8 awesome ideas to keep your dog safe this Christmas so they can enjoy the festive period as much as you do
Christmas is so exciting isn’t it? A tree glistening in the corner laden with shiny baubles, bells and bows and a huge stack of fabulous smelling boxes all wrapped up around it.
🍫 Bowls of fancy chocolates and nuts scattered around the house perfect for picking as you pass.
🎅🏼 People coming and going at different times to normal - not the mention the big jovial man in a red and white costume, arriving in the middle of the night to munch his way through yet another plate of mince pies and milk…
So much to look forward to… So much to confuse the heck outta your furry best friend!
So how can you make sure your dog enjoys Christmas as much as the rest of the family? We’ve come up with a few ideas to help you…
Visitor Rules
If you have a dog that loves to be super affectionate (aka bouncing all over the place) when new people come in the house, consider setting some rules for your visitors that you let them know before they arrive;
- On the run up to Christmas reinforce your dog’s training to not jump up on people rewarding them when all four paws are on the floor
- Consider keeping your dog safely in the house whilst you go out to greet your guests and use the dog free time to remind your guests of your house rules - that could be things like ignoring the dog until they’re calm with paws on the floor, no feeding the dog titbits regardless of how “cute” their begging is and keeping any temptations out of the dogs reach (is it just me whose dog rummages through anyone’s handbag on the floor in the vain attempt to find food?!🫣
The Christmas Tree
You’ll read a hundred guides that say about putting all your baubles at the top of your tree to minimise temptation for your dog and whilst this is good advice there could be an even better way (especially if you’re like me and the Christmas tree decorations have to be placed exactly so or it drives you nuts!)… Take the time to sit with your dog by the Christmas tree and let them have a sniff, every time they look away from the tree reward them with a treat. They’ll soon get the idea that the tree is actually very boring and the good stuff, as always, is with you!
Christmas pressies under the tree
Maximise the chance of keeping your Christmas pressies intact by making sure there is absolutely nothing scrummy smelling in the floor where your dog can get to. I always keep Mash’s gifts containing treats well away from everything else where he has absolutely no chance of getting to them. If they are showing interest in the pile of presents (and lets face it, we all like to have a sneaky shake of the pressies, your dog is only doing what’s natural!) Then take the time to reward them every time they come away from them.
Give your dog a safe space
Make your dog’s bed extra comfy with a new blanket and put it somewhere a little out of the way so they can escape to the comfort of their own space if it all gets a little much. Make sure the kids know that when the dog goes to their bed they must leave him alone
Change in routine
Regardless of what each day holds, try and give your dog some kind of normal routine - you could make sure their morning walk is a little longer than normal and will not only meet their sniffs and toilet needs but will give you a little time to get on with things as your dog has a good sleep after.
If you always feed your dog at specific times try and make sure you can stick to these throughout the Christmas period. A regular feeding routine can minimise the change of toilet habits so by sticking close to what’s normal you can minimise the chances of an unwanted little surprise waiting for you behind the sofa
Be food and snack savvy
We all know that chocolate isn’t great for dogs, it contains a chemical called theobromine as well as caffeine - These 2 chemicals are used medicinally as a heart stimulant, diuretic and blood vessel dilator and neither of which can be metabolised by a dog’s digestive system which is why dogs are more sensitive to the chemical effects so keep the choccies out of reach (more for you that way too, win, win!)
Dogs are also incredibly sensitive to the artificial sweetener Xylitol, which is found in a huge array of food stuff (including chewing gum, mints and even pasta sauce!). Consuming even the smallest amount can cause your dog to become severely ill as their blood sugar levels dramatically drop. If your dog consumes Xylitol its an urgent trip to the vets for intervention so make sure your dog can’t get to anything that may contain Xylitol
Christmas cake, stollen and mince pies all contain raisins, currants and / or sultanas, all of which are toxic to dogs. The effects can often be delayed (from 24 - 72 hours) but can possibly causing vomiting and diarrhoea, and sometimes kidney failure, keep them in a tin where only the humans can get to them
We all want our dogs to be able to enjoy a Christmas treat like we do so stock up on some scrummy treatos and even a Christmas dinner made specifically for dogs - Mash always enjoys his Three Bird Feast from Lily’s Kitchen
Talking of food…
If your family is anything like mine we all enjoy a leisurely long Christmas dinner full of all the family’s favourite foods… To make sure Mash isn’t creating havoc or getting bored I always buy some long lasting snacks for him - a hairy rabbit ear (great for worms) is a great snack for a small dog or look at the super awesome Yak Snacks which are 100% natural, grain & gluten free as well as a whole host of other good stuff! Antlers are another long lasting chew we love to use
Did your brother ever make you lick a battery?!
No? Just me then! 🤤 There are hundreds of things around at Christmas that all need batteries, the new toys, electrical gadgets and fairy lights to name a few. Make sure covers are secure after inserting any batteries and don’t leave the batteries lying around where your dog can reach them.
We hope you found our 8 Awesome tips to keep your dog safe this Christmas helpful? If you did please share it with a friend or follow us on social media - you can find out more fabulous furry fun over on our Instagram account Mash_at_LovePhodography
If you love giving your doggo the best life ever and fancy treating them to a super Christmas Gift of a photoshoot please get in touch helen@lovephodography.co.uk Let's have a chat about your furry friend and everything they love so we can tailor make a photoshoot to create beautiful memories for you and your dog
We hope you all have a fabulous Christmas and a Happy New Year,
Love from Mash & Helen x
Meet Helen & Mash!
Mash, my miniature dachshund, has brought so much to my life, he's my fur baby, my best buddy and my loyal companion - and he's a right little monster (but if you're also a dachshund owner you'll know that already!)
You'll know, as a dog owner yourself, how much they teach us - patience, understanding, care, responsibility - all of these things are what allows me to give you the very best photo experience for you and your dog!
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