As the colder weather sets in and the Christmas decorations are put up the warm and fuzzy festive feeling we all get can somewhat affect our judgement especially when it comes to treating our furry friends. We want them to enjoy the festivities as much as we do, don’t we? But it is important to still remain alert and to understand what is safe and what is not safe, otherwise, you could end up spending more time with your vet than your friends and family this Christmas! Luckily we’re here to help, read on to see which treats you can give your pets this Christmas…
Dog safe Christmas foods
Those puppy dog eyes are hard to resist, even more so at this time of year but before you go ahead and give in, first let’s look at what human foods are safe for your pooch.
Sweet potato
A naturally sweet treat, sweet potato is a great source of fibre, helping with your dogs’ digestion. We love sweet potato and with its low-fat content and source of vitamin B6 and C, you can find sweet potato in a lot of our puppy treats, adult dog treats, grain-free puppy food and grain-free adult dog food. Make sure to cook the sweet potato though and without any seasoning or sauces, do not feed it raw.
Carrots and parsnips
High in vitamin A and another great source of fibre, carrots are not only a tasty and somewhat sweet treat for your dog to enjoy, but they are another vegetable that can help with your dogs digestion as well as their coat and eye health. You can either cook the carrots or feed them to your dog raw as raw carrots make for a great chew to keep your dog occupied and their teeth strong too! Parsnips are also high in vitamins including vitamin C and K. Vitamin K can help with your dog’s blood and its ability to clot normally so this is a very beneficial snack and as with carrots, it can be served cooked or raw.
Chicken or Turkey
Lean parts of the white chicken or turkey meat are a great source of amino acids and omega 6 fatty acids which will help your dog to build lean muscle mass, helping them to stay active and healthy. Be careful to not give your dog any of the chicken or turkey skin, or the dark meat though as this can make them poorly. It is also best to give them chicken or turkey meat that has not been roasted in oil or butter and do not pour over gravy as an extra treat as the onion and garlic granules can be toxic to your pooch too.
Broccoli and other greens
Broccoli and other green vegetables such as brussel sprouts, green beans, peas and spinach are all great sources of, you guessed it, fibre! And they are also low in fat and high in vitamins – broccoli is especially high in vitamin C – helping with your dogs digestion and immune system. You can feed all of these green vegetables raw except for brussel sprouts which do need to be cooked otherwise they may be too hard for your dog to digest them. If you are going to give your dog cooked greens, make sure they’re boiled or steamed with no seasoning or sauce.
Cauliflower
Ideal if your dog is overweight or diabetic, cauliflower in raw or cooked form is a great source of antioxidants that help to boost your dog’s immune system and overall health.
Cat safe Christmas foods
Cats can be a little fussier than dogs and they may turn their noses up if you try to feed them vegetables but if you cat enjoys the odd veg or two, there are a few that are safe for them too including carrots, peas and parsnips. Unlike with dogs, all of these vegetables are best served cooked though as a cat is more at risk of choking on raw vegetables.
If your cat does turn its nose up at vegetables, meat and fish are the way to go. Lean meats such as the chicken and turkey we mentioned earlier are also a good source of omega 6 fatty acids for cats, helping them to maintain a healthy coat and muscle mass, keeping them active and healthy. Fish such as tuna, salmon and sardines are also high in omega 6 fatty acids and omega 3 fatty acids which can help with your cat’s eye and heart health. It is best to feed your cat cooked fish and meat and avoid cooking them in oil, butter, and seasoning, and leave the gravy to the humans too!
Other Christmas treats for cats and dogs
Christmas isn’t all about food! Dogs and cats love toys too (obviously, ha). Avoid giving your cat or dog any human toys over Christmas though and if you can, pick up the wrapping paper before they get their paws on it. If you want to keep your pets occupied whilst the present wrapping is happening, puzzle toys are great for both cats and dogs or why not treat your furry friend to a new cosy bed this Christmas. For more ideas, check out our top 10 Christmas gifts blog.
You can also give your cat or dog the gift of healthier joints, digestion, skin and coat, and eyes with pet safe supplements. We have a wide range of all-natural, vet-approved and used supplements for both cats and dogs including:
Joint care for dogs and joint care for cats to help support your pets mobility at any age – ideal for active and senior pets, especially when the colder weather hits
We hope you’ve found these tips useful. If you are looking for more advice, don’t forget all Broadreach members have access to free veterinary advice 24/7, and ff you have any questions about any of our products, you can also contact us by calling 01223 855857 or emailing us at sales@broadreachnature.com.
