As pet guardians it is up to us to care for our dog’s health, safety, and happiness, year round. Around the holidays, our dogs may be exposed to different sights and smells - which can be a potential danger to them. That’s why it’s important to do all we can to keep them safe around holiday decor, food, and more.
Here are tips from Veterinarian Kristi on ways to avoid taking your pets to the vet this Holiday season.
Note: This isn’t a substitute for veterinary care. If your dog is sick, injured, etc. go visit a vet ASAP.
Related Reading: Dog Holidays Calendar
TIPS TO AVOID TAKING YOUR DOG TO THE EMERGENCY VET THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
1. BE MINDFUL OF COOKING INGREDIENTS AROUND YOUR PET
Whether you are doing the cooking or someone else is, if your dog is around the kitchen, be extra careful that they can’t get into potentially harmful and/or toxic foods.
Some foods that are toxic for dogs include:
- Onions
- Scallions
- Garlic
- Macadamia Nuts
- Raisins/Grapes
- Chocolate
- Xylitol
For more in depth information about foods that dogs can and can’t eat, check out this list for fruits and vegetables that are and are not safe.
And, check out 20 foods dogs can and can not eat here.
If you’re worried about counter surfing, the #1 thing you should try to avoid is leaving food up on the counter that your dog can get into when you’re away. It’s your responsibility to control your dog’s environment, so when possible, keeping your counters clean and clear can help prevent unwanted counter surfing.
2. KEEP PETS IN A SAFE AREA DURING HOLIDAY GATHERINGS
To avoid stress and anxiety in dogs, as well as to prevent them from getting into things they shouldn’t, keep them in a safe area during gatherings. This can also help keep them safe if the door is going to be open more often than not. You can put them in a separate room, in a crate, use baby gates to keep them out of certain places, and more. It’s also a good idea to brush up on some training, like place, stay, leave it, and come.
3. REMOVE DECOR AND ORNAMENTS THAT CAN BE EASILY CONSUMED
Christmas trees, ornaments, dreidels, gifts, menorahs, kinara, that creepy decoration your aunt gave you, you name it… dogs can get into a lot of things. Remove decorations from your dog’s reach that can be a danger to them.
You can also work on teaching your dog to leave it by following advice from Trevor Smith in this video.
4. ANCHOR AND SECURE THE CHRISTMAS TREE TO AVOID INJURIES
Because we don’t want this happening👇 it’s important to secure a Christmas tree to try to avoid possible injuries.
Try one of these:
- Put barriers around the tree
- Put your tree up on a table
- Anchor your tree to the wall with rope/string
Related Reading: Pet Insurance 101 - How to Choose Pet Insurance
5. AVOID FEEDING YOUR DOG TABLE SCRAPS
While there are some foods your dog can eat that are not toxic to them, even things like sweet potatoes and turkey are filled with sweeteners, spices and seasonings, butter, and more. So to be the most safe, it is best to just avoid table scraps altogether.
(Instead, give them some safe & tasty freeze dried sweet potato dog treats!)
Instead, you can make your dog their own holiday meal that they can safely eat! Or give them some tasty treats and chews instead.
When it comes to our dog’s health and safety, we don’t like to leave things to chance. For more first aid tips, including preventative care, DIY remedies, and more from a Veterinarian, check out the Dog First Aid Course in Pupford Academy.
Want to learn more about prepping for the unknown, read about emergency preparedness for your dog here.
Additional Reading: Learn what to do if your dog is scared of the vet here!
