PINOY PET FINDER - ARTICLE / BLOG

Keeping The Holidays Safe For The Family Dog

The fireworks of the Fourth of July, the tinsel on a Christmas tree, the beauty of holly berries on a plant. The holidays can be wonderful times for humans, but for dogs, they can be downright dangerous. Hazards tend to lurk around every corner as some of the bigger holidays rolls around. Keeping a pet safe, secure and happy amid the festivities will require some planning, but the whole family will enjoy the time more if the legwork is done.

While it’s certainly true there are hazards to dogs’ health and safety at home 365 days a year, a few days are a little more hair-raising than others. Some of the biggest trouble days out of the year for the family dog include:

July 4, New Year’s

It is highly unlikely fireworks will directly hurt a dog, but they can scare them greatly. If this happens, a dog might become distressed, anxious and a bit of a problem. The best thing to do is to keep the family pet in on nights when there is a lot of noise and action expected in the sky. Take care to ensure they are safely enclosed to avoid a dog getting loose and into trouble on a road or with a neighbor. If a party is being held to coincide with the holidays, watch out for stray drinks as alcohol can cause problems for pets, too. Do take the time to reassure them if they become anxious because of the hubbub.

Easter, Halloween, others

Any holiday that might include a lot of sweets or chocolates can present problems for the family dog. While not all dogs have reactions to chocolate, to some the substance is toxic. Take care to keep sweets and other foods they shouldn’t eat out of reach of the family dog. If chocolate is ingested, check with the family vet just to be safe.

Christmas

This might be the single biggest threat to a family dog as far as holidays are concerned. From the plants of the season to the decorations and beyond, there are all kinds of potential problems that arise. In regard to wrappings and trimmings, try to keep them away from the family pet if at all possible. Plants associated with the holidays, such as poinsettias and holly, can be very toxic, so do keep them up and away from dogs and small children. The lights and tree itself can also cause some problems. If a dog has a tendency to jump at them, consider securing the tree or securing the dog away form it. Also, watch out for tinsel and other unusual things a dog might try to ingest. Not everything associated with the holidays is toxic to a dog, but it’s best to take extreme care to ensure the family dog is probably cared for during the season. Keep things such as candy, chocolate and other food items a dog shouldn’t eat far away from them, too.

Caring for the family dog shouldn’t stop during the holidays. While it is very smart to take precautions to protect them, this doesn’t mean that holiday fun has to stop. When a dog is well training and its owner is, too, the holidays can be a great time for the entire family, the dog included.

By Kelly Perry of Oh My Dog Supplies - http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com/