The Dog Bowl: Promoting Safe Snacking This Holiday

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Y’all ready for this? For Christmas, I mean?

The next 3 or 4 days are going to be a train wreck of social activity, family togetherness and fun. If your friends and family are anything like mine, they are so good to my dogs at the Holidays. There will be dog gifts under the tree. People will save their turkey necks. The dogs will be welcome to visit the Holiday parties.

And there will be snack. Oh yes, there will be snacks.

What is it about dogs that makes everyone want to give them a treat?! Do you think it has anything to do with THIS FACE?

A photo posted by Jodi Chick (@kolsnotes) on Dec 12, 2014 at 7:23pm PST

So, I guess I get it. Living with them day in and day out has hardened me to their “puppy dog eyes”, but I can see how weaker humans might cave and sneak them snack after snack after snack under the table.

Dietary indiscretion can be dangerous for your dog.

Even though everyone has the best of intentions, all these secret snacks can be dangerous. Worst case, your dog is given something toxic like onions or chocolate. Maybe, they get too many rich, fatty treats and get pancreatitis? Even if your pet doesn’t get seriously ill, after a day of snacking, most dogs will have one heck of an upset tummy.

My solution? Create a “safe snacking bowl” and encourage your friends and family to treat your dog to as many snacks from the bowl as they like.

I swear, this works!

It’s so simple! Just grab a bowl that is clearly a dog bowl. After all, you don’t want people mistaking the dog bowl for a bowl of people snacks.

Fill your dog bowl with approved snacks. Ours is usually a mix of:

Grain free kibble
Carrot chunks
Sweet pepper pieces
White meat turkey pieces
Sweet potato or squash cubes
Small pieces of Jerky Treats, like Natural Value Duck Meat Sticks

They key is to create a mix that is mostly foods your pet is used to eat, with just a few “treats” tossed in. People can give your dog a treat, you can feel good knowing your pet isn’t getting anything they shouldn’t and everyone can have a holly jolly Christmas.

To make sure everybody knows what’s up, we’ve created a couple printable signs to go with your safe snacking dog bowl. (One sweet & one a little sassy.) Simply print and pop into a 4 x 6 picture frame (or you can tape it up on the wall by the bowl).