Posts tagged "Thanksgiving"

You think they don't know what day this is? Oh, they know. They know...

Happy Thanksgiving from Paw Nation!

Here's a friendly reminder from Redditor Guatemeha and his/her dogs.

"Be careful what table scraps you give to your dog this Thanksgiving," says the pertinent sign in the photo. "Many are toxic to dogs. Do your research, and no turkey bones!"

That's important not just for you to remember, but your guests too. While much or most of the food on your holiday table might be OK for pets to eat, your guests might not know which are safe and which are toxic. Make sure that you (politely) instruct your family and/or friends not to slip treats to your furry ones under the table on Thursday. As always, it's better to be safe than sorry!

What you see here is a baby turkey. Adorable. right? Adult turkeys may not be the most beautiful creatures in the animal kingdom, but their young can rival any chicken chick in cuteness.

Speaking of which, do you know what a baby turkey is called? Hint: It's not called a chick. Give up? We have your answer.

Happy Thanksgiving from Daily Squee!

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, pet owners may be feeling more grateful than ever for the companionship and love of their four-legged friends - and they may also be feeling grateful for certain products that make pet ownership cleaner, and more convenient.

While each individual may have different opinions about which accessory is indispensable to having a pet, a few products rise to the top in making everyday life with our furry family members easier. In celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday, our friends at Zootoo rounded up some of their favorite pet products to be thankful for.

Getting rid of that dreaded cat pee smell can be quite a challenge. So feline owners can be thankful for the Natural Cat Litter Deodorizer from Planet Petco, which tackles unpleasant odors at the source. In addition to prolonging the lifespan of cat litter - another aspect of the product that may inspire gratitude - the non-toxic formula of the deodorizer features the naturally occurring mineral Zeolite to fight unwanted smells.


Dog owners who want to indulge their pets with healthy treats can give thanks for Dog Joy Treats from Freshpet. Made with real meat, these irresistible snacks help to promote wellness with a top-quality, all-natural ingredient list. The morsels, which can be broken into smaller pieces, are ideal for training sessions, and our tester canines devoured the texture and taste of the treats.


If you have a senior cat in your family, both you and your feline may be grateful for the Thermal Cat Mat from Slumber Pet. This luxurious mat reflects your pet's own body heat (a claim that was tested and verified by both human and feline reviewers), so you don't have to worry about batteries or electric cords. And the machine-washable mat can help to provide relief from arthritis or joint pain.


Most dog owners are thankful for any product that makes grooming less of a hassle, such as the Zoom Groom Brush from Kong. Ideal for both long and short coats, this easy-to-grip rubber brush is both durable and effective at ridding coats of loose hair. And the soft rounded bristles give canines the feeling that they're being massaged instead of brushed - a special bonus that skittish dogs will be thankful for as well.


Whether your cat's breath is mildly disconcerting or fully corrosive, you might be thankful for Breathies Cat Treats from Catswell. These nutrient-packed snacks feature an all-natural formula using ingredients such as rosemary, mint, and cinnamon bark to help keep your kitty's breath fresh. And our tester felines flipped for the flavor of these protein-rich treats.

You know not to feed your pet from the table -- even when the table is as bountiful as it is on Thanksgiving -- so how can you safely and happily include your dog in the upcoming holiday festivities?

Whether you're a master chef or a microwave-only kind of cook, we've got you covered. Here are three mutt-friendly meals you can make: one from a pre-assembled kit, one that any home cook can put together while making Thanksgiving dinner (no extra time in the kitchen necessary), and one for serious, canine-loving culinarians.

"Bone" appétit!

