Thanksgiving Foods Dogs Can and Can't Eat: A Canadian Guide to a Safe Holiday Table

10-minute read · Researched with Canadian veterinary, government and animal-welfare sources · Sources listed at the end

Can dogs eat turkey? Yes. A few small pieces of plain, cooked, boneless and skinless turkey meat are fine for most healthy dogs. The risk is everything that comes with the holiday bird: fatty skin and gravy, brittle cooked bones, onion-heavy stuffing, raisins and sugar-free desserts. Those are the foods to keep off your dog's plate.

Canadian Thanksgiving falls on Monday, October 12, 2026: a long weekend of cooking, guests and leftovers at nose height on the coffee table. Below you'll find a safe-versus-unsafe table, a portion rule you can measure, what to do if your dog grabs a turkey bone, and a note on cats.

Can dogs eat turkey? The meat yes, the skin and bones no

Turkey itself is not toxic to dogs, and it is common in commercial dog food. But as the American Kennel Club points out, the holiday bird is rarely plain: it is roasted with butter, oil, salt and herbs, and the skin soaks most of that up.

What a safe portion of turkey looks like

Choose white breast meat, remove all skin, check for bones and cut it into small pieces. Skip anything brushed with butter or rubbed with garlic or onion powder. If your dog is on a prescription diet or has a history of digestive upsets, ask your vet first.

Why skin, drippings and gravy are the real problem

Fat is the main issue. VCA Canada notes that pancreatitis in dogs may be triggered in some cases by a fatty meal, with signs such as vomiting, fever, lethargy, abdominal pain, diarrhea and a poor appetite. Some dogs stand in a "praying" position, rear up and front legs down. Skin, drippings and gravy are the fattiest things on the table, so they stay in the kitchen.

How much turkey can a dog have? Use the 10% rule

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association's guide to feeding treats says treats should always make up less than 10% of a dog's daily calorie intake. Its chart puts the daily treat allowance for a 10 kg dog at no more than 47 calories, and for a 40 kg dog at up to 134 calories.

To put that in perspective, the same guide lists lean chicken breast at 47 calories per ounce (about 28 g). Using that as a stand-in for plain white poultry, a 10 kg dog's entire treat budget for the day is about one small 28 g portion. Turkey skin, gravy and buttered sides use up that budget far faster.

Portion it out before dinner, not after a guest has "just given a little", and subtract it from the day's other treats and chews. Our Canadian calorie guide for dogs walks through daily energy needs if you want to adjust meals around the holiday.

Thanksgiving food for dogs: the safe and unsafe table

A quick reference for before guests arrive. "Emergency" means call your veterinarian or an animal poison control line right away, even if your dog seems fine.

Toxic Thanksgiving food for dogs: what to take seriously

Onions, garlic, leeks and chives

These turn up in most stuffing, gravy and mashed potato recipes. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that dogs and cats have been affected by raw, cooked, dehydrated or granulated onions and garlic, most often by concentrated forms such as powders and dry onion soup mix. The damage is to red blood cells and typically shows up three to five days later, so a dog that seems fine on Monday night is not necessarily in the clear.

Grapes, raisins and currants

Watch for them in stuffing, fruit platters and butter tarts. Merck's pet-owner guidance on food hazards says more than one grape or raisin per 4.5 kg (10 lb) of body weight may be enough to pose a risk, with vomiting or diarrhea within 6 to 12 hours and kidney failure developing within 1 to 3 days. Don't wait for symptoms.

Xylitol in sugar-free desserts and peanut butter

Xylitol is a sweetener used in sugar-free baking, gum and some peanut butters. In dogs it causes a rapid, severe drop in blood sugar, and signs can appear within 30 minutes. Check labels on anything "sugar-free" or "keto" before it goes near the dessert table.

Raw yeast dough

If you make dinner rolls from scratch, keep rising dough well out of reach. As Merck explains, the warm stomach lets the dough keep expanding, and the yeast produces alcohol that is absorbed into the bloodstream. Treat any raw dough theft as an emergency.

Can dogs eat turkey bones? What to do if yours just did

No. The AKC explains that veterinarians advise against cooked bones of any kind: cooked poultry bones are brittle and can cause choking, injure the mouth and gut, or obstruct the throat or intestines, sometimes requiring emergency surgery.

