The People

There are two types of families during the holidays: those that have everybody come over and those that go to other people’s houses.  If you are the first type, this can be very overwhelming to your pet, especially if you are expecting people your pet isn’t familiar with.  To help your pet cope with the holiday crowd, you can:

  • Give them a safe space – Have your pet hangout in a separate room with their bed, toys, food and water, and maybe some music or TV on. Check on them one in a while so they know you’re still there. For dogs, don’t forget to take them on potty breaks.
  • Desensitize – Work with your pet on becoming familiar with people. Do formal training to get them comfortable with people outside the home and help them adjust to large crowds.
  • Sedation – If the previous suggestions are not feasible for your pet or if they are still too nervous even in a separate room, consider trying sedation or anti-anxiety medications.  Your veterinarian can prescribe a dose that keeps your pet more at ease without rendering them unconscious.

Sedation or anti-anxiety medication is also helpful if you aren’t going to be home and your pet struggles with separation anxiety.

preparing pets for holidays - Armstrong Pet Hospital, ClovisAll Things Christmas and New Years

  • Lights: We know it’s not Christmas without lights but they can be a hazard for your pet.  From getting tangled up in the wires to chewing off the lightbulbs, lights around the tree and in the yard can cause problems. If your pet isn’t the type to play the lights, that’s great! But for those of you who have pets that like to push boundaries, be mindful of where the lights are hung.
  • Streamers and Confetti: During New Years, it’s common to have streamers and confetti poppers to make the evening festive. What can quickly change this happy celebration is if one of your pets ingests one of these and starts to not feel well. Be sure to pick up the streamer paper and confetti poppers to prevent your pet from eating them, and making more of a mess.
  • The Tree: Some people love the smell of a real tree. If that’s you, be mindful of a couple things. First, you want to keep your pets from drinking the water in the tree stand. Not only will this dry out your tree but the pine oils leeched in the water are toxic. For this same reason, you also want to keep your pet from chewing on the tree.
  • Ornaments: If you think your pet is going to play with the ornaments, hang them where they can’t get to them.