“It’s only natural for people to want to share their food with their beloved dogs at Christmas,” Ms Coleman said.

“But people should be warned that a lot of the food we consume at Christmas is actually quite toxic for our dogs.

“I encourage everyone to avoid giving dogs Christmas food off the table, you should keep all the good stuff for yourself.”

Ms Coleman who is affectionately known by TAFE NSW as the ‘dog lady’, was crowned the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia (APDT) Dog Trainer of the Year in 2017, said the best option for spoiling dogs at Christmas was to spoil them with healthy treats including reindeer ears, Clear Dog Treats and Love ‘Em Liver Treats.

Five things to avoid giving your dog at Christmas:

1) Christmas ham: it's very salty and will cause your dog to dehydrate, get a stomach ache and may even cause Pancreatitis which can be fatal.

2) Fruit cake, mince pies and Christmas puddings: They all contain fruit and nuts that can be toxic to dogs.

3) Chocolate: Contains a naturally occurring stimulant called theobromine which is poisonous to pets.

4) Cooked Bones: They can splinter and cause a blockage in the intestines.

5) Christmas tree decorations: Can be very inviting when sparkling and bright and can also cause blockages if digested by your dog.

Enrolments for a range of animal studies courses for 2018 at TAFE NSW are now being accepted.

For more information visit tafensw.edu.au or phone 131 601.