It is that time of year when we are all getting ready for Christmas. For our dogs this can be wonderful as it means extra time with us, doggy presents, lots of attention and maybe some Christmas turkey and trimmings! But Christmas can also be a dangerous time for our dogs as we bring in unusual foods and objects into our homes. Some dogs may find the noise and changes in routine a little distressing.
Here are my top tips for keeping your dog happy and safe.
The sorts of dogs that are more prone to being a victim of the Christmas season are young puppies, boisterous adolescents and senile dogs, but any dog can suffer distress or illness, so no matter what age your dog is, it is worth considering what you can do to ensure they are kept safe and well.
Many of the foods around at Christmas are toxic for dogs such as chocolate, Christmas pudding, grapes, macadamia nuts, cooked bones and raisins. Be careful not to leave any of these items in the reach of your dog.
Wood Green has a list of the most common toxic plants and foods for dogs.
https://woodgreen.org.uk/advice/what-plants-or-food-are-poisonous-to-dogs
The Christmas tree itself will have a plethora of plastics and decorations on it, all of which could cause serious injury if the dog were to ingest any of them. If the lower branches of the tree are bare, the dog won’t be able to access them so easily. There is also the option of putting a pen around the tree so the dog cannot access it. For dogs not used to the tree at all, set it out in the corner a few days before dressing it, to help the dog accept the new strange item in the room.
Puppies will be particularly drawn to anything that dangles; Christmas tree lights, tinsel, baubles and so on. Consider having a minimal decoration if you cannot prevent the puppy from being near the tree. Turn lights off to prevent electrocution and always monitor and never a dog that is not used to the tree unattended around it. For some dogs, such as those that are prone to guarding items or ingesting items, it may be safer to not have a tree at all.
It is safest to keep the presents out of sight until Christmas morning, especially if your dog is ever left unattended near the tree. Its incredible sense of smell will be able to sniff out dog food and human food, so unless you are sure there are no dangerous items in those presents, keep them out of the way.
Batteries are dangerous to dogs, so toys that have batteries inside should be put away and not left lying around for our curious dogs to get hold of.
Our senior dogs or dogs carrying trauma may struggle with furniture being moved and an increase in visitors. For these dogs try to stick to routine as much as possible, introduce visitors one at a time and keep things as calm as possible. It is ok to separate your dog into a quiet, safe place while visitors are there or if the noise levels are getting too much. Things like poppers and Christmas crackers may trigger a fight or flight response in certain dogs. There are silent crackers available to buy. Fireworks can also be very distressing for certain dogs, see my piece on fireworks from the last edition for advice on dealing with fireworks.
Vets have a huge increase in emergency calls during Christmas. It is worth having your emergency vet contact number saved in your phone in the event of an emergency. Do you know where your emergency vet is? It may not be the vet you usually go to. If your vet does not operate an out of hours service they will probably direct you to another vet practice, which may mean a drive of some distance. Will there be someone sober available to take your dog to the vet if you have been drinking and can’t drive yourself? Do you have a number of a taxi company that will allow dogs in the car? Some insurance providers provide a free online video consultation as standard, but bear in mind this will not involve treatment and they will be busy. If your dog does ingest anything dangerous they will want to know quantities, time of ingestion and ingredients, so keep things like wrappers and boxes for information.
If your dog feels secure with structure and routine then try and make sure you are sticking to the regular walks and feeding as normal as possible. Christmas can be very stimulating for dogs, so make sure they do get their time to rest in peace, being allowed to get deep, uninterrupted sleep during the day. A crate or den area is great for this or even a quiet room in the house. If your dog takes itself off to its safe space, it is saying it wants some quiet time. As we enjoy our festivities and maybe some alcohol, our dogs still need their peace and quiet to rest and recuperate. This is especially important if there are going to be young children in the home who are not used to dogs and may not understand they need to be left alone when sleeping and eating. Always supervise interactions with your dog and any child under the age of 13 and any adult that does not understand dog body language. People may be tipsy and overly friendly, but our dogs may not want an interaction with that person.
If you are unsure of how to manage your dog at Christmas, seek the help of a certified professional in advance so you are nicely prepared and you and your dog can have a wonderful Christmas.
Happy Christmas!
Patricia McGrady is owner and founder of Be More Dog Essex. She is certified with the CIDBT, a Kids Around Dogs professional, and a certified full member of the Canine and Feline Behaviour Association
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