17 Ways to Keep Your Pet Safe and Happy this Christmas
Sparkly ornaments, Christmas trees, and fancy wrapping paper - so many new things to play with and climb on! My family gathers behind a table filled with food that smells so tempting that I must remember to put on my most pathetic begging face. Add to that all the extra attention I've been getting from new humans coming in to the house, squeezing, petting and giving me lots of cuddles. What is going on? I must have somehow slept and awoke in doggie heaven!
Or at least that's what we imagine our dogs would be thinking as we hurry about our Christmas preparations, their wagging tails and watchful eager eyes regarding us.
While Christmas is probably as exciting for our pets as it is for us, it may present a real and present danger for our favorite four-legged pals. Did you know that statistically speaking the number of pet injuries dramatically increase during Christmas? K9 Magazine reports that at least 45% (that's almost half!) of pet-owners claim that their fuzzy friends suffered or were somehow involved in an accident during the holiday season. Of course, nobody wants to make emergency vet visits an annual Christmas tradition.
After all, it is our responsibility to make sure that this Holiday Season will be safe and joyful for the whole family and that includes our pets. Here are some handy tips and tricks that will help you make Christmas safe and joyful not just for you, but also for your pet.
Christmas Trees. Pet-proofing the symbol of the Holiday Season.
Christmas Wrapping Paper - a shuffling nightmare for pet owners
Pets and Christmas Table. Prevent kitchen accidents and save your Holiday dinner
Live but Poisonous decorations. Pets and Christmas plants.
Keeping your pet safe outdoors during the Holiday season
Pets in crowded houses. How not to turn hospitality into hostility for pets
If it is cold for you, it is cold for them
Holiday blues. How to prevent separation anxiety in Christmas
The magic of walks. Prepare your dog for the celebration
Get your pet a Christmas Gift!
Secure the area. Keep Christmas fun within its limits
Christmas lights and pets. May your Christmas be bright and merry
Gifts. Are they meant for humans or pets?
Christmas Trees. Pet-proofing the symbol of the Holiday Season.
Christmas Tree is the ultimate symbol of the Holiday season. Even the laziest dog or indifferent fat cat is guaranteed to get excited when the house fills up with those magical scents of pine or fir trees. But no matter how whimsical those Christmas trees might be, they run certain risks for your fur-babies
• The oil fin wood is slightly toxic for animals. Hardly there may be any lethal consequences, but should we explain how a pet with a stomach upset may turn any holiday into a disaster.
• The needles that fir and pine trees are shedding generously, may get stuck in your Christmas pet`s paws, or even worse - throat.
• An excited or adventurous pet may accidentally flip a tree over and get injured
• The chemicals added to water that is supposed to prolong the tree`s life, are a lethal poison for any animal.
Make it safe!
The easiest solution for most of those issues is to consider an artificial tree. They are stable, don`t need any supportive chemicals, and don`t produce any oils. But in case a plastic tree is not an option, here are some basic precaution measures:
• Make sure the tree is stable and steady. Don`t be shy, perform a real shock-test. We all know how inventive our innocent pups and kitties may be
• Section off the area with furniture or fence. Invisible indoor dog fence might be a smart interior-friendly solution
• Teach a dog to stay away from a tree. This is not any kind of advanced dog training. A huge sparkly and blinking tree in the middle of the living room is quite a notable focus point, therefore it is not hard to translate to your dog a message to keep off.
• Don`t leave the tree unsupervised. Try to make sure that the tree is inaccessible for a pet when you are away or during the nighttime.
Christmas Wrapping Paper - a shuffling nightmare for pet owners
If you get excited from the sound and gloss of Christmas wrapping paper, imagine the temptation level for your pet! Of course, it is so much fun to tear it, roll around and hide all over the house. Not to mention those glittery bows and ribbons! And what do we have eventually?
• All the paper is torn into pieces and spread all over the house or eaten
• Carefully prepared bows are stuck to paws or may be half-way to your pet`s stomach already
• Your cute cat, playing with a ribbon may wrap it around paws or neck causing severe injuries
By the way, about 70% of pet owners in the United States purchase Christmas presents for their fuzzy friends. So to make the most from the pet holiday experience, you don`t want the present itself to become a reason for sorrow.
