Ahh the howl-idays! That time of year when everything about our normal day to day routine gets turned pooper over sniffer. Not the least of which is a fat guy in a red suit coming down the chimney and getting us in trouble if we bark at him. But...if he’s packing a parcel of pet treats in that sack we could really learn to love old Santa Claus.
Unfortunately, there are some real dangers to us 4 legged furr-ends associated with Howl-iday festivities.
All that food!
Oh! We are licking our chops! We really like the variety and availability of holiday plates but unfortunately they can be great big NO NOs! Too many things we should not eat are often just left lying around for the snacking. Please remember we are stealthy and quick - so an abandoned plate of turkey can be down our throats in mere moments. No one wants to spend the Howl-idays at the Emergency Pet Clinic—especially us. Trust me here, we have experience in this.
That tree!!!
How considerate of you to bring the outdoors inside for us! No more wet cold trips outdoors to “potty” - YAY! But seriously, secure it so it can’t fall on us...those dumb cats climb you know. We need to absolutely NOT drink the tree water and all those bright shining sparking lights cause our teeth to positively ache in anticipation of a good chewing. The associated shock value is not a happy event. Only Rudolph's nose is supposed to light up.
And speaking of bright and shiny...decorations!
Tinsel is dangerous (my human mom says it should be outlawed—but then her hatred of all things tinsel is a story for another time). Fragile glass bulbs can also really hurt us if used as chew toys. Glass eaters are only appreciated in circus acts.
Again, with the outdoors!
Holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and even lilies (for felines) are toxic to us and will again cause you a frantic & expensive trip to the emergency doc.
The people!
We like people, but when you throw a whole bunch of new people into our comfort zone we might get a little nervous. You know, you get nervous with all those folks around too...admit it. Protect us and them by giving us somewhere to go where we all can feel safe. We don’t like to be bad dogs. And remember, some of us just aren't good with little people having had limited experience in having our tails pulled and choke holds of hugging. Of course, there are also those allergies to be considered, people’s not ours. Make sure your guests know you are a pet lover and they might have a sneezing fit or break out.
And lastly...alcohol!
Even though we never drive- we still shouldn’t drink. This is hard for us because some of us are really intrigued by the lovely aroma of champagne, wine and beer. But just as you should not drink too much— we should not have any.
Now that I’ve instructed you humans on appropriate holiday behavior, feel free to share this next part with your dogs. You can tell cats too...but they won’t listen.
Howl-iday Dog Etiquette
* Don’t pee on the tree
* Don’t drink the tree water
* Watch your tail around the tree and tables
* Leave the packages alone - most people are perfectly able to open things themselves
* Don’t chew on any cords
* If it isn’t something you see everyday— best leave it alone
* Not all visitors love wet kisses, jumping, shrieking, crotch sniffing or lap sitting...show some restraint
* Paws off the table—that food is NOT for you
* Let people sit in your spot—wait to be invited to join them
* Don’t stick your tongue in people’s glasses
* Tolerate all children—even the obnoxious ones
* Be charming—tricks are appreciated and often rewarded with appropriate treats
