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Health & Fitness

Prep Pup for the Holidays

It’s December. Guests visit, treats abound, and Fido steals hors d’oeuvres.

The holidays are a time of celebration. But among the 47 percent of U.S. households with dogs, this season can also be a time for concern. Will the dog paw visitors? Will decorations get chewed? What happens if the puppy gets hold of Aunt Margaret’s fruit cake?

From a dog’s perspective, December offers many wonderful temptations, says Lysa Bea, certified dog trainer & behavior specialist at Camp Bow Wow in McHenry. “There are so many friendly people visiting and lots of delicious smelling foods,” she says. “You can fight nature only so much, so it’s normal for pets to occasionally forget their manners this time of year.”

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Drawing on her more than 30 years of dog-training experience, Bea offers several tips to help dog owners keep their pets behaving properly and safely throughout the holiday season.

Training: The first step is to reinforce the dog’s ‘leave it’ training. Bea recommends a quick daily refresh of that skill. If the pet has not received ‘leave it’ training, “it’s never too late,” she says. “I’ve trained dogs up to 16 years old.”

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Food: Cookies, appetizers, and other holiday foods should remain four feet above the floor—even higher for large dogs. This is especially important with chocolate, raisins, grapes, cookies, and other high-sugar foods that may be left out this time of year. Such human treats can be toxic to dogs. Gifts that include food may also test a dog’s resolve. Those packages should not be left unattended.

Decorations: Keep holiday decorations away from the dog’s normal play area. Hang glass, beaded, or other fragile Christmas tree ornaments out of reach in the upper branches. Avoid tinsel and fresh-tree preservative chemicals, both can be toxic to dogs. For the dog’s safety and the owner’s peace of mind, the room holding the Christmas tree should not be accessible when the owner is away.

Emergency Vet Phone Number: The possibility that a dog will ingest toxic items can increase during the holiday season says Bea. She recommends that every pet owner identify a local 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital and keep the facility’s phone number where it can be found quickly. “You don’t want to start searching for help after the emergency occurs,” she says.

Daycare: Reinforced training and out-of-reach temptations are the starting points to reduce canine misbehavior or injuries during the holidays. But sometimes doggy daycare is the answer. “If you’re planning a large gathering and there simply won’t be time to monitor the dog, consider sending your pet to a reputable doggy daycare, or even for an overnight vacation,” says Bea. “While your pet is playing with new friends, you can focus on preparing the perfect party and tending to guests.”

With the holidays approaching, keep your dog in mind as you prepare. “It’s mostly common sense,” says Bea.  “By following a few simple steps you can help your family, your dog, and your guests enjoy the season.”

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