How to Have Happy Holiday Hounds!

Keeping your furry family safe amidst the joyful chaos

The Holiday season is an exciting and dazzling time of year! Beautiful decorations adorn our homes with plenty of delicious savory and sweet food on the menu! It can be a hectic time of year so here is a list of things to keep your dogs’ away from to make the holidays fun, festive and safe for everyone!

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Decor:

• * Christmas ornaments
• * Christmas lights
• * Tinsel and ribbon
• * Plants and flowers such as lilies, poinsettias, and amaryllis
• * The needles on fresh Christmas trees
• * The water that the tree is standing in as this can contain needles from the tree, pine sap, fertilizer or other additives all of which are toxic for dogs
• * Mistle toe
• * Berries on the holly
• * Candles. The swish of a tail on a burning candle can be very dangerous. Instead, maybe consider flameless flickering candles which are just as effective and much safer for your furry members of the family

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Food Items:

• * Dark turkey meat, turkey skin (white turkey meat is ok)
• * Cooked bones as they can easily splinter causing choking, intestinal issues or gum damage
• * Onions, garlic and pepper
• * Grapes, raisins, or sultanas
• * Fruit cake or mince pies as they contain raisins and sultanas
• * Chocolate
• * Macadamia nuts
• * Sweets and sweet wrappers
• * Caffeine
• * Alcohol

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If you want to treat your dogs as you tuck into your festive meals, remember there are lots of different recipes that you can find to fill a Kong and freeze it for their treat, or spread on a Licki Mat. Or, if there is a long-lasting chew that your dog loves, let them enjoy that!

Don’t forget to have a few presents under the Christmas Tree for your dog(s) to get excited over. A fancy new harness, collar or leash are great ideas as are puzzle toys for mental enrichment, tug toys or if you don’t already have one for your dog, a dog flirt pole!

Dogs can get excited or fearful of large family gatherings that we typically have during the festive season. To help alleviate some of the stress, it’s a good idea to exercise them for at least 30 minutes before guests arrive so that they are relaxed and maybe even a little tired when your guests arrive. It’s also a good idea to give them a break away from company in their crate or in a room with their dog bed.

Be proactive in knowing the number and address details of your nearest 24/7 Emergency Clinic should you need to rush your pet to the vet for any emergency.

Happy Holidays everyone and best wishes for a healthy, happy and safe New Year!

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