Whether it’s giving our dogs a Christmas jumper to wear or providing them with their own doggie advent calendar, we are all eager to involve our dogs at Christmas time and rightly so. However, there are a few ‘Secret Santa’ surprises that you wouldn’t want your dog to have at this time of year so here at Angell Petco, we have written ’The twelve tips of Christmas’ to ensure that your dog stays safe during the festive period.
1.How sweet it is to be loved by you!
As dog owners, we know how harmful chocolate can be to our dogs but don’t assume that everyone does. At Christmas time, you may naturally have visitors to the house who may not know how poisonous chocolate can be. With reports of dogs with chocolate poisoning increasing each year, it’s a good idea to ensure that anyone visiting the house knows just which treats are earmarked for your dog. If you want to go a step further, place a little sign by any bowls of chocolates ‘Treat yourself but not our dog!’ or avoid having chocolates out altogether as even the wrappers can cause an obstruction.
2. Don’t go nuts
Be fully aware of Christmas puddings and other cakes that contain macadamia nuts as these are poisonous to dogs causing them to vomit, have a high body temperature and appear stiff or in pain when walking. Watch out in particular for those macadamia nuts that are covered in chocolate as these are double-trouble for your dog.
3.Don’t put the Christmas dinner in the dog
Making the dog part of the main Christmas meal in the house might feel important to you but be aware of some hidden ingredients that can be harmful. Any item belonging to the Allium family i.e. onions, leeks, garlic, shallots and chives all contain a substance that can cause damage to red blood cells in dogs which can cause stomach problems or breathing difficulties. Ensure that any scraps from your Christmas dinner or a splash of gravy or stuffing on their food does not contain any of those items.
4.‘Raisin’ the alarm
Any dried fruit is a definite no-go for dogs. Raisins, Sultanas, currants and grapes are all highly toxic to dogs especially the dried forms and Christmas is prime time for these, appearing in Christmas puddings, fruit cakes, stolen and mince pies.
5.Sniffing out the presents
Boxes of chocolates that are wrapped are not always dog proof so make sure that any presents underneath the tree are kept out of the way of curious noses! if they are keen to open a present, our doggie selection boxes come fully gift-wrapped so they can unwrap these safely!.
6.Drink water and be merry!
With alcohol flowing around Christmas time, make sure that the only liquid your dog is having is the water in their bowl as alcohol is significantly more toxic to dogs than to humans. Clean up any spilt drinks as soon as possible so they don’t do it for you and ensure leftover drinks are disposed of.
7.Decoration Dangers
Shiny tinsel can be attractive to dogs but can cause them a lot of difficulties particularly if it gets into their gut and intestine. Opting for shatter-proof ornaments is wise to avoid shards of potential broken glass ornaments.
8.A brighter Christmas
Fairy lights may not look appealing to us as something to much but some dogs see everything as food. If you have a puppy or your dog is prone to chewing, ensure your extension cord automatically shuts off if they become damaged so electric shocks can be avoided.
9.Mistletoe no-no’s
Christmas plants including poinsettias, mistletoe and ivy are mildly toxic and can cause your dog to vomit, drool or have diarrhoea. Ensure all wreaths, plants and decorations including those items are kept well out of reach.
10.Oh, Christmas tree…..
We all feel the pain of the needle dropping real Christmas trees and whilst we may be cursing getting the hoover out more times than normal every day, hoovering them up can avoid any mild stomach upsets and more serious internal stomach injuries caused to your dog.
11.Don’t have a blue Christmas
There’s plenty of blue cheese visible particularly at Christmas and whilst many of us treat ourselves to a slither or two, dogs are sensitive to the substance that it contains called roquefortine C.
12.Batteries not included
If you have children or grandchildren, you’ll know that more batteries are bought at Christmas more than any other time of the year. Frantically finding some the right size and removing them from other items in the house can sometimes lead to them being left around and for those dogs who are naturally scavengers, this can cause problems. They can lead to chemical burns and heavy metal poisoning.
We hope you and your dogs have a very merry and safe Christmas from all of the team here at Angell Petco.
