Thanksgiving Leftovers Dog Treat Recipes

Thanksgiving comes with all sorts of tasty treats.  There’s turkey or ham, veggies, and all of the fixings.  It’s finished off with dessert.

It can be a tempting time to slip your dog table scraps.  Sharing food is a way that humans socialise after all.  

Some table scraps can be dangerous for your dog though and it can be easy for them to overdo it when everyone is trying to share the love.

Instead of giving them scraps from the table, consider making them their own Thanksgiving treat.

You can stuff a Fenrir Hammer or Dragon Egg  with one of the dog friendly recipes below.

That way your dog can enjoy a tasty treat while you and the rest of the family have dinner at the table.

It will keep them from accidentally overindulging, and out of the way so that they don’t accidentally trip someone and cause an accident.

Recipe Precautions

Not all human food is fit for your dog’s consumption, so there are a few things to keep in mind while preparing your dog’s holiday treat.

Trim the Fat

If your offerings include meat or fish protein, make sure to pull off or trim the extra fat and skin.

Too much fat can cause stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhoea, and even pancreatitis. 

Choose lean meats such as turkey breast or lean roast beef.

Avoid pork which is very fatty.

Anything given to your dog should also be steamed or boiled to prevent it from cooking in any amount of butter or oil.

Skip the Seasoning

It’s no secret that humans love seasonings.  Salt, pepper, herbs, and spices all make food extra tasty for us.

Unfortunately, a lot of what makes food more enjoyable for us is bad for our dogs.

So, if you are going to share with them, do leave a small portion unseasoned for your canine companion to enjoy.

Watch Out for Alliums

Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, and other similar vegetables can be toxic for your dog, and these make a huge appearance during the holiday season.

Make sure they aren’t offered any or given food that’s been cooked with them just in case.

Main Course Recipes for Dogs

Turkey and Gravy

• 6 oz Cooked Turkey Breast
• ½ Cup Cooked Carrots
• ½ Cup Cooked Brown Rice
• No Sodium Broth or Stock

Instructions:

1. In a high speed blender or food processor add the turkey, carrots, and brown rice.
2. Add broth until desired consistency.
3. Stuff into a Fenrir Hammer or Dragon Egg.

Or

1. Chop the turkey into fine bits.
2. In a high speed blender or food processor add the carrots and brown rice.
3. Add broth to carrots and rice until desired consistency.
4. Fold in turkey bits.
5. Stuff into Fenrir Hammer or Dragon Egg.

Roast Beef

• 6 oz Roast Beef
• ½ Cup Cooked Broccoli
• ½ Cup Cooked Brown Rice
• No Sodium Broth or Stock

Instructions:

1. In a high speed blender or food processor add the beef, broccoli, and brown rice.
2. Add broth until desired consistency.
3. Stuff into a Fenrir Hammer or Dragon Egg

Or

1. Chop the beef into fine bits.
2. In a high speed blender or food processor add the broccoli and brown rice.
3. Add broth to carrots and rice until desired consistency.
4. Fold in beef bits.
5. Stuff into Fenrir Hammer or Dragon Egg.

Salmon

• 6 oz Cooked Salmon
• ½ Cup Cooked Green Beans
• ½ Cup Brown Rice
• No Sodium Broth or Stock

Instructions:

1. In a high speed blender or food processor add the green beans and brown rice.
2. Add broth until desired consistency.
3. Flake salmon into small bits and fold in.
4. Stuff into Fenrir Hammer or Dragon Egg

Side Dish Recipes for Dogs

Sweet Potatoes

• Half of a boiled sweet potato
• ¼ tsp Honey
• No Sodium Broth or Stock

Instructions:

1. Mash sweet potato with a fork or use a food processor until desired consistency.
2. Mix in honey.
3. Thin with broth as needed.
4. Stuff into Fenrir Hammer or Dragon Egg

Mashed Potatoes

• Half of a boiled potato

Instructions:

1. Mash potato with fork or use a food processor until desired consistency.
2. Thin with broth as needed.
3. Stuff into Fenrir Hammer or Dragon Egg

Cranberry Sauce

If you make homemade cranberry sauce, this is a fun way to share it with your dog.

If you don’t normally make your own cranberry sauce, it’s a great time to learn and we’ll guide you along below.