Doggie Thanksgiving from a Kit:
Chef Edward Mac, founder and chef de cuisine at Barks Bistro, received his culinary training from Le Cordon Bleu. So you know that his Three-Course Prix Fix Thanksgiving Dinner Kit ($15) will be tasty. The kit contains a ready-to-eat beef pâté starter, followed by your choice of ready-to-eat entree: Tender Turkey, Crispy Chicken, Pork Sirloin Chops or Veal Cutlets. For dessert, the kit contains cupcake-making materials: cupcake liners, a packet of vanilla yogurt icing and a recipe booklet for whipping up your own batch of cupcakes, featuring Mac's favorites (like Alaskan pink salmon and rosemary cake).

Rounding up our favorite animal stories, photos, and videos on the web each week!

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  Holiday Pet Spoiling

  He wants that turkey. You know it; he knows it; the turkey knows it. So, instead of holding out and feeling guilty, throw him a few bones with this helpful guide from Petsugar. [via PetSugar]

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  Pilgrim Pets

  They've come on the Meowflower to land at Plymutt Rock, ready to share some Science Diet maize with the Indians. As with all dressed pets, cuteness levels are dangerously high. [via People Pets]

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  Owl Odd Couple

  Remember the movie "Twins" with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito? This is that in owl form. [via People Pets]

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  Squirrel Punishes Pooch

  Your baby is so cute. I just want to play with him and maybe bite him and eat him, but just a little bit. Ow! Why are you plunging your claws into me? Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Wait, where did you go? [via Dailymail.co.uk]

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  Black Friday Buy

  This Black Friday, there's going to be a huge rush on reindeer-poop jewelry. Oh, you didn't know reindeer-poop jewelry existed? Read this. [via AP]

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude and giving, but when it comes to including your pets in the festivities, you should share with caution. Turkey Day celebrations can lead to animal dangers or discomforts, especially when owners attempt to treat their pets too much like "one of the family."

Keep Human Food on the Table
According to the ASPCA, feeding your pet table-scraps is the biggest Thanksgiving Day hazard. They recommend avoiding problems altogether by leaving your pet in the kitchen, yard or elsewhere with a chew toy or snack while the humans eat the good stuff. If you feel an uncontrollable urge to let Fido sample your meal, scale it back to a small amount and avoid food with lots of seasoning, onions, raisins, garlic or chocolate (all of which can cause abdominal pain, complications or even death).

Meats and Doughs
Be sure to not feed your pets any uncooked dough or meat. Salmonella is present in raw eggs and meat, and the ASPCA notes that "when raw bread dough is ingested, an animal's body heat causes the dough to rise in his stomach. As it expands, the pet may experience vomiting, severe abdominal pain and bloating, which could become a life-threatening emergency requiring surgery." Even cooked meat can be harmful if it is coated in gravy or grease. If you are going to allow your dog to scarf down turkey, make sure there are no bones that could splinter and be harmful to the pet.

Every Thanksgiving Day since 2002, 20 million Americans have tuned in to watch the National Dog Show on NBC, and the man they have to thank for it is Jon Miller, executive vice president of NBC Sports. It was his idea to air the Kennel Club of Philadelphia's annual Best in Show -- right after the Macy's Day Parade and right before football. He spoke with Paw Nation about how the show came to be.

How did you know that Americans wanted to watch a dog show on Thanksgiving day? When did the light-bulb go off?
On a Saturday night in January -- it was a nasty night. My wife rented [the movie] "Best in Show." We watched it with some friends, then I stayed up watching it a second time and just loved it. I thought it was so much fun.

How did that one spark lead to the show?
I came to work on Monday and grabbed one of our interns and said, "Find out what the second oldest dog show in America is," thinking that the Westminster was the oldest dog show in America. He came back about an hour later and said, "Well, the second oldest dog show in America is Westminster." I said, "Well, what's the oldest dog show?" and he said, "Philadelphia." He then got me in touch with [KCP president] Wayne Ferguson, and we had a great conversation. I asked, "Have you ever been on television?" He said no, but he'd be very interested. Then I went to Michael Crawford, who is a friend at Purina, to see if he had any interest. I said, "Michael, if we could get a dog show on NBC --" He said, "In a heartbeat, we'd support it."