Making Christmas Safe for Your Dog
December 4th, 2009
The holiday season is here and with it come the frosted ornaments, electric cords, the left over pieces of candy and wrappers, and the paraphenalia from unwrapping presents and all sorts of things which can make their way into the digestive tracts of your dogs. Remember to “dog proof” your house this year, the same as you would child proof your home if you have toddlers arriving for the Holidays. Dogs are always attracted to objects that you would never even consider! And the hectic times of the holidays can bring out the exploratory nature of a dog that maybe has never even considered straying outside of the bounds of normal behavior before!
In case of emergency situations, such as choking and/or eating questionable items, the web is a quick place to find hot links and phone numbers for emergencies, but it is also a wise idea to have your own vet’s number posted at all times in a prominent place, such as your refrigerator.
Now is a good time to make a New Year resolution to “makeover” your home so that it remains a safe haven for your pets all year round. Remove the deadly things, such as de-icer, cleaners, chemicals, and such to the HIGHEST shelves of your garages and store rooms. Find the electric cords that make wonderful places for dust balls to hide and get them wrapped up and secured. (Strapping tape is a WONDERFUL invention!) Check especially that all computer cords and paraphenalia are well hidden and collected out of the reach of pets and little kids.