• 12 oz fresh cranberries
• ½ Cup Sugar, honey, OR Maple Syrup
• ½ Cup Water
• Zest of 1 Medium Orange

Instructions:

1. Rinse cranberries well and pick out any that are very soft.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine berries, sweetener of choice, and water.
3. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low.  
4. Stir occasionally until the berries have burst and the mixture has thickened to your liking.  5-10 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and add in orange zest.
6. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools and can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Now that your cranberry sauce is made, you can mix it up to make a tasty treat for your dog.  Keep in mind that even homemade cranberry sauce is pretty high in sugar so your dog shouldn’t have a lot.

• 1 Tbsp. Cranberry Sauce
• ½ Cup Plain Nonfat Yoghurt 

Instructions:

1. Fold cranberry sauce into yoghurt
2. Stuff into Fenrir Hammer or Dragon Egg

Dessert Recipes for Dogs

Pumpkin Pie

• ½ Cup Pumpkin Puree
• ½ tsp. Honey
• Optional: ½ Cup Plain Nonfat Yoghurt

Instructions:

1. Combine ingredients well
2. Stuff into Fenrir Hammer or Dragon Egg

Apple Pie

• 1 Apple
• ½ Cup Oats
• ½ tsp. Honey

Instructions:

1. Peel and chop the apple into small pieces.
2. Boil until soft with ¼ Cup water.
3. Cook plain oats as directed by the package.
4. Add to a high speed blender or food processor with honey and blend to desired consistency.
5. If the mixture is too thick, add a small amount of water.
6. Stuff in Fenrir Hammer or Dragon Egg

How to Store these Recipes

It’s always best if you serve these treats right away, but just like with human food, they can be stored in the fridge or freezer for a limited amount of time.

You can place the treat in the fridge for up to three days. We recommend putting the stuffed Fenrir Hammer or Fenrir Dragon egg into an airtight container or zip top bag.  This will help keep the treat fresh a little longer and avoid messes in the fridge.

If you plan to make your dog a frozen treat, it can be left in the freezer for up to two weeks.  Once again, you’ll want to put it in a container or zip top bag to help ensure freshness and avoid messes.

However, it’s always best if you use any treats within 24 hours.  This way you don’t forget about them and they don’t accidentally spoil.

Conclusion

No one wants their dog to feel left out during the holidays and some of us even feel guilty for it.

We hope these recipes above will help you feel like you’re including your dog and you can rest assured that they’re safe and healthy for them to eat.

They’ll thank you for the lack of stomach upset and other adverse health effects those holiday table scraps can cause, and you won’t be left cleaning up the mess.

It’s a win-win situation.

Does your dog have a favourite holiday treat?  Do you have a recipe you’d like to share with us?

Stop by our social media page and spread the holiday cheer.  We’re always happy to hear from you!

FAQs

Can I give my dog any meat from the Thanksgiving table?

When sharing meat like turkey or roast beef with your dog, ensure it's lean, with all fat and skin removed. Avoid pork, as it's usually too fatty for dogs. Meat should be plain – no seasonings, butter, or oil. Steamed or boiled preparations are safest.

Are there any common Thanksgiving foods that are dangerous for dogs?

Yes, you should avoid giving your dog foods seasoned with alliums (like onions, garlic, leeks, and shallots), as these can be toxic to dogs. Also, avoid foods high in fat, sugar, and salt, and never give them cooked bones, chocolate, grapes, or raisins.

How much of these homemade dog-friendly recipes can I feed my dog?

Treat these recipes as special treats, not meal replacements. Even with healthy ingredients, moderation is key to prevent overfeeding. A general guideline is that treats shouldn't make up more than 10% of your dog's daily caloric intake.

Can I store these homemade dog treats, and for how long?

Yes, you can store these treats in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to two weeks. Place them in an airtight container or zip-top bag. However, it's best to use them within 24 hours for freshness and to prevent spoilage.

Is it okay to give my dog cranberry sauce?

In small quantities, homemade cranberry sauce can be a nice treat for your dog. However, remember that it's high in sugar, so limit it to about a tablespoon mixed with plain yoghurt. Avoid store-bought cranberry sauces, as they often contain high sugar levels and other additives not suitable for dogs.