If the arrival of company, presents, and more overwhelms you, imagine what it does to your furry friend? Whether you're staying home, or traveling away in the next couple weeks, try to maintain consistency for your pet's sake. Brush up on holiday dangers and come up with a plan ahead of time. Trust me, it's for the best.
One of the first ways to help minimize your furry friend's stress is to dedicate a room or section of your home (or the place you're visiting) to be the pet's zone. Put toys, treats, and bedding in that area and restrict access for other people. That way a shy animal can still grab some quiet time and have her familiar things gathered in one spot.
Also make sure to create safe spaces from seasonal dangers. If you've got a nosy pooch, set up a pen around the presents under the tree when Santa comes or put up a baby gate to keep four paws out of the cook's kitchen – 'cause safety can also mean keeping pets' nosy noses out. Do you have any tips and tricks for helping the holidays go by without a hitch? Share them in your comments below.
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North is a ham!!! Love it!
My cat just stays hidden for most of it.
1I try to do this for my pooch but people allow their children to do whatever they please. It drives me insane.
2kiwitwist: I hate it when people do that! You should grab their kids' legs and yank them or grab the kids' hair. If the parents freak out, just say you're returning the kids' affection on behalf of your dog.
Just kidding!
One thing that I'm sensitive to is how people treat my dog. I don't care if you're 1 or 100. I will scold you if you cannot treat my dog in a respectful manner. She is my baby and my job is to protect her. Pet owners sometimes forget that. You may not realize it, but it can emotionally scar the dog, leading to future behavioral problems such as biting. It's not your dog's fault for biting unruly children that come charging at them - they get scared and think the kids are trying to attack. But you do need to stick up for your furry friends.
3We're going to be dog-sitting for some friends of ours, so we're going to make our bedroom off limits to the visiting pup so that our dog has her own space to retreat to if she gets overwhelmed.
4Kristyy - I completely agree!!
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