• Keep your pets away from the room where you pack presents. Make sure to focus on one thing without having to protect anybody's life for a while
• Put presents under the tree right before the unwrapping moment. Just minimize the access opportunities
Cute puppies and cats chewing wrapping paper or running with ribbons look super-cute on YouTube, but you don`t want to deal with any swallowing or tangling consequences.
If you get excited from the sound and gloss of Christmas wrapping paper, imagine the temptation level for your pet! Of course, it is so much fun to tear it, roll around and hide all over the house. Not to mention those glittery bows and ribbons! And what do we have eventually?
• All the paper is torn into pieces and spread all over the house or eaten
• Carefully prepared bows are stuck to paws or may be half-way to your pet`s stomach already
• Your cute cat, playing with a ribbon may wrap it around paws or neck causing severe injuries
By the way, about 70% of pet owners in the United States purchase Christmas presents for their fuzzy friends. So to make the most from the pet holiday experience, you don`t want the present itself to become a reason for sorrow.
• Keep your pets away from the room where you pack presents. Make sure to focus on one thing without having to protect anybody's life for a while
• Put presents under the tree right before the unwrapping moment. Just minimize the access opportunities
Cute puppies and cats chewing wrapping paper or running with ribbons look super-cute on YouTube, but you don`t want to deal with any swallowing or tangling consequences.
Ornaments and decorations - their place is on the Christmas tree. How do they end up in your pet's mouth?
Decorating a Christmas tree - one of the loveliest holiday traditions. It is the moment when all the family comes together, sometimes fiercely arguing about the position and color of every ornament and tinsel, setting the tone for the whole Holiday Season.
And what about your pets? No doubt those glittery and tinkling ornaments and garlands literary invite to play! You may get some pretty likable Instagram videos while your kitten is trying to catch a glitter hanging from a branch or pup walking on back paws, fascinated by all that shine and glitter. But here are two reasons why you should not leave your pet alone with this Holy Grail of playfulness:
- Instead of a neat, carefully decorated tree, you have a solid chance to end up with bare branches and pet pawprints all over the floor
- Edible ornaments (especially the chocolate ones) may be ultimately poisonous for your pet. Ironically, they are the most appealing ones
- If something eventually gets knocked off a branch, you may end up with lots of shards on the floor, which may be dangerous both for pets and humans
But of course, an undecorated Christmas Tree is not an option! In case you are a proud owner of a curious and adventurous pet, there are several ways to make your decorations stylish, smart, and pet-friendly this year.
- Hang ornaments made out of treats on the lowest branches. In this case, whatever is going on on the upper level won't be that appealing anymore.
- Choose safe unbreakable decorations (plastic, paper, DIY ornaments - the choice is unlimited!)
- Leave edibles in the kitchen!
- Try not to leave the Tree unsupervised or create some barrier. In case the physical restriction is not an option, an invisible indoor dog fence may do the job.
Christmas is the time for fun and joy - not emergency rooms and vet offices. Pet-proofing your Holiday season might require some level of inventiveness, but in fact, it is pretty easy and not that costly as bills from a vet and destroyed decorations might be.
Pets and Christmas Table. Prevent kitchen accidents and save your Holiday dinner
Those seductive smells of roasted turkey and other delicious food coming from the kitchen do not only attract family members asking if the food is ready every 10 minutes! Imagine how burning that desire would be if you had a dog's nose. So can you blame your pets for trying to steal food as soon as you leave it attendant? And let's be fair - most of the time, they succeed. When we talk about Pets Christmas, it is not that much ruining the dinner, but your dog or cat's safety at stake. Most foods from our holiday table may be quite unsuitable for our fur-babies` digestive system. Eventually, you may end up with a destroyed carpet and funky smell in the house in the best-case scenario. But hollow turkey bones and chocolate may be ultimately fatal for pets. Not to mention burning and tripping accidents that may happen when you are in a rash of cooking and your curious pet underfoot. Make sure to feed your pets with just food for dogs and cats, and for God's sake, secure the cooking area, especially the stove and oven.
Live but Poisonous decorations. Pets and Christmas plants.