What treats you can give your pets this Christmas!
As the colder weather sets in and the Christmas decorations are put up the warm and fuzzy festive feeling we all get can somewhat affect our judgement especially when it comes to treating our furry friends. We want them to enjoy the festivities as much as we do, don’t we? But it is important to still remain alert and to understand what is safe and what is not safe, otherwise, you could end up spending more time with your vet than your friends and family this Christmas! Luckily we’re here to help, read on to see which treats you can give your pets this Christmas…
Dog safe Christmas foods
Those puppy dog eyes are hard to resist, even more so at this time of year but before you go ahead and give in, first let’s look at what human foods are safe for your pooch.
A naturally sweet treat, sweet potato is a great source of fibre, helping with your dogs’ digestion. We love sweet potato and with its low-fat content and source of vitamin B6 and C, you can find sweet potato in a lot of our puppy treats, adult dog treats, grain-free puppy food and grain-free adult dog food. Make sure to cook the sweet potato though and without any seasoning or sauces, do not feed it raw.
High in vitamin A and another great source of fibre, carrots are not only a tasty and somewhat sweet treat for your dog to enjoy, but they are another vegetable that can help with your dogs digestion as well as their coat and eye health. You can either cook the carrots or feed them to your dog raw as raw carrots make for a great chew to keep your dog occupied and their teeth strong too! Parsnips are also high in vitamins including vitamin C and K. Vitamin K can help with your dog’s blood and its ability to clot normally so this is a very beneficial snack and as with carrots, it can be served cooked or raw.
Lean parts of the white chicken or turkey meat are a great source of amino acids and omega 6 fatty acids which will help your dog to build lean muscle mass, helping them to stay active and healthy. Be careful to not give your dog any of the chicken or turkey skin, or the dark meat though as this can make them poorly. It is also best to give them chicken or turkey meat that has not been roasted in oil or butter and do not pour over gravy as an extra treat as the onion and garlic granules can be toxic to your pooch too.
Broccoli and other green vegetables such as brussel sprouts, green beans, peas and spinach are all great sources of, you guessed it, fibre! And they are also low in fat and high in vitamins – broccoli is especially high in vitamin C – helping with your dogs digestion and immune system. You can feed all of these green vegetables raw except for brussel sprouts which do need to be cooked otherwise they may be too hard for your dog to digest them. If you are going to give your dog cooked greens, make sure they’re boiled or steamed with no seasoning or sauce.
Ideal if your dog is overweight or diabetic, cauliflower in raw or cooked form is a great source of antioxidants that help to boost your dog’s immune system and overall health.
Cat safe Christmas foods
Cats can be a little fussier than dogs and they may turn their noses up if you try to feed them vegetables but if you cat enjoys the odd veg or two, there are a few that are safe for them too including carrots, peas and parsnips. Unlike with dogs, all of these vegetables are best served cooked though as a cat is more at risk of choking on raw vegetables.
If your cat does turn its nose up at vegetables, meat and fish are the way to go. Lean meats such as the chicken and turkey we mentioned earlier are also a good source of omega 6 fatty acids for cats, helping them to maintain a healthy coat and muscle mass, keeping them active and healthy. Fish such as tuna, salmon and sardines are also high in omega 6 fatty acids and omega 3 fatty acids which can help with your cat’s eye and heart health. It is best to feed your cat cooked fish and meat and avoid cooking them in oil, butter, and seasoning, and leave the gravy to the humans too!
Other Christmas treats for cats and dogs
Christmas isn’t all about food! Dogs and cats love toys too (obviously, ha). Avoid giving your cat or dog any human toys over Christmas though and if you can, pick up the wrapping paper before they get their paws on it. If you want to keep your pets occupied whilst the present wrapping is happening, puzzle toys are great for both cats and dogs or why not treat your furry friend to a new cosy bed this Christmas. For more ideas, check out our top 10 Christmas gifts blog.
You can also give your cat or dog the gift of healthier joints, digestion, skin and coat, and eyes with pet safe supplements. We have a wide range of all-natural, vet-approved and used supplements for both cats and dogs including:
We hope you’ve found these tips useful. If you are looking for more advice, don’t forget all Broadreach members have access to free veterinary advice 24/7, and ff you have any questions about any of our products, you can also contact us by calling 01223 855857 or emailing us at sales@broadreachnature.com.