It’s the holiday season–time for beautiful decorations, visiting with loved ones and baking delicious treats. While all these events are lots of fun for us, it’s our responsibility as pet owners to make sure our furry friends are kept safe and happy as well during this time. Our furry family members can participate in holiday traditions safely; it just takes some extra care. Take a look at these quick holiday safety tips and keep Fido away from potential danger.
Try to Maintain Your Routine
Keeping to a regular schedule is comforting and very beneficial for our pets. They have very little control over their daily lives, so if their routine is taken away from them, they can quickly experience anxiety and stress. Despite the craziness of the holidays, do your best to make sure your pets still receive regular meals, exercise, and time with their favorite humans.
Secure Your Tree
Christmas trees can be very tempting to pets since they are large, unfamiliar, and full of shiny baubles. If your family puts up a tree, be sure to secure it safely to the wall or another piece of sturdy furniture. This way, if your cat gets the urge to climb or your dog gets zoomies and forgets about this new installment, it’s unlikely they will topple the entire thing. Pay close attention to whether or not your animals try to eat the needles as well, regardless of if your tree is real or plastic. These materials can scratch their throats and cause blockages in their intestines. Cover your tree’s water well if possible, too– bacteria can grow in it and upset your pet’s stomach.
Holiday Plants
Besides a tree, plants such as holly, poinsettia, mistletoe, and lilies are often used to decorate houses during the holidays. These will at least cause gastrointestinal upset in both dogs and cats, and some varieties cause much more severe reactions. It is best to avoid having these species in areas accessible to your pets. Instead, decorate your home with Christmas cactus, red roses, Phalaenopsis orchid, and autumn olive. These plants are safe should your pet eat them and provide the same classic holiday aesthetic.
Wired Up
Lights are a staple decoration for the winter holidays. While they are delightful, they also come with lots of extra wires. Keep your pets and small children safe by ensuring wires are appropriately secured and out of reach. Clips, tape, or other fasteners are a great help.
Don’t Give in to Your Dog’s Begging
It may not seem like a big deal to feed your dog scraps from the table, but human food isn’t good for them to eat. This is especially true during the holidays when you likely have more guests and thus more opportunities for people to give your pup scraps if you allow it. Many foods that comprise our holiday dishes like garlic, onion, various fats are particularly bad, and any sugary sweets. It is best to avoid giving your dog human food altogether. Instead, include your dogs in your baking tradition by making festive homemade dog treats.
Give Them Some Space
Holiday gatherings can be quite stressful for our furry friends. They can be loud, unpredictable, and filled with many unfamiliar people. To help your pets cope, set aside a quiet room to retreat to should they need to, with a comfy place to lay, some water, some food, and a toy or two. If they prefer being crated, settle them before the guests arrive. Ensure your guests know not to disturb them in their quiet space – no matter how badly visitors want to visit with your furry family member.
The Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training team wish you and your dog a beautiful holiday season.
