Pumpkin, apples, sweet potatoes... fall is basically one giant snack season!
While you're enjoying all your autumn favorites, you may be wondering which foods you can safely share with your furry BFF. Some fall staples can make tasty occasional treats for pets, while others belong strictly on the human side of the table.
Let's take a look!
🎃 Pumpkin
Generally pet-friendly when served plain!
Plain pumpkin purée can be an occasional addition to your pet's diet and provides fiber.
The important word is plain. Choose 100% plain pumpkin rather than pumpkin pie filling, which may contain added sugar and spices.
And remember: your human pumpkin spice latte is definitely not a PUPkin Latte! Coffee and caffeine should never be shared with pets.
🍎 Apples
Dogs can enjoy small amounts of plain apple.
Wash the apple and remove the stem, core, and seeds before cutting it into appropriately sized pieces.
Plain apple slices can make a crunchy fall treat without all the sugar and other ingredients found in apple pie or caramel apples.
🍠 Sweet Potatoes
Plain, cooked sweet potato can be a pet-friendly option.
Serve it cooked, unseasoned, and in moderation. Skip the butter, sugar, marshmallows, and seasonings we humans tend to add to our favorite sweet potato dishes.
🫐 Cranberries
Plain cranberries can be offered to many dogs in small amounts.
Fresh or cooked plain cranberries are very different from cranberry sauce, which can contain lots of added sugar and other ingredients.
🦃 Plain Turkey
Plain, fully cooked turkey meat may be shared in small amounts.
Remove the skin, bones, gravy, seasoning, and fatty pieces first. Cooked bones should never be given to pets because they can splinter and cause serious injury.
🚫 Fall Foods to Keep Away
Some seasonal favorites should stay completely off your pet's plate.
Chocolate: Keep Halloween candy and baked goods safely out of reach.
Grapes & Raisins: These can be dangerous to dogs and should never be shared.
Onions & Garlic: Common in soups, stuffing, casseroles, and other fall dishes, but unsafe for pets.
Nutmeg: Leave this classic fall spice out of your pet's treats.
Xylitol: This sweetener may be found in some sugar-free foods and products and is extremely dangerous to dogs.
Alcohol & Caffeine: Hard cider, coffee, energy drinks, and other caffeinated or alcoholic beverages are for humans only.
🐾 When in Doubt, Don't Share
Even foods that are generally pet-friendly should be given plain and in moderation. Every pet is different, and dietary needs can vary based on size, age, health conditions, allergies, and medications.
If you're unsure whether a particular food is appropriate for your pet, check with your veterinarian before offering it.
🍂 Happy Fall Snacking!
There are plenty of ways to let your furry BFF join in on fall fun without sharing everything from your plate.
Stick with simple, pet-appropriate ingredients, keep portions small, and save the pumpkin pie and PSL for yourself!
Your pet can have the plain pumpkin instead. 🎃