Thanksgiving Foods You Should Never Feed Your Dog

According to a study, Sustainable New Jersey determined that there are just under three million pets in New Jersey. Pets in the study only include dogs and cats. World Population Review’s survey found that 47.4% of New Jersey households have at least one pet.

We’ve got a lot of pets in Jersey yet, as reported by Talker a new OnePoll survey conducted for Stella & Chewy shows we really don’t know all we should or need to know about them.

The survey shows that 92% of the 2,000 pet lovers in this country surveyed still believe common myths about their furry family members. For example, 38% of dog owners believe a cold, wet nose means their mutt is healthy when in fact, a wet nose could be just a wet nose. Here’s something you may not know about their noses, dogs often give their senses of smell a boost by licking their own noses.

Sixty-eight percent of dog owners also incorrectly believe that a wagging tail means their dogs are happy. Wrong again.  The experts say that tail wagging can also signal that your dog is alert or interested in something.

According to The American Kennel Club, there are also a lot of things we don’t know about what foods we shouldn’t feed our dogs.

For instance, ham is not a good idea because it's high in sodium and can cause seizures.

You definitely don’t want to give them turkey fat or turkey skin. That may give them an upset stomach and could cause pancreatitis.

Many people think that giving dogs the bones of the turkey is okay. Dogs like bones right? Wrong. These types of bones can cause a choking hazard. Butter is also bad news for pups due to its high-fat content.

Some seasonings like salt and pepper can be harmful as well. So are greasy foods like mashed potatoes which can cause a digestive issue. Stuffing contains herbs and spices that aren’t safe for dogs and gravy can be harmful because of the high fat and sodium content. A dog should never have chocolate as it is toxic for them.

Finally, never give any dog alcohol. Studies have shown that, like humans, alcohol causes severe health problems for dogs.

Prior to sitting at the table and indulging in an extravagant meal, it has become a tradition in many communities to partake in the annual Thanksgiving 5K. Perhaps you have to earn your forthcoming calorie intake! The Thanksgiving Turkey Trot race is also where you find four extraordinary kinds of people who enter this road race for very different purposes.

To take an overarching look at this holiday, Thanksgiving offers a coming home of all sorts. College students return to their stomping grounds to showcase how cool they have gotten in a matter of weeks. The person who you once knew as the quietest person in the room, is now a candidate for the loudest. Then, you have those who partied a bit too much the night before, and have no business running down the block, much less in a "race." In fact, they may not even remember they were in just a few short hours. Let's not forget those that also believe the Turkey Trot is a performance stage. Whether it's to flex your running skills or outfit skills, clearly this race is for all eyes to be on you.

Yes, much of this feature is tongue-in-cheek. However, most of these Thanksgiving 5k races take place within a tight-knit neighborly community. Furthermore, in the spirit of giving, often they benefit a great cause. For example, it can be a local non-profit, or as a benefit in the honor of a local hero. Still many participants show up to have a fun time. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. Yet, let's not lose sight of the hard work organizers put forth in an effort to achieve a goal. Ultimately, that is to impact something near-and-dear to your area.

In no particular order, here are the four types of people you will run, bump, stumble into, or hide from at this year's Thanksgiving Turkey Trot.

Here is the spectacle runner, who is decked out in a giant turkey costume. They can't breathe let alone run, but they certainly can waddle. If this person finishes actually runs and finishes the race, it is usually by Christmas time. Nonetheless, you must respect the fact that lots of thought and deliberation went into this decision. It may even take longer for the person to get properly fitted in the morning to get ready for the trot than it does for the actual turkey to cook.

With all due respect, this runner is there an hour early stretching, even though they already completely stretched at home prior to eating a full protein breakfast. This participant is fully rested, fully hydrated, and plans to smoke you like you are the turkey. Furthermore, while you are trucking through the first mile, gasping for breath, this runner is going to pass, but going the other direction. That is because this person finished the race already and is simply running back to the starting line as their "cool down." We get it, your cross-country skills are superhuman, and you now own the Turkey Trot best time. Just don't be the person that beats the day's honoree.

It's common knowledge that the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving is one of the biggest party nights on the planet. It's a special occasion where people come out of the woodwork and return to their hometown. The local pubs may make their annual quota based on Thanksgiving Eve sales. It's great fun for sure, as long you have a responsible ride home. For some though, they have not even been home yet. It's much more convenient to walk two blocks to the left to the downtown starting line at sunrise than it is to trek a half of a mile down Main Street to sleep it off for a few hours. This person looks and smells like the party. If there are woods adjacent to the 5k running route, you will usually find this runner in there immediately.

Many towns that host Thanksgiving races are deep with tradition and local history. The families that call this place home often go back generations. Somehow, your grandmother had the same 4th grade teacher that your daughter currently has. The socialite is there to talk to everyone. They are in full-blown campaign mode, yet they are not running for anything. They simply love everything that has to do with their hometown and their mission for Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, is to see literally everyone, and spread some spirit. You have to respect that.