Cheers to the holiday season! Thanksgiving kicks off the special time of year dedicated to quality family time, traditions, and, well, lots of food. Our pets are family — providing us with unconditional love, year-round — so, it’s only fitting to share traditional holiday cheer with them, too. 

Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to show your furry family member just how much they mean to you. Due to the pandemic, you’ll likely be limiting your gathering sizes this year. The silver-lining? More room and quality one-on-one time to rekindle the connection with our pets!

The Kradle team has put together a list of simple ways to show thanks to your pet this Thanksgiving, or rather “Petsgiving”:

1. “Full belly, happy heart” applies to dogs too! It’s hard to say no to our dogs when they beg for food from under the dining room table — at least one family member is always bound to honor our dog’s requests. Instead of giving them scraps from your plate, prepare for them their own special plate or bake them festive dog-friendly treats. Browse through fun, vet-approved recipes from Modern Dog magazine here.

   Pet parent to “social media’s most debonair dog” Nigel Peppersass (@nigelpeppersass), one of the Kradle brand’s collaboration partners, gives Nigel his own plate of the Thanksgiving meal to show love and to include him in the celebration: “As our family gathers around the table to eat our Thanksgiving Meal, we never forget to include our beloved four-legged family member Nigel. He always gets his own plate to eat. It has Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, meat stuffing and carrots. Later on, Nigel will also get his own dessert, which usually consists of a "taste" of pumpkin pie and whip cream! It wouldn't be Thanksgiving for our family without including Nigel's famous Thanksgiving Day meal too! Later on, we all lay around with full hearts and full tummies!” Before giving your dog anything, though, please remember to double-check the food is a safe option for dogs. See the American Kennel Club’s list of safe and healthy foods you can share with your dog. 

2. Cuddle up! Whether you’re a Lifetime Holiday, Charlie Brown or football enthusiast, we can all agree that there’s no shortage of good TV and streaming content to enjoy on Thanksgiving Day. As you watch your show or movie of choice, take the opportunity to curl up with your dog and give him or her an extra-long belly rub. Cuddling with your furry friend makes them feel secured and loved, and also lowers stress levels in both of you — so, it’s a win-win!
3. Walk while you wait! The holidays are a hectic time of year, and, especially with the weather getting colder in many pockets of the nation walks with your dog can slip towards the bottom of your to-do list.In between putting your turkey in the oven and the start of dinner, consider taking your pet out for a long walk. Walks with your dog strengthens the bond the two of you share. Plus, the extra exercise can help wear your dog out so he or she isn’t overly stimulated later in the evening, when you may have more guests to entertain.

Read here for helpful tips for keeping dogs calm on Thanksgiving — so the two of you can get the most out of your celebration together. If you’re hoping to make a last-minute Kradle purchase, you can also find our products in Pet Supplies Plus stores. Use our ‘Find Kradle’ feature to find the closest location to you and your furry friend. Kradle Melts are an excellent calming solution, as this product delivery method is perfect to calm dogs when a stressful event pops up last minute.

We hope you and your pet have a joyous Petsgiving together!