The holidays are a magical time to spend time with friends and family, but they can be an incredibly stressful time for your pets. Pets who suffer from anxiety or reactive pets are more likely to suffer from stress during the holidays. To help keep your pet safe and sound, we’ve compiled pet safety tips for the holiday season for you.
Know Your Pet and Plan Ahead:
- If you will have additional people in your home, set up a safe space for your pet to go when they are feeling unsure, anxious, or overwhelmed. Make sure the space is far from guests and has a favorite toy or blanket for comfort.
- If there are children in the home, keep them away from pets. It can be stressful for pets to have kids around when they are already feeling overwhelmed.
- Holiday parties and house guests can be especially stressful for pets. Even if your pet doesn’t suffer from anxiety, keep a close eye on them around new people or even known people. The holidays don’t always bring the best behavior out in pets. A house full of people, holiday decor, loud noise, unfamiliar food smells… it all adds up. To combat anxiety consider dosing your pet with hemp ahead of time. If you’ve never used our products, try our trial sizes or order our hemp products for pets online or pick up from a local retailer.
Holiday Toxins to Avoid:
- Keep chocolate, grapes, and raisins far from your pet. A seemingly safe fruitcake can be dangerous for your dog.
- It’s so tempting to share delicious holiday food with begging pooches, but remember that even the smallest amount of fatty, rich foods can severely harm your pet’s digestive system.
- If you have holiday guests, remind them not to share food/drink with pets, and to keep all potentially hazardous items tucked away.
Potential Holiday Hazards to Be Aware Of:
- If you celebrate with a Christmas tree, make sure it is securely anchored to the ground so there are no chances of it falling on your curious pet. Avoid editable ornaments like popcorn garlands, gingerbread ornaments, etc.
- If you have a real tree, clean up pine needles often and do not allow your pet to drink water from the tree stand.
- If you celebrate Hanukkah, be sure to keep your menorah out of reach of your pets.
Stick to Your Routine:
- It can be so easy to get caught up in the holidays, but don’t forget about your pet’s daily needs. More than ever your pet needs mental stimulation to avoid boredom and stress. Make time for your furry friend.
- Don’t miss daily walks with your dog. Walking will reduce stress!
And lastly, the most important pet safety tips for the holiday season? Love and snuggle your pet! Not only will they feel safe and loved, you will too! Have a wonderful holiday season from the Healthy Hemp Pet team!
