Christmas Safety

The week of Christmas is always VERY busy with gathering of family & loved ones, opening of gifts, eating of holiday goodies, & a change of the regular schedule as many people have extended time off work for the holidays.  Don’t get so caught up in the festivities that you forget about keeping your dog safe.  Most vet clinics are closed as well, so an accident this time of year becomes even more expensive as the only medical attention available is an emergency clinic.  The vast majority of holiday accidents can be prevented entirely with some simple management & planning ahead.

Whether you are traveling to someone else’s house or staying home for the holidays make sure your dog is wearing current ID on their collar that is easily visible should they should take leave the house or yard.  It’s very easy to dogs to slip out the front door as guests are coming & going, especially when they are carrying in gifts or food, so make sure when you are expecting arrival of guests to put your dog in a safe back room or crate to prevent them from slipping out the front door.  If your dog isn’t typically a big “door darter” have your dog wear their leash IN the house as added safety measure, you can either have someone hold the other end of the leash or just allow them to drag the leash, which will give you more of a chance to grab the leash should they decide to try to slip out the door.  I also like to set out a dish of dog treats so guests can feed my dogs when they are making GOOD decisions, like lying on their pillow, or for kids to have structured games to “play” with my dogs (like demo-ing all the party tricks they know).  While there are lots of dogs who love a good party, even the best dogs can get overwhelmed with all the people in the house, so make sure they have a save quiet place to retreat from the festivities when they need some alone time.

 

If your dog is dressing up for the party & holiday pictures  make sure to take antlers & Santa hats OFF post-pictures to prevent injury.  And be sure to inspect jingle bell collars closely for loose jingles that could become ingested.  I don’t remember a single Christmas where we didn’t have at least ONE spilled drink, so take precautions to remove your dog while everyone is enjoying traditional egg nog, or a hot toddy to prevent them from ingesting alcohol.  Candles & potpourri containers can also get tipped over, so it’s a good idea to choose flame less canals as well as avoid liquid potpourri.  Take care that your dog does not have unsupervised access to the Christmas tree.  Even if you haven’t had any “fainting tree” issues this season both imitation and real tree needles are dangerous if ingested.  Sometimes all those presents UNDER the tree are too much temptation & every year I hear upset owners complain that their dogs “opened” all the presents for them before Christmas morning—sometimes damaging the actual gifts in the process!  And even after the presents HAVE been opened, make sure the clean up all wrapping so your dog doesn’t ingest:  shiny ribbon, wrapping paper, or tiny pieces of kids toys, all of which can cause intestinal blockage.

 

Many of our family holiday foods are toxic to dogs including:  nuts, fatty foods, sage, bread dough, onions, grapes, & Chocolate to name a few.  So if your dog is mingling with your guests make sure to pay attention where THEY are leaving their plates.  And consider restricting access to your kitchen trash can if you aren’t going to take it straight out to the dumpster as the “throw aways” may be too tempting for your dog to resist.

An Ounce of Prevention is worth a Pound of Cure.  So consider utilizing your crate, or at very least a back room, in part of your Management Plan this week.  All dogs enjoy getting a break from the hub-bub!  And there are LOTS of ways to make your dog’s crate FUN!  I am including a festive Christmas Kong recipe  Home For The Holidays, because not only is a kong good mental stimulation chewing is a good stress reliever.  In the crate is the best place to give these high value chew toys—it prevents any mis-communication on whether or not your dog is expected to share with the guests.  If your dog is REALLY good at emptying their Kong you can also freeze them for added effort.  Exercise should also be an important part of the Management Plan, & “The dogs need a walk” also gives YOU a good excuse to slip out for some quiet time to de-stress & reset.

 

Wishing all the Moosekateers a peaceful & happiest of holidays!