Gobble Gobble


thanksgiving-interior048

 

This is the time of year when many Americans think of the things in their lives that truly matter, and give thanks for them. At Pine Lodge Labradoodles, we have much to be thankful for. Both Roy and Heidi’s mothers and fathers are still living and it’s a joy to enjoy them. There are 4 sons, a daughter, and 3 spare sons in the Alcorn family who are all healthy and busy making lives of their own throughout the world. Half a dozen of them are married and we’ve been blessed with 19 grandchildren to fill our lives with joy. Our home is always a bustling center of activity and we are thankful to our Heavenly Father for the rich family life we enjoy. Of course, we can’t forget to mention how thankful we are for our Australian Labradoodles! They are not only our business, but our friends in their silly, goofy, doggy way. Like many of the best things in life (including our children) they drive us crazy some days, but we wouldn’t want it any other way.

Many of you out there will be enjoying Thanksgiving Feasts with lots of rich and exciting foods. Your homes will smell so so amazing-turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls, mashed potatoes…and pie! Do you know who will be sitting at your feet during your prep, eating, and clean-up? That’s right, your faithful Labradoodle.

Labradoodles love turkey too

 

Did you know many of your favorite holiday foods might be dangerous for your favorite doodle to eat?

Here’s a brief-and certainly not complete-list of some of the common Thanksgiving foods we hope you will avoid letting your Labradoodle eat:

  1. Turkey Skin can be quite dangerous for a few reasons. It’s high in fat which is never good for dogs, but it also hold a lot of the marinade, spices, butters, and oils that your turkey was cooked with. It’s difficult to digest and can lead to pancreatitis!
  2. Cooked Bones-not just the turkey bones! Cooked ham and turkey bones are not safe for dogs. After cooking, the bone becomes brittle and can easily splinter and tear your dog’s digestive tract. If you’re really wanting to give you Labradoodle a bone, be sure it’s a raw one!
  3. Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Scallions all contain sulfides which are toxic to dogs. These can lead to anemia. Onions are the worst offender here, and cooking them doesn’t reduce their toxicity!
  4. Alcohol is a definite nope. Maybe dogs love the taste of beer, but just like humans-just because it tastes good doesn’t mean it’s good for you! Any alcohol, but particularly the hops in beer, can cause death in dogs.
  5. Nuts, especially Walnuts & Macadameia Nuts are very dangerous to dogs. There is a condition called “macadamia nut toxicosis.” Within half a day of eating them, dogs may be unable to stand, might vomit, have tremors, fever, weakness, and elevated heart rate. Often the symptoms will resolve with some care, but they can lead to deadly shock.
  6. Nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves…basically everything in pumpkin pie except the pumpkin! These spices can cause seizures and nervous system problems, even death, if eaten in a large enough amount.
  7. Sage contains essential oils that can upset your dog’s stomach. This time of year, many stuffing recipes and turkeys will have sage in them.
  8. Chocolate, dough, and batter can be dangerous for your dog. Most people know chocolate as a pretty basic NOPE for dogs. But did you know raw yeast dough can actually continue to rise in your dog’s stomach? This will cause bloating and pain. Batters often contain raw eggs which, like for humans, brings the risk of salmonella.

But wait . . . there are some foods that are great for dogs!

  1. Pumpkin is a great high-fiber treat for dogs. I know, we cautioned against pumpkin pie above. But plain cooked/canned pumpkin is often even veterinarian-recommended for upping the fiber intake in pooches who are irregular . . . so you can imagine what the outcome may be if your dog eats too much pumpkin! Dogs do usually enjoy both sweet potatoes and pumpkin, just be sure they’re plain!
  2. Carrots and green beans are a tasty treat for dogs, too. Be sure and leave some out from your glazed carrot and green bean casserole dishes for your Labradoodle to munch on!
  3. Turkey in small amounts is a treat that’s sure to be gobbled up quickly! Be sure you remove the skin and bones (see above for why)!

 

From the Pine Lodge Labradoodle Family to yours, we hope your Thanksgiving is delicious, and filled with warm memories and laughter!