Holiday Pet Safety

By Barbara Cannon

It’s that time of year again, the season of special meals, treats, gifts, and decorations! And while we welcome this season of joy and gratitude, we also need to be mindful that our pets may love it too! At this time of year, we need to pay special attention to what we bring into the house and how to enjoy it without creating a pet disaster, especially for those brand-new puppies!

Let’s talk first about holiday decorations. Many people ask us what to do with their Christmas tree when they get a new puppy.  You have a few options. You can get a smaller tree that you can put up high on a table that your puppy won’t be able to reach.  If you decide to put a tree on the ground, prevent access by putting a pen around the tree that your puppy can’t knock over or climb (Pro tip: horizontal bars make great steps even for a very young puppy to climb). You can also prevent access altogether by keeping your puppy out of the room where the tree is set up, or by putting the puppy in a pen or on a tether in that room. (See more about tethering in Unit 1.3 in the STEP-BY-STEP PROGRAMS).   

When decorating your tree, place the expensive ornaments on top to prevent breakage.  Also, be mindful of putting ornaments on your tree that look like your puppy’s toys. That might be just too much temptation! Try to avoid anything long and thin, such as tinsel and ribbon. Puppies love this stuff, and it can really create problems in their intestines if they eat it. Also, be careful around candles or any open flame. Make sure your puppy can’t reach them and knock them over. Don’t forget that some holiday plants, such as holly, mistletoe, lilies, and poinsettia, can also be dangerous for your dog.  In general, try to keep all decorations out of the puppy's reach for ultimate safety.

During the holidays, we often have food in the house that isn't our usual fare. Unfortunately, much of it is toxic to puppies. Resist the urge to put candy in candy dishes, especially chocolate, which is very toxic to dogs. Watch out for raisins, grapes, macadamia and other nuts, eggnog, alcohol, and avocado dip. Other food items to avoid: cooked bones; leeks, onion, and garlic; bacon; raw dough; fatty, fried, and salty foods; sugar-free candy and gum.  The latter contains xylitol, an artificial sweetener that can be deadly for dogs.  Many holiday recipes have too much sugar or fat for puppies to consume. If you are having a large party, the safest place for your puppy is in his or her kennel in a quiet room, away from guests who may spill food or leave glasses around. The kitchen can also be an unsafe place for puppies during high-activity periods.

What about toys, gifts, and gift wrappings?  Puppies will usually want to engage with anything that we handle, so it’s a good idea to make sure your puppy is occupied with their own toy or treat during the unwrapping of gifts. This is another time to consider using a pen or tether to keep your pup in a safe place. Puppies also love paper and, once again, ribbon, so dispose of these things quickly. Also, if your puppy has a new toy, someone should be paying special attention to make sure your puppy isn’t able to immediately chew it up, pull out the stuffing, or even swallow a soft plush toy.  Believe me, it happens!

Is there any training you can do to make things flow more easily during this holiday time?   Absolutely!  We recommend two very useful cues:  LEAVE IT and DROP IT!  Teach your puppy a strong LEAVE IT cue by generalizing it to include many items, even holiday decorations.  After teaching your puppy to LEAVE IT with food (Unit 2.9 in the STEP-BY-STEP PROGRAMS) you could, for example, put a fuzzy Christmas hat or stocking on the ground, put your puppy on a leash, and circle the item from a distance of at least 4 feet with your puppy on the side away from the item.  Have some high-value treats ready to go. Start walking around the item, and anytime your pup starts to look at the item with interest, say LEAVE IT!  When the puppy looks at you instead, mark with an enthusiastic YES! and reward.  Once your puppy is looking at you more than the item, try moving the puppy to your left side, but back up and shorten your leash so you are certain the puppy can’t reach the item. Then start again. As you get closer to the item, be ready to put your foot over it to prevent the puppy from getting it.  At this point, you may want to switch to approaching the item, saying LEAVE IT if the puppy gets interested, mark, reward, and turn and go back a few feet and try again. 

If your pup is a little bit older (4+ months), you may want to start working on a GO TO PLACE or GO TO BED cue. This is basically a DOWN STAY on a mat or bed and is a great redirect whenever you want your puppy to choose a different behavior.   This cue takes your pup some time to learn, but it is so useful. You can find it in Unit 3.3 in the STEP-BY-STEP PROGRAMS.

I’ll end with a personal story.  One year, I made a pumpkin pie and a pecan pie for Thanksgiving.  We lived in a house with a high deck overlooking the yard with a full flight of stairs. After I took the pies out of the oven, I put them on the railing outside to cool while I went back to cooking.  Thirty minutes later, I went to get the pies. They were gone! My very smart Golden mix had knocked both pies off the railing and onto the ground 25 feet below, where she promptly ate both. I was lucky that year. She did not get sick. But I learned my lesson: never underestimate a dog's determination and ability to get forbidden food!  So, keep a sharp eye on those puppies, take precautions, and enjoy your holiday season!

Feel free to leave any safety tips you may have in the comments below.