Find A Pro | Contact Us | Print Page | Report Abuse | Sign In | Join
10 Christmas Safety Tips for Pets Parents

The holiday season is a fun time to enjoy with family and friends, but at the same time, it can be a stressful time. Moreover, it becomes anxious when you own a pet you want to protect during the holiday. Talking about holidays, how we forget about the upcoming Christmas. When you keep an eye on every little thing such as- selecting gifts for people, cleaning and decorating the house properly, finding the perfect outfit for you, and thinking of fun and exciting activities for engaging your guests. You become so obsessed with all these that you start neglecting essential things around you, including your little pet. Whether you have a small dog, cat, hamster, or rat, they need your attention and care all the time. However, during any festival season or Christmas, you need to take extra care of your pet and pay detailed attention. It would be best to remember certain things when you organize a party at your home while you have a roaming pup around you.

When the Christmas holidays are on, you might not think about the truth that some holiday decorations can be harmful to your four-legged buddy. During Christmas, certain food items can leave your pet sick and upset as the dogs are always ready to munch on everything. However, it is usual that you forget about these minor details when you have a bunch of guests to accompany you. But it is always beneficial to bring it back to your attention so that your little buddy can have a safe Christmas holiday. 

 

Discussed below are some of the ways to make sure that your pup has a safe and healthy holiday-

Keep them away from the food that will make them sick

Although sometimes it's fair to feed your dog with human food, you need to be extra careful during the Christmas holiday. Not all the items made to celebrate Christmas are safe and healthy for your canine, so things like chocolate, nuts, turkey bones, raisins, grapes, or a dish containing onion and garlic can be toxic. 

Get them for a long walk before the guests come up

When many guests are coming to your house, it can be fun for you but not for your pup. When you have a dog, they can get overwhelmed and stressed out by looking at numerous people around them. Or even sometimes, they can get excited and destructive. So, to keep them in the lineup, it is better to take them for a long walk as it will make them tired and keep them away from getting stressed.

Quickly clean up the wrapping paper

After the party is over, the first thing you keep running is opening the gifts you receive. You keep on unpacking all the stuff, throwing the wrapping paper all over the floor, thinking of cleaning it later. But when leaving with the dog, you need to avoid doing it. Pets like dogs and cats tend to play with this stuff, and even they eat it. When they consume too much paper, it can damage their intestine and ultimately make them fall sick. So, it would be best if you clean it up right away.

Make a pet friendly Christmas tree

You want to have a beautiful and decorative Christmas tree, but it can be dangerous for your pup. The reasons discussed as-if the dog eats the pine needles falling from a real Christmas tree can lead to digestive issues; your little canine can smack down the ornaments that can hurt it. Also, your little buddy can jump on the tree, making it fall. After the festival, clean up your real Christmas tree to ensure that there aren't any needles. If possible, try to put a baby gate around the tree to keep it safe. 

Make a safe place for them

As discussed above, a lot of people can make your pet stressful. So, when you are hosting a party, make sure you create a safe and separate space for your little dog. Try to block off a quiet room from outside, fill the room with your dog's stuff like toys and bed. Ensure that your canine feels comfortable in its own house, even in between people gathering. 

Instruct your guests against feeding your dog

You are well aware of your dog's eating habits, but when your guests come up, they may not know it; when your dog is roaming around, you need to inform them not to feed anything to your pup.

Be careful of the holiday plants

This year if you are decorating your house with Christmas-themed plants, please be careful as some plants can be allergic to your canine. Among some plants, holly and mistletoe can be quite toxic for your dog. To ensure that your dog doesn't fall sick this Christmas, try to avoid those plants that can poison your four-legged pup.

Keep your dog away from candy

You already know that you need to keep your dog away from chocolates, but you also need to keep it away from candy because it is made from xylitol. It acts as an artificial sweetener generally found in sugarless candy, chewing gum, and baked items. If your canine consumes xylitol, it can result in liver damage, a decrease in blood sugar, and even lead to death in dogs. 

Be aware of your tree decorative

Again, it is necessary how you are decorating your Christmas tree. Simply because you do not want your dog to munch on breaking ornaments, which can result in choking hazards, to avoid this, try to hang on delicate decorative items and place them out of your canine's reach. In addition to this, you should be careful about the Christmas lights as your dog can get tangled in them and bite the wire, giving the shock.

Give your dog the right gifts

And finally, it's the Christmas festival where you exchange gifts with your family and friends, so how can you leave your pet? Buy them various gifts, ensuring you get all the right ones. Get some chewable treats and some toys for your little buddy. 

Conclusion:

Christmas is a festival to enjoy the holidays to your fullest while keeping an eye on your little buddy. The above tips will assist you to host the party freely and stress-free while looking for your dog. Also, when decorating your house for the party, you dress up and get party-ready. And you also want your little pup to look amazing, but when you have a daisy dog breed, you do not need to make extra efforts to make your dog ready as the breed itself is attractive.