No gobble-gobble for pups
With the holidays at hand, we have to be extra mindful that the pups don't get into things that can hurt them, like the Thanksgiving turkey.
We were cautioned at the most recent puppy meeting to be extra vigilant with the pups getting into things around the holidays, particularly with the Thanksgiving turkey. The Seeing Eye pups are not allowed to eat human food in any case, but the turkey bones and carcass can be very dangerous for dogs. The poultry bones splinter when chewed, posing obvious perils of choking and stomach problems.
Also, we are mindful to keep the dogs under control when guests arrive, and next month, when holiday presents are opened. One case in point: A few years ago, a family member gift-wrapped chocolates and placed them artfully around the Christmas tree. Overnight, Porter sniffed them out and devoured them. Luckily, there must not have been enough to do him any damage, but chocolate is poisonous for dogs.
Porter, being a Lab, is a compulsive scrounger and will eat anything that is remotely edible. He'll also go to great lengths to do so, climbing onto countertops and pushing into cupboards. He can wolf down an entire bunch of bananas, a loaf of bread, or a bag of fresh tomatoes. Meat, of course, is his preference!