Christmas is almost here and as a pet parent, that means you’ve likely turned your attention to how you can best spoil your canine companion over the festive season so that they feel included in all the holiday fun.
While the best dog treats are wonderful for providing positive reinforcement throughout most of the year, at Christmas time, many of us are looking for something a little more special to give to our beloved bundles of fluff.
According to expert dog trainer Adam Spivey, founder of Southend Dog Training, this is where we often run into problems. In a video shared on Instagram which you can view below, Spivey explains that while everyone loves to buy their dog a present at Christmas time there are two things that are very dangerous for our pups.
“Number one is rawhide,” says Spivey. “Dogs cannot digest rawhide, it’s not good for them, it’s very, very dangerous to dogs.” If you’re looking for something for your pup to sink their teeth into this Christmas, we recommend checking out our guide to the best dog chew toys for lots of safe non-edible alternatives.
Curious as to the other item you’ll want to avoid? “Cooked bones,” says Spivey. “A dog should not have a cooked bone of any sort. If you want to give your dog a bit of turkey for example, that’s fine, but make sure there’s no bone that you’re giving your dog.”
Hundreds of netizens have commented on Spivey’s video saying that they had no idea that rawhide and cooked bones were so dangerous for dogs, while others have shared personal stories of the damage these two items did to their own pups.
If you want to spoil your pooch this holiday season but are confused as to what foods are safe to feed and which ones need to be avoided, be sure to check out our guide to Christmas dinner for dogs, where we share a list of safe foods and some of our favorite holiday recipes.
