How to Keep Your Pets Calm and Happy during the Holidays

Thanksgiving and Christmas are a great time where families come together to celebrate and create memories together. With this comes planning, cooking, decorations, and of course the big gathering (or maybe smaller this year). Nonetheless, during this time, your pet may require some special attention. They may not be used to having a few extra people around, or with you being gone for an extended period of time. Here are 6 things to follow to keep your pet safe during this holiday season:

Keep your pets away from foods that might make them sick

It is perfectly OK to sneak your pup or cat a treat this time of the year, but remain mindful of foods that could potentially harm your pets. Make sure they stay away from: Chocolate, macadamia nuts, eggnog, ham, raisins, bacon, anything that contains nutmeg, and foods that contain high amounts of garlic and onion. These items may be poisonous to animals and can really harm if consumed in large quantities. Do not let this slip this holiday season!

Take your pets for long walks and play before company comes over or before you leave them alone

Walking your pup consistently is one of the most important things you can do to make sure your dog remains healthy and does not experience any sort of anxiety while there are unknown people around or they are left alone for an extended period of time. When a dog is not properly walked, they may be overly excited to see new individuals entering their space. A nice long walk before this can help promote a better environment for you, your dog, and the company you are having over. On the flip slide, a restless dog that is left alone can often start to experience anxiety over you not being there. You may not be there to see it, but it does happen. Make sure to let your pet run around before taking off.

For those of you who own cats and kittens, give them plenty of attention and play before heading out or having others over. Clean and set up the litter box away from guests and create a safe room where they can stay and play without the extra foot traffic coming in and out. Prior to guests coming, speak calmly and positively with your cat about plans and mention the names of the visitors coming. It may sound silly, but this will help convey to your cat that you view your guests’ arrival as a positive situation.

Make sure your Christmas tree is pet friendly and avoid potential hazards

Christmas trees are a staple of the season. While these are great to have, there are some things you should keep in mind when deciding if you should get one and where to put it. First, be aware that the pine needles that fall from trees can cause digestive problems for your dog or cat if consumed in large amounts. Second, if ornaments are within reach, your pup or cat may accidentally knock them over or try to play with them, leading to the potential for them to consume glass, which is obviously not great for them either. 

If you decide on a tree, make sure you have these covered for the safety of your pet! Here are a few tips on how to pet-proof your tree:

• Wrap foil around the base of the tree and cover with a tree skirt. Cat’s don’t like the feeling of foil on their paws.
• Spray the tree with a bitter lemon spray.
• Opt for felt, wood, paper, or plastic ornaments, or sturdy ones that won’t break easily.
• Use tightly wrapped twist ties or plastic ornament hooks instead of metal hooks to hang ornaments.
• Use bells so you can hear if your pet is messing with the tree.
• Support the tree with a stand to prevent it from falling over.

Clean up the wrapping paper right away!

Either the clock just struck midnight or it’s the mid-morning of the 25th, you are excited and opening presents with your loved ones and you may forget to quickly clean up the wrapping paper that was hiding all of your wonderful gifts! Be careful here – as with everything else, consuming paper like this in large quantities can lead to your pet feeling sick, and may require medical attention. Avoid this at all costs!

Give a gift to your pet!

This one is really a bonus – as a pet lover, it is always great to see the extra family member get a gift as well! If your pet likes plush toys, hard toys, or anything else, be sure to show them that love and get them a little something as well so they can also celebrate with the rest of the family.

Take your pets in for a Holiday Veterinarian checkup!

Because the holidays can be a stressful time for you and your pet, we recommend taking them to the veterinarian for an end of year checkup. This will ensure your pet is healthy and happy before all the festivities begin and will give you peace of mind as well. To schedule your pet’s holiday check-up in Deerfield Beach, Florida, give us a call at 954-425-0013 today!