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Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and that means a hearty feast for most families. And since we consider the four-leggers part of the family, they should feast, too. Right?

Well, actually, the favorite foods of most Thanksgiving tables are not very good for your pets. Too much high-fat foods, like turkey skin basted in oil or butter, can cause pancreatitis, a painful illness that can lead to chronic digestive problems. Too much of any food can cause excess gas, which can cause bloat, a potentially life-threatening condition. Chocolate is poisonous. And brittle bird bones pose a risk of choking or tearing the intestines.

All of these problems can and cause a scary, not to mention expensive, trip to the emergency vet hospital, effectively ruining your family’s holiday.

Okay, enough already. You get it, don’t give in to those pleading puppy-dog eyes and hand over the table scraps. Easier said than done, I know. Do I practice what I preach? Not always. I have been known to give in and slip a little turkey or pie crust to my hound.

But if you want to play it ultra-safe and make sure your dog does not suffer any harm this holiday, enlist the help of all your dinner guests. If you all work together, your pooch may be the only one who eats sensibly on Thursday.

During the daylong cooking process, keep the dog occupied and out of the kitchen— ask the kids to take Rover out to the backyard for a game of Frisbee or fetch, or have someone take him out for a couple of long walks.

When dinner rolls around, make sure everyone knows that feeding Fido is a no-no. If everyone gives your canine just a little something from their plate, she could end up overfed and crying from a tummy ache before the dishes are clear.

Once the meal is over and the leftovers are put away, make sure to tie up the garbage and keep it far out your dog’s reach. Snooping snouts can smell right through those plastic bags, and even the most well behaved pooch may not be able to resist the temptation to tear open the Hefty and dive right in. Then you have a potentially sick dog AND a huge mess to clean.

If you simply can't resist, white turkey meat is probably the safest bet. If it's mixed in with their normal dinner, you can control the total amount of food your pet eats. The big thing to avoid is constant, all-day snacking, which is probably good advice for everyone.

Remember, perhaps even more than food, dogs crave attention and affection. Treat them to lots of praise and a good scratching and they will have a happy holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving!