Christmas is a very enjoyable time of year. There are some things that you can do as a pet owner to ensure that it is also a safe time of year for your dog. Also shop for Dog Christmas gifts soon.
While you are enjoying holiday goodies, be sure to limit what is fed to your dog. It doesn’t need the extra fat that is often found in holiday foods. Small bones found in turkey and chicken can be choking hazards for your pup. Foods such as chocolate, grapes and raisins are actually toxic to dogs.
When hosting a Christmas party, it may be a good idea to close your dog up in a quiet area or its crate. Otherwise, your dog may get distraught or too excited from being around too many people at once. If you are having a small party and plan to leave your dog out, set some ground rules with your guests. Ask them not to feed your dog and to make sure that they close doors when going in and out. If your dog urinates when it gets excited, it might be a good idea to also advise guests to ignore the dog until it calms down to avoid puddles.
Christmas decorations can also be harmful to your dog. It may want to chew on the cords and light strings lying around. It can get shocked by the current in the cords and the lights can burn the inside of its mouth. Whether you have an artificial tree or a real one, you should discourage your dog from chewing on it to avoid unwanted trips to the vet. The needles can cause mild irritation by getting stuck in your dog’s mouth and the sap can be toxic.
Other decorations such as mistletoe, holly, poinsettias and potpourri are also poisonous, so keep them out of reach. Additionally, your dog may pull or climb on the tree and cause it to topple. This can lead to injuries to your dog and damage to your home.
Be wary of your dog trying to mark its territory on a tree that you’ve brought in from outside. Your dog may also try to drink the tree water. Since it probably contains sap from the tree, it is also likely to be toxic.
Other decorations such as candles and ornaments pose their own problems. Your dog can knock over candles, causing minor to major burn damage. It may chew the candles, giving it an upset tummy. Ornaments are attractive toys for your dog, especially if they are swinging from tree branches. Avoid placing ornaments on lower branches so that your dog will not pull them off and eat them. Besides a possible upset stomach, broken ornaments often have sharp edges and corners that can cut your dog’s internal organs and cause bleeding.
