3 Ways To Keep Your Puppy Safe And Healthy During The Holidays
Posted on: 8 January 2015
If this is your first holiday with your puppy, this can be a fun time for you both. However, you do need to keep a few things in mind so that your puppy stays healthy and safe during the holidays. Here are three ways to take care of your puppy throughout the holiday season.
Keep Food and Alcohol Out of Reach
You probably already know that your puppy will eat and drink almost anything, but of special concern during this time are snacks and treats that contain ingredients that are particularly bad for your dog, like chocolate. For example, if the kids want to make chocolate chip cookies for Santa, you might consider suggesting sugar cookies instead. Rather than keeping the cookies on the table or near the tree, think about keeping them in the refrigerator with a sign for Santa, so he knows where the cookies are.
You may be celebrating with wine and other alcohol for the holidays, but it is extremely important that you and your guests don't leave glasses where your puppy can reach them. Alcohol can lead to respiratory failure in dogs if they are not monitored properly, so make sure that your puppy isn't drinking untended drinks or alcohol from bottles that he knocked over.
Store Guest Medications Safely
If you're having an few guests to your home for the holidays, don't wait until they arrive to tell them what they need to know about your puppy. You must also make sure that they don't endanger the health of your dog while they stay with you. If they have medications that they take on a day-to-day basis, it is essential that they are stored in your medicine cabinet right away, so that the dog will not come across them.
Be Careful with Lights
Remember that your puppy might knock things over unintentionally, so be aware that any kind of candles or lighting can be dangerous for your home during the holidays if you aren't monitoring them.
If you typically light real candles for your menorah during Hanukkah, instead consider using an electric menorah and keeping it high off the ground. If you have a Christmas tree, consider not putting lights on the lower branches. Your puppy may very well become tangled in the lights and end up with the lightbulbs in his mouth, crushing them with his teeth and getting cuts or electrical shocks.
Now that you know a few things you can do to keep your puppy safe, it's also a good idea to have the number of an animal hospital like http://www.hawthorneanimalhealthcare.com ready, in case your puppy has an accident anyway. That way, he can be seen quickly and made better right away. You can keep your puppy happy this holiday season; just use the information laid out above to help you.
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