A fir tree is not the only traditional living Christmas decoration. Poinsettias, mistletoe, and holly also bring that splash of color and special Christmas mood to the house. But whether you are placing them in your own home or bring as a present, remember that they are quite toxic for most pets and especially - for cats. Hardly there may be any lethal outcome, but depending on the weight of an animal and how much he managed to eat, those plants may cause pretty severe reactions. Make sure to display them out of reach of your pets.
Keeping your pet safe outdoors during the Holiday season
Although snowy season might be the most fun, especially for our pets' furriest, it may also carry some dangers. Antifreeze and other reagents aimed to provide our safety on the street may be the ultimate curse for animals. First of all, it may damage the paws, which is extremely painful and may lead to severe skin conditions. So during dog walking, make sure to avoid areas that are treated with de-icing products. Also, be careful in your yard; try not to spill antifreeze or leave it unattended in the reach of pets` paws. Also, its smell is quite appealing for most animals, while the product itself is extremely poisonous. Make sure to keep your garage or utility room out of your pet's reach at all times.
Pets in crowded houses. How not to turn hospitality into hostility for pets
Whether you are hosting Christmas dinner in your house this year or visit relatives with pets, this situation may be quite stressful for most animals. The more-the merrier - this principle works only for humans. Cats and dogs may get pretty anxious from all that noise, new smells and faces, and excessive attention. If you are willing to arrange an ultimately merry Christmas for your furry friend, make sure there is some room with a familiar atmosphere and smells where he may escape.
- If you are visiting, take the favorite toy and bedding with you - those smells and textures will help soothe and relax your pet.
- Stick to the routine. No matter how fun the celebration is, make sure to stick to the dog walking schedule and feeding routine.
- If your Christmas gathering includes children, try not to leave your pet unsupervised. From unwanted treats and tummy aches to cases of aggression due to anxiety - all these may be avoided with supervision and attention to your pet's feelings.
If it is cold for you, it is cold for them.
When winter is coming, we start to cuddle in warm blankets and chunky sweaters, turn on the heating and spend the evening at the fireplace. But what about your pets? Winterproofing animals might be quite a controversial topic. On the one hand, it is important to remember that animal's bodies are designed to adjust according to temperatures; therefore, dog jackets and cat fur coats are ridiculously useless pieces of apparel. But if your animals live outside, make sure to winterproof their doghouses and hutches. Put some warm blankets there and protect it from winds and water. During the harsh periods with snow, blizzards consider taking your pet inside the house. Christmas may not have its significance for animals, but this is the time to show some mercy and care to those who depend on us.
Fire safety for pets
Merry flames dancing to the sound of crackling wood in the fireplace. Isn't it the idyllic Christmas picture? But open fireplaces are pretty dangerous for pets. In case it is your cat's or dog's first time to see open fire, make sure to secure it from its adventurous and investigative nature. Another potentially fire-dangerous tradition is Christmas candles. If replacing them with artificial lights is not an option for you, make sure to observe all the precautions.
- Keep them out of your pet's reach
- Place them steadily, so there is no chance burning candles may be affected by an accidental move or air breeze
- Never leave open fire attendant
Most animals are intuitively scared of fire and won't come close to it willingly, but it is still important not to take chances and eliminate all probable accidents.
Holiday blues. How to prevent separation anxiety in Christmas
The holiday season is also a vacation season. And sometimes we decide to leave on vacation without or pets or don't have an opportunity to take them with us. Still, it is essential to remember that you are the whole world and family for your dog, cat, or bunny. Therefore separation anxiety may be a real challenge for your fuzzy friend. To avoid it, you may do the following:
- Make sure to place your pet into a comfortable (perfectly - familiar) environment when you leave
- Take a sweater or a shirt out of the laundry and put it into your dog's or cat's bedding. Your smell will be great comforting factors.
- Avoid long goodbyes. Your emotions may create unwanted excitement that will lead to anxiety when leaving a pet behind at its emotional peak.
Leaving your pet with a family member or a familiar friend is the perfect scenario, of course. But in case you decided to use the services of professionals, make sure to do comprehensive research, ask for feedback and reviews about a place, or contact local pet-lovers for advice.
