving.
Simple homemade Thanksgiving dog food topper that is easy to prepare.
5. Sweet Potato Topper is the Perfect Accompaniment to Turkey
A simple meal pairing is plain turkey and cooked sweet potato.
Shred the turkey and mash the sweet potato.
Mix a small amount of each ingredient.
Let food cool before serving.
Don’t garnish with gravy, salt, butter or seasoning.
6. Green Bean Dog Food Topper
This can work in tandem with any dog food as a topper.
Many dogs love green beans, too, as a topper in their dishes.
These should be simple and unflavored, and not include butter, salt, sauces, onion or garlic.
If necessary cut into small pieces.
Add a little to your dog’s regular feeding.
When properly cooked, fresh or plain frozen green beans can be used.
Do not purchase canned green beans that have a high sodium content.
7. Carrot Dog Food Topper
Another simple choice is plain cooked carrots.
Rinse and cook the carrots until they can be eaten safely.
Divide them into pieces.
No butter, sugar, salt or seasoning added.
A small amount of carrot can be added to your dog’s regular feeding.
This is a simple Thanksgiving dog food topping recipe that is easy to prepare.
Simple Thanksgiving Dog Food Topper Recipe
If you’re ready for one of the easiest recipes, you can do this simple mix.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons plain cooked turkey
- 1 tablespoon plain pumpkin
2 tablespoons of the cooked sweet potato mixture
Directions
Cut turkey into small pieces.
Blend the sweet potato.
Combine the turkey, pumpkin and sweet potato.
Allow to cool down thoroughly.
Mix in the food that your dog already eats, but in small quantities.
This recipe is designed to be used sparingly and is not a complete and balanced meal.
Thanksgiving Foods to Avoid
Here are some Thanksgiving foods that should be avoided:
There are several foods from the Thanksgiving feast that are not good for dogs.
Avoid giving your dog foods containing:
- Chocolate
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Onion
- Garlic
- Xylitol
- Alcohol
- Macadamia nuts
- Cooked bones
- Very salty foods
- Very fatty foods
- Heavy sauces
- Sugary desserts
Certain foods may be poisonous, and others may lead to stomach upset or other health issues.
Before sharing prepared food, look at the entire list of ingredients.
Can Dogs Eat Thanksgiving Turkey?
Dogs are allowed to have Thanksgiving turkey, but only in specific forms.
When safely prepared, a little plain turkey is safe for dogs.
Take the skin and bones off.
Never buy turkey that is too “cured” or glazed in the gravy.
There is a high amount of fat in turkey skin and seasoning can include onion and garlic.
For Thanksgiving, make a plain portion of turkey if you’re planning on using it as a dog food topper.
Is Pumpkin Safe for Dogs to Eat on Thanksgiving?
Is Pumpkin safe for dogs to eat on Thanksgiving?
Dogs can eat plain pumpkin once in a while.
But pumpkin pie is not like that.
There are ingredients like sugar, butter, spices, and other things that can be added in pumpkin pie.
Instead use plain pumpkin puree.
Do not presume that a human Thanksgiving recipe is correct simply because it has one human-friendly ingredient.
How Much Topper Should You Give?
How much Topper should you give?
Portion size matters.
The amount required depends on your dog’s size, age, activity level, health and usual diet.
Use only a little in the beginning.
Extra food and treats should be a modest amount of your dog’s regular daily intake of calories.
When adding too much topper, you can expect your dog to eat less of its balanced food.
Extra calories can also lead to weight gain.
Are Homemade Dog Food Toppers Good?
Are homemade dog food toppers good?
If used in the right quantities and the right ingredients, homemade toppers are an easy option to create variety.
But homemade foods don’t equal a complete and balanced meal.
Turkey, pumpkin, and sweet potato are good individually, but do not make a complete meal for a dog.
If you wish to feed your dog homemade food more frequently than you feed the dog the complete commercial food, consult your veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist for advice.
How to Introduce a New Dog Food Topper
These are the basic steps to take when introducing a new topper:
Add foods gradually.
Always start with a small amount added to your dog’s regular meals.
Keep an eye on your dog for any signs of stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhea or any unusual discomfort.
If your dog becomes aggressive when a new food is introduced, discontinue the change and seek your veterinarian’s advice if the symptoms become more serious or don’t get better.
Some dogs with allergies, medical issues or certain special diets require other foods.
How to Store Thanksgiving Dog Food Toppers
Cool leftovers properly and keep in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Avoid letting cooked turkey or other perishable foods sit in the fridge or freezer for extended periods of time.
Small amounts of plain turkey, pumpkin and sweet potato can also be frozen for a later use.
Check the appearance and odor of the stored food before serving.
Throw away anything that appears spoiled or has been stored improperly.
Final Thoughts
A healthy Thanksgiving dog food topper can be as easy as it gets to make your dog’s holiday meal just a little more special.
With small amounts, many healthy dogs will appreciate having these healthy foods as toppings on their cooked turkey, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, and green beans.
Avoid gravy, butter, sugar, heavy seasoning, onion, garlic, chocolate, grapes, raisins, xylitol, alcohol or cooked bones.
The simplest way to do this is to prepare your dog’s meals away from the family’s Thanksgiving feast.
Please note: A topper is a supplemental food, not a replacement for complete and balanced dog food.
Always use a small quantity, particularly when adding new ingredients. Please consult your veterinarian before introducing new foods to your dog if they have an allergy, a medical condition, or special dietary requirements.
Thanksgiving desserts can be a wonderful treat for your dog, with just a few simple ingredients and careful portions you can keep your regular diet intact and make it a safe way for your dog to enjoy the holiday.
