Pet owners are increasingly turning to social media platforms instead of search engines, with searches for “homemade dog food recipe” on TikTok rising by an impressive 134% over the past year. Now, with the festive season in full swing, many dog owners are seeking Christmas dog food recipes. In particular, the search term “Christmas dinner for dogs” has been searched over 1,900 times on TikTok in the past month alone.
That’s why Barking Heads, a premium nutrition-led dog food brand, has analysed a popular “dog-safe” Christmas dinner on TikTok. With expert advice and important watch-outs, to help pet owners create a festive meal for their pooch, so they can be part of the holiday celebrations too!
Dog Safe Christmas Dinner
|
Name of Recipe |
Ingredients |
Number of views on TikTok |
|
Dog Safe Christmas Dinner |
Sprouts Broccoli Carrots Turkey Pigs in blanket Peas Cranberry sauce Plain potato Bone broth |
1.4 million |
The festive season is in full swing, and pet parents are eager to include their dogs in the holiday fun, especially when it comes to preparing Christmas dinner. Barking Heads took a closer look at a popular “Dog Safe Christmas Dinner” recipe, which has over 1.4 million views on TikTok. To provide expert guidance, Resident Pet Nutritionist Sarah McNamara and Vet Dr. Scott Miller shared their advice and what foods to avoid when preparing a festive meal for your pooch.
The main ingredients to avoid when preparing a Christmas dinner for your dog include:
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Pigs in Blankets
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Cooked bones
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Cranberry Sauce
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Onions
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Garlic
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Raisins
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Artificial sweeteners
If you are thinking of making your dog the same recipe or a similar dog safe christmas dinner, Pet Nutritionist, Sarah McNamara, pinpointed some ingredients to avoid and guidance for dog owners, this festive season:
“The main ingredients dog owners need to watch out for in a dog safe christmas dinner is pigs in blankets, as they tend to have high salt content and high fat. Sprouts tend to be ok but only in moderation as they are a source of insoluble fibre and may promote flatulence and cooked meats are ok, but cooked bones are dangerous as they can splinter.
On the whole this dog friendly christmas dinner recipe is very nutritious but can also lead to digestive upset, if fed in large quantities and differs from their current diet, as these meals are rich in terms of calories and their digestive system may not be prepared for this hit. All changes to diets for dogs must be done slowly over a period of time, so it isn’t a bad idea to start feeding some of these ingredients from scraps now, especially if they don’t normally usually eat this – that way your dog will build the correct gut bacteria to digest a dog friendly Christmas dinner properly.”
To add to this, Barking Heads’ resident Vet, Dr Scott Miller, also commented on some watch outs from this recipe ahead of the festive season and his personal advice for dog owners:
“The ingredients in this recipe aren’t toxic for dogs, but they do not represent a completely balanced diet either. Cranberry sauce is highly glucose rich, which could cause issues for some dogs, while the high fat content of pigs in blankets would be problematic for others.
If you are thinking of putting together a Christmas dinner for your pet, then remember to avoid onions, garlic, raisins, artificial sweeteners and anything highly fatty or salty. With a dog’s gut not the best at dealing with changes in protein or rich foods, I would advise that you offer your pooch their usual diet this festive season, and bestow on them the gift of love, a walk and some great interactive toys instead.”