The Christmas Countdown has officially begun (and it’s now socially acceptable to put up the decorations)! We all love to give our beloved dogs a treat during the festive period, but what’s naughty and what’s nice? Check out our list below!

Naughty: Stuffing

Stuffing usually contains sage, onion, and garlic. These ingredients can be highly dangerous for your pooch, so best to keep the stuffing on your plate.

Nice: Turkey

Turkey – in moderation and unseasoned with garlic or onion – can be a yummy treat for your dog on Christmas day.

Naughty: Chocolate

Chocolate is an all-year-round danger to dogs, due to a chemical in it called theobromine. However, at Christmas, we really love our selection boxes and advent calendars, so make sure to keep them out of reach of clever paws!

Nice: Carrots

Not just for Santa’s reindeer, carrots are a great low-calorie snack with a fab crunch (for those teeth) and are high in fiber and beta-carotene.

Naughty: Christmas Pudding

A fine British tradition, the Christmas pud is a staple on Christmas Day. However, grapes and their dried counterparts (currants, sultanas, and raisins) are toxic to dogs.

Nice: Salmon

If you’ve got the cash to splash out on a lovely salmon fillet (plain, not smoked), then the least you can do is share it with man’s best friend! Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, so it’s a lovely treat for you both.

Naughty: Mince Pies

Like Christmas pudding, mince pies often contain kidney-failure-inducing raisins, so it’s best to just leave these out for Santa.

Nice: Brussel Sprouts

Love them or hate them, sprouts are good for humans and good for our dogs. Rest assured, you can slip a couple of sprouts off your plate when nobody’s looking and give them to your pooch.

Naughty: Alcohol

We all enjoy a tipple at Christmas, but make sure not to leave any unattended alcohol around your dog. It can be toxic to them, even in small doses, so it’s an excellent reason to keep your sherry all for you!

Nice: Low-fat cheese

In moderation, dogs can share some low-fat cheese (such as soft goat’s cheese, Edam, Gouda, Red Leicester, and Cheddar) from your cheeseboard this Christmas.

From all of us here at Green Dog Walking, we wish you and your dogs a safe, happy, and tasty Christmas time!