We all get so busy during the holidays and sometimes we forget to make preparations and take extra precautions to make sure our pets stay safe during all the parties and socializing. I ran across this article and thought all of our Deaf Dogs Rock readers would enjoy some of the information it offered. ~ Christina – Deaf Dogs Rock
Our little senior Chihuahua Pepe in his Holiday best! Doesn’t he look great in his Santa hat?
(photo above: By Aonghus Kealy/Toronto Star – Coco, a 2-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, finally sits still for a photo in her Santa coat and toy reindeer antlers).
Prepare your pet for the holidays – By: Anonghus Kealy – Toronto Star
T.J. Sheehan fit the toy reindeer antlers over Coco’s head, tucked the elastic under her chin and the photo was quickly snapped.
It was the jolly shop owner’s fourth attempt in 15 minutes to set up a photo for the two-year-old Rhodesian ridgeback mix, wrapped in a red Santa coat, at Pet Valu in Toronto. The tan pooch finally cooperated. For all of 10 seconds.
Yeah, you gotta work fast with these antlers,” Sheehan chuckled as the dog flung the antlers to the ground yet again.
Taking a themed photo is just one of the many fun things pet owners can do in the run up to the holidays. And it’s that time of year to start thinking about what to do with their little pals — dogs, cats and the like — over the holidays.
Are the pet owners hosting a dinner? Are they visiting someone’s house? What about all the guests, non-animal lovers included?
When it comes down to it, there are only two roles for a pet during the holidays: as a furry participant, or as a stowaway on the sidelines. Pet allergies are often the biggest factor in this decision.
But first, the fun role …
Hi, Rover
It’s something many owners don’t consider, but having guests over or taking a pet to someone’s house for the big turkey dinner can be stressful on our pets, as their routines are broken and a larger number of feet continually walk past them.
It’s an event that requires some preparation to minimize their stress, say pet experts.
The No. 1 rule for the holiday: break out the treats.
“If you were going to bring Rover to someone else’s house, some good things to bring would be lots of (pet) cookies, especially if this is a new environment,” says Kayla Lansdowne of Dogs At Camp, a dog daycare in Cookstown. “Positive reinforcement always makes any new situation less scary.”
If you have time, go online and find a beef- or chicken-stock recipe for the holiday, she says.
If other dogs are visiting, you may want to have them meet outside the house, says Anne MacDonald, who has spent 30 years caring for and grooming pets and horses.
To keep your visiting pets calm, she adds, bring them with a travel kennel or crate and their favorite toy.
Cats are less social animals, says Paul Reynolds, store manager of a midtown Toronto PetSmart. Creating a space for them in a separate room with a ball and a scratching post will keep them happy. Pheromone collars and sprays also keep them calm, he adds.
As for dogs, getting them groomed always helps them relax. But it will be high season, so book early.
“And at Christmas dinner, if you want to involve Fluffy or Fido, you can give them turkey,” says Reynolds. “A bit of lean protein will be great for them.”
Want to spoil your lizard, gerbil, hamster, rat or other small animal? Give them fresh fruit, such as a mandarin orange.
For your family picture, use treats to keep your dog’s attention and a ball or favourite toy for your cat, says Reynolds.
And once all of the gifts are unwrapped, “cats love to play with all that crinkly paper. You’re doing your cat a disservice if you don’t let them play with it,” he says.
Before the guests show up, here’s a quick list of safety precautions:
Tinsel or string on the tree: These should be raised, says MacDonald. “The cats tend to play with it, and start to ingest the tinsel. It can get wrapped around their bowels, and kill them. You do have to be cautious.”
Ornaments: Glass ornaments should be high up, or they’ll be at risk of being clawed at and broken. And if you’re tempted to spread the spirit to your fish tank, be careful not to put a toxic decoration in there, says Reynolds.
Poinsettias: The debate on the toxicity of this red and green plant continues. But most pet experts will tell you to keep your animals away. “We recommend they’re kept away, especially cats as they love to chew on plants,” says Reynolds.
Electrical cords: Rabbits, cats and puppies are also famous for chewing on cords. Using bitter apple, an awful tasting non-toxic liquid, on the cord (not plug!) will generally keep them away from your Christmas lights, says Reynolds. “It’s nasty to the pets.”
Anchor the tree: Tie a rope from the base of your Christmas tree to a wall or a piece of heavy furniture in a corner of the room. “The cats will want to play in the tree because they’re curious,” says MacDonald.
Other no-nos: For dogs, “chocolate is never good, grapes are very bad, as well as onions and cooked bones — they may splinter and cause some internal damage,” says Lansdowne, adding owners should find out where their nearest emergency vet is.
To read the full article on thestar.com click here.