If your dog has just eaten a cooked turkey bone:

1. Remove the rest and secure the garbage.
2. Note the details: what was eaten, when, and your dog's weight.
3. Call your vet or an emergency clinic. They will tell you whether to come in or monitor at home. Don't try to make your dog vomit unless a veterinarian tells you to.
4. Go in immediately for breathing trouble. Gagging, pawing at the mouth or struggling to breathe means an emergency visit, not a phone call.
5. Watch for the next few days. A Kansas State University veterinarian lists vomiting or dry heaving, diarrhea or straining and loss of appetite among the warning signs of a gastrointestinal blockage; abdominal pain and lethargy are also reasons to call.

Can dogs eat pumpkin pie and other holiday desserts?

Pumpkin pie is not toxic in the way grapes or xylitol are, but it is still a poor choice. It is sweet and rich, and a large slice can upset a dog's stomach. On the spice question, Pet Poison Helpline says the small amount of nutmeg used in recipes is very unlikely to cause serious toxicity; it takes a very large amount to cause problems such as disorientation and a racing heart.

The bigger dessert risks are sugar-free pies, whipped toppings or ice cream made with xylitol, and anything chocolate, which Merck lists among the most important food hazards for dogs.

One more harvest-table hazard: corn on the cob. A K-State veterinarian warns that cobs aren't digestible, and if one blocks the gut, abdominal surgery is usually needed to remove it. Put cobs straight into a sealed bin.

Safe Thanksgiving food for dogs (and cats): build a pet plate

The easiest way to stop begging and sneaky handouts is a plate of their own: their usual meal topped with a few small pieces of plain turkey breast, set aside before any butter or seasoning hits the bird. If your dog reacts to new proteins, stick to a treat you know agrees with them; our guide to healthy treats for dogs with allergies has ideas.

A simple dinner-time plan

• Gate the kitchen while you cook and carve, so counters and the garbage are off limits.
• Give a supervised chew in another room during the meal.
• Brief your guests: "please don't feed the dog, she has her own plate."
• Bag the carcass immediately, along with string and skewers, and take it to an outdoor bin your dog can't open.

What about cats at Thanksgiving?

Cats may be less likely to raid the table, but they are more vulnerable to some of the same foods. Merck describes cats as the species most susceptible to onion and garlic poisoning, with toxicosis reported after less than a teaspoon of cooked onions. That makes gravy and stuffing a hard no. If you want to share, a fingertip-sized piece of plain, boneless meat is plenty. Also check your centrepiece: if it includes lilies, keep it well away from cats, and see our guide to houseplants that are toxic to cats and dogs.

Our picks from Petcarestore.ca for a calmer holiday dinner

Browse more chews and treats in our dog food and treats collection, or compare sizes in our pet gates and playpens collection.

Frequently asked questions

Can dogs eat turkey skin?

It is best not to share it. Turkey skin carries most of the bird's fat, plus the butter, oil, salt and seasoning used in roasting. Fat-heavy table scraps are a known trigger for pancreatitis in some dogs, which can mean vomiting, belly pain and a hospital stay. Peel the skin off and offer a small piece of plain white meat instead.

My dog ate a cooked turkey bone and seems fine. Do I still need to call the vet?

Yes, call your veterinarian for advice even if your dog looks normal. Cooked poultry bones are brittle and can splinter, and problems such as a blockage may not show up right away. Do not try to make your dog vomit unless your vet tells you to. Watch closely for vomiting, retching, straining, belly pain or loss of appetite over the next few days.

Can dogs eat pumpkin pie?

Pumpkin pie is not a good choice for dogs. It is sweet and rich, and a large helping can upset the stomach. The small amount of nutmeg in a typical recipe is unlikely to cause serious poisoning, but sugar-free pies and whipped toppings may contain xylitol, which is dangerous for dogs. If a sugar-free dessert goes missing, call your vet straight away.

Is it safe to give my cat a bit of Thanksgiving turkey?

A fingertip-sized piece of plain, boneless, unseasoned meat is the most you should share. Cats are even more sensitive than dogs to onions and garlic, and toxicity has been reported after less than a teaspoon of cooked onion. That rules out gravy, stuffing and pan drippings. Keep the carcass and string from the roast out of reach too.

Sources and further reading

• American Kennel Club — Can Dogs Eat Turkey? Holiday Safety Tips for Pet Owners
• VCA Canada — Pancreatitis in Dogs
• Merck Veterinary Manual — Food Hazards (pet owner version)
• Merck Veterinary Manual — Garlic and Onion (Allium spp) Toxicosis in Animals
• WSAVA — Feeding Treats to Your Dog (PDF)
• Phys.org (Kansas State University news release) — Aw, shucks: Vet says corn on the cob no treat for dogs
• Pet Poison Helpline — Nutmeg and Cinnamon Toxicity