Can dogs eat mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving? (What to know)

Turkey is a huge part of a Thanksgiving meal but sometimes, you're craving a nice side dish. And one of the most popular is mashed potatoes.

While most of us love getting a big side of mashed potatoes, you might be cleaning up and have some leftovers. Your first instinct could be to share with your dog, but that comes with a few caveats according to Purina.

On Purina's website, the brand answered the question simply: "Yes, as long as the potatoes are roasted and not boiled and no salt, seasonings, milk or butter is added your pet can enjoy this all-time favorite dish. However, there isn’t much nutritional value your dog will be able to get from eating mashed potatoes." As you can see, it's up to how you prepare your potatoes.

When it comes to Thanksgiving, most of us go all out with items such as milk, butter, and seasonings of all kinds. If anything, that should give you even more incentive to put some aside for your favorite furry friend before adding all of the good stuff we all love.

Can dogs eat gravy with their mashed potatoes?

In the post, Purina broke down all the different styles dogs can and can't have, but since we're talking about Thanksgiving, most of us are having mashed potatoes. The one thing I wanted to note is that Purina said: "Dogs can eat potatoes as long as they are plainly cooked and offered in moderation. Roasted potatoes, prepared without spices or butter are the best way to let your pet have a taste of a delicious spud." As you can see, it's all based on how you prepare the potatoes.

While most of us would turn up our noses at some plain potatoes, it would be a nice treat for your dog on Thanksgiving. The other thing of note is to make sure not to give your dog gravy as the ingredients in gravy can make them sick or possibly end up being toxic. With all the seasonings added in there, it would be too much for your dog to handle.

Masterclass broke this idea down and even shared some alternatives for dog-safe gravy so you can share it with your four-legged friend. Honestly, it's not that much more difficult than making gravy to go along with your mashed potatoes. However if you don't feel like taking the extra time, you can always just serve them plain mashed potatoes.

Ultimately, your dog is going to be happy you thought of them so gravy or not, you're sure to be a winner in your dog's eyes.