The Holidays and Dogs-
• Cooked bones are very brittle, and splintered pieces can perforate their intestines and/or lodge in your pets gums, requiring veterinary care to prevent infection/abscess or even death. Holiday leftovers need to go into the fridge or animal-proof trash cans as soon as the meal is over.
• Some human food is very unhealthy for animals, such as cooked bones, pies, meat gristle, onions, grapes and chocolate (etc). If you would like your pet to "join in" on your Holiday meal(s) feed Weruva or Tiki Dog Canned "Funky Chunky" or "North Shore Luau", or a properly prepared and sized 'raw' diet designed for pets, such as Primal or Nature's Logic (NEVER feed your pet grocery store, human meat raw. It is likely to contain large amounts of dangerous bacterias. Only feed raw that is designed for pets and is not intended to be cooked). Monitor your dog while he is chewing bones. You know your dog best, and can evaluate his bone chewing responsibility level best. If you question whether or not your pet can responsibly chew a bone, place your dog in a kennel with the bone in the same room as you. This will help prevent potential choking hazards and aggression with guests, children and other pets. Do not feed your pets your "leftovers" after holiday meals because your leftovers are the parts you deemed unsatisfactory for consumption. If you it's know unsatisfactory for you then it's probably not good for your pet either.
• Many color dyes in wrapping paper can be toxic and can make dogs and cats sick. Also, wrapping tape can potentially get stuck in your pets throat. Make sure all paper is picked up and stored in pet safe containers.
• Increased stress can cause people to become annoyed/upset with their pets, treating them differently than usual, which in turn causes unnecessary stress to the animal. Stressed people often leave their pets unattended. Unattended pets are bored pets and bored pets get into trouble. Kennel your pet inside your home, make reservations at a reputable boarding kennel, take your dog to daycare or hire a dog walker/sitter if you are too stressed out to exercise or spend relaxed time with your pet. Also, pets are likely to have increased levels of stress around people that have been drinking, as people can potentially treat pets differently when they've been drinking. The Canine Psychology Center ( www.caninepsychologycenter.com) will tend to your dog with 24 hour, in-home care while you are celebrating your holidays.
• Gifts, especially children toys, are very inviting to dogs. The holiday season is a time when many people find that their dog has a problem deciphering between their own toys and a child's new toys that may have small parts or metal parts that can get stuck in a dog's throat or cause tearing of the thin tissue inside the dog's mouth and throat. To help your pet decipher between what is his and what isn't, trying placing all your pets toys in a "toy box", and only allow your pet to play with toys that go in and come out of that bin. Also, try pet chew deterrent sprays (My favorite is Tropicleans Stay Away). These sprays can be placed on other objects, such as childrens toys, furniture, etc, to prevent your pet from mistaking them for his own. If your pet is particularly stubborn and doesn't "get the point", try disciplining the object that your pet is interested in. Don't make a point of actively involving your pet in this... just watching will be enough for your pet to want no part of that object. Take the object and pretend you are mad at it... stomp at/on it, yell at it, just be angry at it. Do NOT yell at your pet. Your pet is already stressed out during the holidays, just let your pet watch and that should be enough for them to "get the point". If you WANT your pet to unwrap their own presents, consider wrapping them with newspaper or other packing paper (or even paper bags) and using hemp string, rather then tape, to hold it shut to ensure digestibility and safety.
Also, consider purchasing only natural and earth-friendly toys (like the ones sold at Hero's P.e.t.s) because even your pets toys can be toxic. Watch this news brief about toxic pet toys http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=DDC4EC56C3D22DAC7C9AF76ED40FD51F?contentId=5125507&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1
New Year's Eve –
• Fireworks, as you know, cause many animals, wild and domestic, to become very stressed out, sometimes running out in the road and getting hit by a car. Some dogs even like to attack fireworks causing serious burns and eye injuries/loss. Kennel your dog inside your home or make reservations at a reputable boarding kennel. ( www.caninepsychologycenter.com ) Hero's Pets also carries the Thundershirt to help with anxiety. If you are in your home with your pet where it is safe and your pet is nervous, try playing music, playing with a laser, ball or doing some other fun activity that will take your pets mind/ears off of the noise.
• Drunk drivers are a serious problem for everyone, but are more prevalent on New Year's Eve. Be sure to take extra special care for yourself and your pet around roads during the holidays. Also, seat belting your pet in your vehicle can prevent many injuries in the event of an accident. Your chance of death increases by 40% if someone, including your pet, is not buckled up in the back seat because they may become a projectile into you. Also, if your pet is ejected from the car (and survives) they are likely to be scared and in shock. If this happens they may run into moving traffic and get hit by another car, or they will make it virtually impossible for an emergency worker or helpful passer-by to catch and help them. In such serious and terrifying events your dog may also bite someone, leaving you with a ticket and/or possible mandatory euthanasia. Seat belt your pets, for their safety and for yours.
Kids & Dogs during the Holidays
Kids and dogs play, that's what they do! There's nothing more adorable than a young child playing with his gentle, loving dog or new Christmas puppy. It is adorable, but not always a good idea with certain dogs. Remember, dogs are pack animals and live by a very strict social order. Us humans are also pack oriented, and have our own proper social order, but dogs and humans have completely different psychologies that make us think at a different level. The problem comes when the family owns a dog or puppy that doesn't view them as any kind of a pack leader. Children are too small physically and don't understand mentally that they should be seen as pack leaders by their dogs and believe it or not, most parents don't even know this crucial fact. However, in a dog pack only members of the same basic age and 'rank' play with one another. Pack leaders don't play, as they have an important job to do and that's protect the pack and keep that strict social order in tact. So, when we allow our children to play physically with our dogs we are literally teaching our dogs to treat all kids with disrespect. Do your research on each breed of dog, as well as the energy level of a potential canine addition to your family and choose an animal that will not be so dominant with children. Incorporate the cost of training into the overall cost of your pet, as training is a necessity... 70% of domestic pets end up in shelters due to insufficient training. Training is not just for your pet, it is for you... you must understand the messages you are sending your pet because they don't always perceive your actions the way you mean them. Also, not all trainers are equal. Petsmart and Petco training is more like socialization training. Some trainers style will clash with your beliefs or desires. INTERVIEW your trainer before committing or paying... find one that you feel comfortable with. Hero's Pets can recommend several great trainers.
If you are considering giving a loved one, or asking for, a new puppy as a Christmas present please consider giving or asking for a gift certificate to a breeder or all natural pet supply shop (so they can purchase necessities for their new pet) rather then an actual pet. That way people can develop a bond with the right pet and prevent any animal's admittance into the local shelter when the unprepared new owner realizes that they didn't make the proper physical, as well as mental, preparations to receive the new puppy or to let them know ahead of time in case they are simply not ready to have a puppy at this time – you will then have enough time to think of another gift that might be more appropriate.
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