How to Keep your Pet Safe and Happy During the Holidays
The holidays are a joyous but stressful time for both humans and their pets. Pets don't face the stress of gift shopping, holiday cooking or overloaded schedules but they have their own holiday pet anxiety and stress. Pets suffer stress from visitors sleeping in guest rooms, schedule changes, owners who are too busy for play or petting,
forgotten walks, too much noise and too many people.
And that tree in the living room - is it for climbing, perching in, eating, marking or clawing? Pets may say "Bah Humbug" and hide in a quiet spot or may react to festivities by exhibiting stress-related behavior problems.
Here are tips for helping owners reduce their pets' stress over the holidays:
Guests - While guests are an enjoyable and important part of celebrating holidays for humans, they can cause anxiety and stress for pets. Pets may prefer to be in a separate room that is quiet and away from the stress and noise of guests. This is especially true of birds. Sequestering pets can prevent pet behavior problems such as stress-induced aggression and biting. It can also prevent guests with physical disabilities from falling over roaming pets and younger guests from mishandling them.
Guests in Guest Rooms - If pets are accustomed to sleeping in guest rooms, pet owners who are expecting overnight visitors can prepare the pet early. Animal Behaviorist Patricia Simonet says "When guests stay in a room the cat normally sleeps in, the cat won't like it and may mark and spray the bed." Ms Simonet recommends a gradual period of adjustment. Close the guest room door weeks before the arrival of guests and provide alternative sleeping spots, and move bird cages, so pets can adjust before guests arrive.
Escaping Pets - Make it clear to guests if pets are not to be let outside. To minimize the risk of having a pet escape as guests arrive and depart, pet owners can put the pet in a separate room or crate. Birds should be kept in securely-shut cages and make sure guests understand not to open doors. Make sure pets wear securely-fastened collars with up-to-date identification to increase the chance of the pet's safe return if he does escape.
Pet Schedules - Pets get to know and depend on predictable schedules, and this allows them to feel a sense of control over their environment. Deviating from normal feeding and exercise schedules will only increase the stress they feel over holidays, so pet owners should do their best to maintain a pet's normal schedule even during busy holiday periods.
Exercise - Even when owners are busy, it's important to provide regular exercise to help reduce pets' stress over the holidays. Walking the dogs, providing playtime for cats and giving the birds a chance to stretch their wings will give them an outlet for their stress and will improve stress-related pet behavior problems.
Grooming and Attention - It's important for pet owners to continue to brush, pet, play and spend time with their pets even on the busiest of days to reduce pet stress and foster a warm relationship.
Trees and Decorations - Natural and man-made decorations pose safety hazards to pets, and trying to keep pets away from them can be stressful for pets as well as owners.
Trees and Tree Decorations - Pets might like to climb, perch in, eat, or mark the tree. Pets can be harmed if they cause the tree to fall so consider securing the tree by tying it in place. Pets may want to play with tree decorations which they can choke on or receive cuts from if they break. Tree preservatives added to tree water are poisonous and shouldn't be used by pet owners. Plan to use gates around the tree, use doors to close off rooms, or keep pets in separate rooms, crates or cages when they are unattended to prevent accidents.
Holiday Lights and Electric Decorations - Lights, decorations and wire cords present hazards for pets. They can receive life-threatening electrical shocks from chewing through wires and their mouths can be injured by pieces of plastic or glass.
Candles - Candle-lit menorahs and holiday decorations are hazards because it's easy for pets to bump them. Avoid burns to pets and the threat of fire in the home by keeping pets in a separate room and never leaving burning candles unattended.
Natural Decorations - Many natural holiday decorations such as poinsettias, mistletoe, holly, and amaryllis bulbs are poisonous and should be kept away from pets.
Gift Wrap - Keep pets away from gift wrap materials. Gift wrap materials such as bubble wrap and other packing materials are potential choking hazards. Ribbons and strings are potential strangulation and choking hazards.
Holiday Food - Make it clear to both guests and family members they are not to feed pets human food from dinner or buffet tables. Enlist their help in making sure that food items on kitchen counters are well-covered, and are not accessible on low coffee tables. Read more about Holiday Food Dangers for Pets by clicking
With a little awareness and advanced planning, pet owners can ensure a stress-free and safe Holiday season for their pets, guests and themselves.
Home - General Information
Your pet will thrive if you can provide him with a predictable, calm and safe home environment and schedule.
Pets like a predictable schedule. It is best for your pet if you can maintain the same schedule for their walks or exercise periods and meals. If you give them a treat after grooming them, they will expect this every time. The ability to predict these events lowers your pet’s stress.
Pets also have social needs. Dogs are pack animals, and many birds are pair-bonded or live in the wild in large flocks. Even a cat (who can be a bit of a loner) still needs regular attention from you. Part of creating a stress-free home environment includes addressing your animal’s social needs.
If you are
gone for long periods of time, your pet may become
lonely so pay attention to your animal when you are home. Sometimes this can be as simple as making space for them in
the rooms where you spend the most time. Put a dog bed down in
your family room. Encourage your cat to lie in your lap while you watch TV or read a book. Bring the bird cage into the room where you read your newspaper or chat with your family.
Consider how to prevent your pets from being lonely and to keep your pets stimulated while you are away. You may need to hire a pet sitter
or a dog walker,
buy a companion animal, buy special toys that make your pets play for food, or even leave out stuffed animals or a t-shirt that smells like you. It’s up t
o you to see that your pet remains stimulated but safe whenever you are away for more than a few hours at a time.
And finally, don’t forget, even you can be a source of stress in your animal at home. Animals can feel your stress and are more sensitive to your moods than you would think. If you are anxious or angry, your pet is going to notice.
You can learn more about how to create a predictable, calm and safe environment for your pet in the appropriate pages of this web site.
Trees and Tree Decorations - Pets might like to climb, perch in, eat, or mark the tree. Pets can be harmed if they cause the tree to fall so consider securing the tree by tying it in place. Pets may want to play with tree decorations which they can choke on or receive cuts from if they break. Tree preservatives added to tree water are poisonous and shouldn't be used by pet owners. Plan to use gates around the tree, use doors to close off rooms, or keep pets in separate rooms, crates or cages when they are unattended to prevent accidents.
