Anyway, here's some helpful advice on keeping safe with your pet at xmas.
Are you stressed out by Christmas yet?
Well, why not sit down, have a cup of tea and spend just a moment or two
thinking on how our dogs or other pets may be affected. Here are a few tips to
help to reassure ourselves that they will be safe and happy.
First, let’s consider the now well-known
phrase: ‘A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For Christmas’. It may seem a perfect time
to add a new furry to our family, taking advantage of being off work for a
little longer. However, for the most part, this time of year is really busy for
us. The best advice is therefore to consider a calmer time in our lives so that
we can give our full attention to our new puppy or rescue dog.
Sadly, rescue centres are frequently
inundated with abandoned pets at this time of year. Perhaps it’s worth thinking about the future,
before extending your family. Or perhaps you may wish to donate a little to
your local rescue centre to help those in unfortunate circumstances.
Next, please consider general safety.
During the festive season we may have gifts, decorations and extra food around,
all of which can be dangerous for our pets. Dogs and puppies in particular will
be very excited with something novel lying on the couch or under the tree, and
may well decide to investigate. Whilst presents under the tree do look nice,
they may well be too much of a temptation, as may tinsel and other tree
decorations. So, please consider how you can keep your tree safe. Perhaps
putting a smaller tree on a table would help, or how about a decorative fence
around the tree?
Food and treats can also be a hazard.
Chocolate, grapes and macadamia nuts (well we may well have them at xmas time)
are all poisonous to dogs, along with many other xmas treats. Even feeding your
pet some special meal or turkey left overs can upset their digestive systems.
Obviously it’s nice to treat our pets, but, just a tiny amount of something
safe will feel special for them. Take
care with xmas plants too which are frequently toxic to pets.
Next, it’s worth considering how our change
in routine affects our dogs. Can they cope with more visitors? If not, then
consider introducing a safe den area in the house for them. Can they cope with
being left for longer when you are out at a party? If not, perhaps they would
be happier having a friend or neighbour pop in to see them. But certainly, make sure that you’ve left
enough time to give them an extra walk before you go.
And finally, we want to avoid the issue
that frequently arises after the holidays. Some dogs who had seemed perfectly
happy being left at home whilst you were out at work, can suddenly no longer
cope. And, when you return to work, they may bark a lot, toilet in the house or
destroy things. It’s a common problem. To avoid this, try to keep their routine
similar, and give them a little home alone time.
So, in summary, please try to keep your
dogs safe from the food, decorations and presents and aim to keep their routine
as consistent as possible.
We hope you have a safe and happy Pawsmas.
For more information on dog poisons and keeping your pet safe and happy, please
visit Pawsability.co.uk.
Author : Anna Patfield
First published, Northern Times Dec 2016.
Further Reading : More on Xmas by Denise Nuttal