How to Keep Dog Safe during Holidays:

While it is natural that you should want to enjoy the holiday season to the utmost, it is also necessary that you take a few basic precautionary measures to ensure that your celebrations do not harm your pet in any way. Avoid using decorative plants such as mistletoe, rhododendron, holly, hibiscus and chrysanthemum, as they may trigger allergic reactions in your dog. It is also advisable that you keep all naked wires beyond the reach of your pet or at least tape cover up their ends securely with insulating tape. This will ensure that your dog does not get an electrical shock even if it accidentally steps on a wire or chews on it. You should also take care to keep Christmas decorations away from the reach of your dog. Objects with sharp edges or pointed corners, as well as those made of plastic, glass or rubber can lead to accidental cuts, bruises and even choking. Thus, it is a good idea to confine all your gifts to a single room to which your dog is temporarily denied access so that it does not come into contact with things like aluminum foils, ribbons, glue and plastic wraps that are commonly used during festivities during the holiday season. If you are planning to put up a Christmas tree, make sure that you do not tie up candies and chocolate within the reach of your dog. While it may be tempting for your pet to try these goodies, they might actually cause digestive disorders and even allergies. Also, refrain from feeding your dog any of the delicacies that you may have cooked to celebrate, and instruct your guests too to not indulge your pet with food containing lots of spices, fats, gravies and artificial sweetening agents, as this might also lead to severe gastrointestinal problems in your pet. Take special care to keep your dog off limits from any food item containing caffeine, as this may lead to nervous, urinary or cardiac complications if accidentally ingested by the pet. Make absolutely certain that your dog in nowhere around when you use artificial snowflakes and globules, as these contain antifreeze chemicals that are toxic for animals. In addition, you should also let your pet relax in a secluded space of its own in case it gets too disturbed by the noise, crowd and activity that celebrations almost always involve. However, check on your dog periodically to prevent it from feeling lonely and neglected.