Calgary dog life
Thanksgiving and your dog: food, guests and counters
Thanksgiving packs a lot into one afternoon: a roasting bird, a doorbell that keeps ringing, relatives who think a little turkey skin never hurt anyone. For a dog, that is a long run of temptation with very few rules. A calm holiday is mostly decided the week before, by setting up the kitchen, the front door and the dinner table so the dog has a clear job and nothing dangerous within reach.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
Before the doorbell
Set up the house so the risky moments cannot happen.
Start with the front door, because that is where holidays tend to unravel. Before the first guest arrives, put the dog behind a baby gate or on a leash held by an adult, and keep the dog there until coats are off and the hallway settles. Doors are never closed on a dog to block it. Then clear the counters: push the cooling pie and the carving board back from the edge, and give the roasting pan a home the dog cannot reach.
The kitchen is the second pressure point. A turkey carcass, drippings in the trash and a bowl of dinner rolls are all within nose range of a tall dog. A lidded bin behind a cupboard door helps, and so does a gate across the kitchen doorway while the cooking is on. Brief your guests in one sentence: please do not feed the dog from the table. Children stay out of any training or greeting practice and simply enjoy the day.
- Gate or leash before guests
- Counters cleared to the back
- Lidded bin behind a door
- Guests told: no table scraps
During the meal
Give the dog a place to be while plates are full.
A dog with a job copes better than a dog left to wander under the table. If your dog knows a place command, set the bed somewhere with a view of the room but out of the serving path, and pay calm stays with a stuffed chew or a long-lasting treat that is safe for dogs. If place is not reliable yet, a crate in a quieter room with that same chew is kinder than asking for skills the dog does not have.
Food dangers deserve a plain list. The ASPCA names grapes and raisins, onions, garlic and chives, chocolate and coffee, alcohol and raw yeast dough, xylitol in sugar-free desserts, fatty foods and cooked bones among the people foods to keep from pets. Stuffing often hides onion. If your dog eats any of these, call your vet or an animal poison control line straight away rather than waiting to see what happens.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
can my dog have turkey on thanksgiving
Rich, fatty holiday food and cooked bones are on the ASPCA list of things to keep from pets. Ask your vet before sharing any of the meal, and keep the carcass well out of reach.
what thanksgiving foods are toxic to dogs
The ASPCA lists grapes and raisins, onions and garlic, chocolate, alcohol, raw yeast dough, xylitol and fatty foods among the risks. If your dog eats something on that list, call your vet promptly.
how do i stop my dog jumping on guests at thanksgiving
Prevent the jump first: a gate or a held leash at the door until guests are settled. Practise calm greetings on ordinary days, not during the holiday rush.
my dog stole food off the counter what do i do
Do not chase the dog, which can turn it into a game. If the food could be harmful, call your vet or a poison control line right away and follow their advice.
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