Tips to Enjoy A Peaceful Holiday with Your Dog
While the holiday is often wonderful and joyous, it can also be stressful. If you have a dog, you should be mindful of your surrounding especially during the festivities and ensure it is balanced and peaceful. Below are a few essential suggestions:
Exercise
Before you have guests at your home or before leaving the dog to attend a holiday festivity, ensure your dog is properly exercised. Exercise will help expel their energy, and they can rest and remain calm when you are entertaining guests.
Keep your dog away from decorations and tree ornaments
Remember dogs cannot tell the difference between a decoration and a toy unless you show them. Before you leave them alone during the festivities, ensure they know their boundaries. Dogs are very curious and they can get into trouble without supervision, and they will definitely be tempted to play with the decorations while you are away. For peace of mind, you can keep your dog in a crate to ensure they don’t play with your decorations.
Be cautious of toxins
Since the holidays usually involve treats, goodies and cheer, you need to be extra careful with chocolate as they might be harmful or toxic to your dog. Keep leftovers in a properly secured bin. Inform your guests that feeding your dog with chicken bones and candy bars isn’t such a great idea. Also, plants like Amaryllis and Holly can be harmful to your dog and can lead to vomiting and stomach upset.
Prepare the dog for the weather
Most dog breeds don’t do well in cold weather. So, if you plan to spend most of your time outdoors during winter, you should have appropriate supplies such as coats and doggie boots. And when its completely freezing, you should let your dog go outside and feel that it’s too stormy or too cold to go for a walk. Instinctively, your dog will run back inside the house away from the cold.
Practice proper etiquette
Before guests arrive at your home, you should instruct them to avoid touching the dog until it’s calm. You should keep excited children away from your dog. As the holiday season can easily send kids into a frenzy, you should encourage all guests to celebrate in a calm manner. Your dog can easily become restless in an environment where there is a lot of excitement.
Conclusion
If you suspect your dog has ingested something toxic during the holiday, you should consult your vet immediately.
References: Cesars way, Mental floss, First time dog mom