The magic of walks. Prepare your dog for the celebration.
World-leading dog training experts claim that dog walking is not just a sanitary measure but a miraculous therapeutical procedure for your pet. Nothing helps a dog clear its head and release stress other than a long and intensive migration all over the neighborhood. This tip will come especially handy when you expect a big company for the Holidays. Being extra smooched and squeezed, feeling all those strange scents, a dog may easily get overwhelmed and become destructive and even aggressive. To avoid it and keep your dog in line, make sure to take your dog for at least an hour's walk before guests arrive and add several getaways during the day in addition to your normal walking schedule.
Get your pet a Christmas Gift!
More and more pet owners get Christmas gifts for their furry friends. No wonder the market explodes with various toys and treats before the holidays. But beware, chasing the holiday rush, many retail locations get in bulk some cheap goods from unreliable suppliers. Not only those toys will not last long, but they may also be made out of toxic and hazardous materials. Don't go crazy. In case you have decided to get your Christmas Cat or Dog a gift, don't fall victim to holiday shopaholism. Pay attention to the quality, credibility of the brand, and certificates of any pet goods.
Secure the area. Keep Christmas fun within its limits.
Even the most responsible pet owner cannot observe it 24/7/ Especially when guests have already arrived, there is a turkey in the oven, and kids are anxious to open the presents. If your pet has an opportunity to get out of the house and be unsupervised, make sure to secure the area and make it safe. Almost 10 million pets get lost each year. And most of those cases happen during the holiday season. To make the garden paws adventure safe and fun for your pet this Christmas, consider an invisible dog fence to prevent dog run. You might also want to secure your doors, windows, and gate to prevent your adventurous cat from escaping.
Christmas lights and pets. May your Christmas be bright and merry.
What kind of Christmas is it without those festive lights? But veterinaries present quite grim statistics - accidental electrocutions are the most common reason for pets` injuries and even deaths during the Christmas season. That is why you should be very careful with those decorations. Make sure to restrict access to any power sources, switches, or loose wires. Fasten all the lights steadily to prevent the playful seductions of dangling garlands and place them out of your pet's reach.
Gifts. Are they meant for humans or pets?
In the joy of gift unwrapping, we may sometimes lose focus and forget that our pets remain adventurous hunters 24/7. Out of curiosity, they will monitor every new bag and package that will arrive in the house during the holiday season. And some of that contents may be quite attractive but dangerous for them. Make sure to store the presents safely and out of your pet's reach. When you receive presents and don't have time to arrange and place them properly, take them to a separate room or a closable wardrobe. Even the laziest cat will want to check out that new box filled with shuffling wrapping paper.
Responsible drinking. Keep alcohol away from your pets.
We have already discussed that Christmas tree water may be dangerous for your pet, but other, more traditional Christmas beverages are also hazardous. The smell of alcohol may be quite appealing to cats and dogs. Egg nogs, whiskey, and beer are among pets` favorite fatal attractions during Christmas. Needless to say that the consequences of alcoholic intoxication may be quite harsh for animals and even have their effect in the long perspective. Their stocks, liver, and kidneys are not designed to digest and release alcohol. Keep those beverages away from your pets and of course, make sure they have enough fresh water all the time to prevent the temptation of looking for a drink.
Fireworks. It is Not the 4th of July - It is worse
Yes, they are all fun, joy, and attraction, but any pet owner knows that fireworks may be an ultimate curse. The sound and sight of an explosion may be quite traumatizing and terrifying for animals. Dog runs or pets injuring or trapping themselves in an attempt to escape the battle scene are quite common during Christmas. Even if you are not planning any fireworks attractions yourself, your neighbors might. Therefore it is especially important to secure your pets and provide them a safe area to hide during the night. Also, make sure your gates and fence are secured, and there is a dark, sound-proof area in the house where your cute cat or anxious pup may wait for out the disaster.
Pets bring joy to our life. Unconditional love and devotion, true friendship, and a comforting environment - those are the priceless gifts that we receive from them year-round. Christmas time might be one more reason to demonstrate our responsibility and care for them. Following those simple pet holiday tips, you may be sure that your pet holidays will be joyful and safe and bring only the merriest lifetime memories.