It's tempting to slide a bit of Christmas dinner under the table, especially when a pair of eyes is fixed on your plate. Some of it is fine for dogs in small, plain amounts. Some of it is genuinely dangerous. Here's how to tell the difference, from the Otto & Fern kitchen (where Hugo supervises everything).
This is general guidance, not veterinary advice. If your dog has a health condition, a sensitive stomach or is on a special diet, check with your vet before sharing any human food.
The quick answer
Yes, dogs can have a small amount of Christmas dinner, as long as it's plain: cooked meat with no skin, bones, gravy or seasoning, and a few plain vegetables. Keep anything with onion, garlic, grapes, raisins, chocolate, alcohol or cooked bones well out of reach.
Safe in small, plain amounts
- Turkey breast meat: plain, cooked, with the skin, fat and bones removed.
- Carrots and parsnips: plain, not roasted in honey, butter or oil.
- Green beans and peas: plain, without butter or salt.
- Brussels sprouts: safe, but go easy. One or two is plenty unless you want a gassy evening.
- Boiled or mashed potato: plain, without butter, milk, salt or seasoning.
- Swede: plain and mashed.
Keep portions small and count them as part of your dog's food for the day, not on top of it. A sudden rich meal is one of the most common reasons for an upset stomach over Christmas.
Keep these away from your dog
- Christmas pudding, mince pies, Christmas cake and stollen: they contain grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants, which can cause kidney failure in dogs. Even small amounts can be dangerous.
- Stuffing, gravy and bread sauce: these usually contain onion, garlic, leeks, shallots or chives, which can damage a dog's red blood cells. Cooking doesn't make them safe.
- Chocolate: contains theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Dark and baking chocolate are the most dangerous, but keep tree decorations, selection boxes and tins out of reach too.
- Cooked bones: turkey and other cooked bones can splinter and cause choking or internal injuries. Bin the carcass somewhere your dog can't reach.
- Pigs in blankets, turkey skin and fatty trimmings: high in fat and salt, and a common trigger for stomach upsets and pancreatitis.
- Anything sweetened with xylitol (sometimes listed as birch sugar): found in some sugar-free sweets, gum and baking. It's extremely dangerous to dogs.
- Macadamia nuts: often found in festive nut mixes and biscuits.
- Alcohol: including boozy desserts, trifle and drinks left on a low table.
- Blue cheese: best kept off the cheeseboard you share.
What to do if your dog eats something it shouldn't
Call your vet straight away, or your nearest emergency vet if it's out of hours (many practices are closed on Christmas Day, so it's worth finding the number now). Tell them what your dog ate, roughly how much and when, and keep the packaging if you have it. Don't wait for symptoms, and don't try to make your dog sick unless a vet tells you to.
Give them their own Christmas dinner instead
The easiest way to stop the begging is to give your dog something of their own. A few ideas:
- A small plate of plain turkey and veg in their own bowl while you eat.
- A dog-friendly biscuit, like our handmade Peanut Butter Christmas Cookies (grain-free, suitable from 8 weeks).
- A batch of homemade biscuits with the Festive Dog Treat Kit, which makes around 40 Christmas tree treats.
- A new toy to keep them busy while the table is cleared, like the Yule Log plush.
For more ideas, see our Christmas gifts for dogs guide, or browse the Christmas collection.
Common questions
Can dogs eat turkey?
Yes, plain cooked turkey breast meat is fine in small amounts. Remove the skin, fat and every bone first, and don't add gravy or seasoning.
Can dogs eat Brussels sprouts?
Yes. Plain cooked sprouts are safe for dogs, but they can cause wind, so stick to one or two.
Can dogs eat pigs in blankets?
It's best not to. They're high in fat and salt and can upset your dog's stomach. Some sausages also contain onion or garlic.
Can dogs eat Christmas pudding or mince pies?
No. Both contain dried vine fruits (raisins, sultanas and currants), which can cause kidney failure in dogs. Call your vet straight away if your dog eats any.
Can dogs eat stuffing?
No. Stuffing usually contains onion and sometimes garlic, which are toxic to dogs even when cooked.