December 6th, 2012
Holiday Safety Tips for Your Dog
‘Tis the season! The holidays can be a fun time, good time spent with family and friends, but they can also be hazardous and stressful for your dog. Here are some tips to help keep your pets safe and happy during this time of year.
- If you put up a tree, consider securing your tree to a wall or the ceiling or protecting it somehow so it doesn’t ge
t knocked over. Always make sure your dog is supervised when in the room with the tree.
- Don’t let your dog chew on the tree. Eating needles can irritate a dog’s mouth and digestive tract.
- If your pet (dogs and cats) likes to play with ornaments on the tree, decorate the bottom third of the tree with ornaments that won’t break.
- Don’t leave the lights on the tree when you’re not home.
- Make sure you pick up all the tinsel, ornament hooks, etc. from the floor. You don’t want your dog to eat anything like this.
- If you have a real tree, make sure the water bowl is covered so you dog can’t drink from it in case there’s any pine sap, bacteria, fertilizers, or other toxic chemicals in the bowl.
- Keep all gifts that contain food, chemicals, and batteries off the floor and away from your dog.
- Choose gifts for your dog that are safe.
- Don’t let your dog eat holiday plants such as poinsettias, holly and mistletoe. These plants are toxic.
- Make sure your dog doesn’t get into the holiday meal leftovers. Certain table scraps, especially bones can cause serious health problems if ingested.
- Try to stick to your dog’s daily routine – walks, feeding, playtime. Dogs like routine, and to deviate from their normal routine will cause stress.
- If your dog doesn’t like a lot of people around, and you’re planning a party, give your dog a quiet place to relax away from the hustle and bustle.
Finally – avoid giving a pet as a holiday gift. The holidays are not ideal for introducing a new pet into a family. New pets require a stable environment and plenty of extra attention and time to bond with their new family.
The holidays are both a wonderful and a stressful time for many people. With all of the festivities, don’t forget to relax and spend some quality time with your pet. Your dog will think that is the best gift of all.
Happy Holidays!
