CHRISTMAS SEASON SURVIVAL 101!

Christmas can be a bit crazy at the best of times, but it becomes more complicated when you have sensitive dogs to consider, so it is really important to have management strategies in place to keep everyone safe.

*Have dogs safely away when guests arrive.

*Give consideration to anything that might be a cause of distress to your dogs, such as more noise than usual, encountering children, elderly relatives who might carry a walking stick or move unsteadily, for example.

*Use household appliances such as tv, radio, washing machine etc and/or white/pink/brown noise to mask sounds.

*Make good use of those safe spaces, bunkers, barriers and gates.

*Make sure that all gates and doors are secure at all times to ensure there is no chance of escape when people are coming in and out, and if there are children around, barriers will need to be childproof too.

*Don’t be afraid to refuse people access to your dog if they are at all worried or uncomfortable around visitors. It’s okay to just say “no”!

*Consider the increased potential for trigger stacking, as it can be both an exciting and stressful time for everyone, which means tolerance levels may be lower than usual.

*Be aware of unsafe food and drink items which may be put down/dropped/sneakily fed to your dogs on the sly by guests.

 Here is a list of the more common Christmas foods which are harmful:  

-cooked bones

-chocolate

-Christmas cake

-Christmas pudding

-mince pies

-grapes

-onions

-alcohol

-caffeine

-macadamia nuts

-blue cheese

-anything containing xylitol (also known as birch sugar)

*Don't forget to check with non-dog-savvy guests if they have brought any wrapped gifts which might pose a risk to the dogs if left under the tree.

*Give your dogs something tasty like a filled Kong or a good chew to keep them busy in their safe place while you do the meal preparation and when you eat.

*If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to speak to your vet about any medications which might need to be trialled prior to the New Year fireworks.

Bonus tip: Be careful not to leave those chestnuts roasting on the open fire for too long!

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