The holiday season is all about connecting with your loved ones and making memorable moments together. If you have a dog, that also means making sure that they stay out of trouble during the holiday gathering. Whether you are hosting at your home or visiting family and friends, here are some holiday gathering safety tips to keep in mind.
Holiday Gathering Safety Tips
Holiday Decorations
If you have decorations up in your home, or are planning to put up extra decorations for your party, make sure to keep them out of reach for your pet. The last thing you want is a trip to the emergency vet clinic during the holiday because your dog ingested a foreign object that could be harmful to them. Another good option to use a bitter deterrent spray, like Grannick’s Bitter Apple Spray.
Food
If food is involved, you can bet that your dog will be front and center begging for table scraps. As cute as those big puppy dog eyes are, avoid giving them human food as most of it will probably upset their stomach, or worse. Likewise, keep any food where you dog won’t be able to reach it. If you want to go above and beyond, you could cook your dog their own version of your holiday dinner. Their tummy will thank you later.
Escapes
There are a large number of dogs who escape from their home during the holidays due to the front door being opened multiple times to let guests in. Whether or not your dog is inclined to zoom out the door when it’s opened, leave them in a separate room with the door closed when greeting your guests to avoid escapes. This is especially important for dogs who get nervous and scared around groups of people. Set up their bed and toys in a room to make them feel comfortable and, when everyone has arrived for your party, let them out to say hello and socialize.
Written by Vincent M.
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