What Every Dog Owner Ought to Know About Holiday Safety

Title: What Every Dog Owner Ought to Know About Holiday Safety
Author: Jennifer Koretsky

What Every Dog Owner Ought to Know About Holiday Safety
The Christmas holidays are fast approaching! While you're
busy decorating and preparing your home for guests, here
are a few important tips to keep your dog safe this season.

The Christmas Tree

Tinsel, small ornaments, and ornament hooks are major
choking hazards for dogs. It's best to avoid tinsel
altogether and keep small ornaments high on the tree, out
of the dog's reach. Also, make sure there are no stray
ornament hooks on the floor!

If your family has a real tree (as opposed to an artificial
tree), it's best to block off the area around the tree with
a screen or gate. Many dogs become ill from drinking tree
water and ingesting pine needles. Vacuum the area around
the tree regularly.

Holiday Guests

It's exciting to have family and friends over during the
holidays—even for your dog! But there are certain
precautions you should take when having company over.

Dogs can easily slip out the door when people are
continuously going in and out. Make sure your dog is
wearing an identification tag with your phone number, even
if he is micro-chipped. Not everyone who finds a lost dog
knows to have him checked for a micro-chip.

Your guests may adore your dog, but don't let them give
your dog any food without asking. Children especially may
want to give the dog a treat—hand them a safe treat
and supervise while they give it to the dog. Under no
circumstances should your dog be given turkey or chicken
bones. They are too small and are a serious choking hazard.
As an alternative, buy a marrow bone at the grocery store
as a special holiday treat.

Why You Shouldn't Give Dogs as Gifts

Bringing a new dog into the family is a wonderful thing,
especially if you adopt a dog from a shelter. However,
giving a dog as a Christmas gift is never a good idea.
Regardless of whether the dog is a puppy or an adult, his
first few days in your home should be all about him. The
holidays, for most families, are too chaotic and busy for a
dog to get used to his new environment, and he may become
anxious or frightened.

A great idea for families who want to give their children a
dog for Christmas is to gift wrap a dog bone. When the
child opens it, tell them it's for the new dog that you'll
be getting in a few weeks. Or you can leave a note from
Santa explaining that he didn't have enough room on his
sleigh and will be coming back with the dog. Animal
shelters are flooded every January with dogs who were given
as Christmas gifts—so January is a great time to
adopt a dog who needs a home.

Lastly, it's always a good idea to have your vet's phone
number posted in a visible spot. Your vet's office should
have someone answering the phone 24/7.

The most important thing to remember, amidst all the chaos
of the holidays, is to always know where your dog is and
what he's up to. That way everyone in your home, including
the four-legged family members, can have a Merry Christmas.

About the Author:

luvmutt.com is a website dedicated to mixed breed dogs and
the people who love them. Meet a new dog every day at
http://www.luvmutt.com .

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