Christmas is a fab time for all the family but with hectic schedules, cold weather, delicious and rich changes to diets and a whole host of new items introduced into the home it can also be a time where we need to take a few extra steps to make sure our four legged friends have as a Happy time as us!
We thought we would create a Christmas survival guide for you and your dog with some simple to follow tips and tricks to make this Christmas a happy time for all the family.
The wonderful weather
As much as we would like to have a white Christmas snowfall is still rare around the Christmas break. Temperatures, although milder than when we were small, can still drop below freezing meaning the usual hazards apply. Ice over Rivers, lakes and ponds are one to watch out for when the temperature gauge hits zero. Frozen water can often be hard to spot for your dog when playing or exploring and definitely avoid throwing objects too near open stretches of water/ ice. If your dog does stray onto ice do not panic and run after them, use your normal methods of recall, calmly and with lots of praise when they jog on back to you. Falling through ice is rare, but if it does happen, stay calm and do not venture onto the ice yourself. Encourage your dog to swim back to you or clamber up back onto safer ground, once safe check for any signs of injury and get straight back to your vehicle or home. Hypothermia in dogs can be serious so seek advice from your vet if you suspect there is a problem. Symptoms can include a paling of the gums, slower heart rate and constant shivering. The obvious applies, warm them up slowly with blankets and even a hair dryer, but if core temperature drops too low, treatment will be needed to restore a normal body temperature so consult your vet if you’re unsure.
The cold weather will also mean that anti freeze and windscreen washer fluid are required in abundance to keep our vehicles on the move. These substances can be harmful for your pets so be careful with storage. Again, consult a vet if you have an issue where a dog has ingested some material and make sure you take precautions to keep bottles/ containers secure.
Christmas treats and turkey with all the timings
The traditional Christmas dinner is often the highlight of the season but don’t forget there are a range of food stuffs that are not great for your dogs stomach, not to mention any addition of rich treats and leftovers. Remember to take care with your dog’s diet even if yours has flown out of the window before the queens speech as started!
Foods to avoid for your pet include, chocolate, grapes and raisins which are all poisonous to dogs. Leftovers from the Christmas meal can feed the family for a week, but don’t forget your dog probably isn’t used to rich foods so, of course treat them to some sensible additions, but remember to balance things out with a ‘normal’ diet as soon as possible.
Presents and decorations are necessary for any Christmas party, but don’t forget there are host of things which might be harmful to your pet. Silica gel packs, paper, and probably no amount of lego bricks are not good chew toys so watch out for your over interested dog. There are also a range of Christmas plants that might cause some problems, including seasonal faves of Mistletoe, Holly, Poinsettia and even Christmas tree needles. Just keep an eye on these and where possible don’t leave them within your dogs inquisitive reach.
A bit of calm
We all love Christmas and the it’s a time of year we should enjoy and be thankful for your pets, family and friends but dropping the energy levels for excitable dogs could be a good thing. Try and have space for your pet to still enjoy their favourite bed, snug or toy so they can retreat to these sanctuaries should they need to. Don’t forget that keeping a regular exercise routine will help work off the extra treats for your dog (and us!) and long walks are a great way to create calm and structure and also an opportunity to show any swnaky new coats and leads your lucky pooch might have received in their Christmas box.
Therefore, our top tips are:
All in all the Christmas break is about enjoying time with family and being thankful. So please enjoy your time with your dog, friends and family and take our season’s greetings with you wherever you go. All the very best.
Claire, Steve, Lucy and Anna – the Hot Dog Hols team – Merry Christmas.
We thought we would create a Christmas survival guide for you and your dog with some simple to follow tips and tricks to make this Christmas a happy time for all the family.
The wonderful weather
As much as we would like to have a white Christmas snowfall is still rare around the Christmas break. Temperatures, although milder than when we were small, can still drop below freezing meaning the usual hazards apply. Ice over Rivers, lakes and ponds are one to watch out for when the temperature gauge hits zero. Frozen water can often be hard to spot for your dog when playing or exploring and definitely avoid throwing objects too near open stretches of water/ ice. If your dog does stray onto ice do not panic and run after them, use your normal methods of recall, calmly and with lots of praise when they jog on back to you. Falling through ice is rare, but if it does happen, stay calm and do not venture onto the ice yourself. Encourage your dog to swim back to you or clamber up back onto safer ground, once safe check for any signs of injury and get straight back to your vehicle or home. Hypothermia in dogs can be serious so seek advice from your vet if you suspect there is a problem. Symptoms can include a paling of the gums, slower heart rate and constant shivering. The obvious applies, warm them up slowly with blankets and even a hair dryer, but if core temperature drops too low, treatment will be needed to restore a normal body temperature so consult your vet if you’re unsure.
The cold weather will also mean that anti freeze and windscreen washer fluid are required in abundance to keep our vehicles on the move. These substances can be harmful for your pets so be careful with storage. Again, consult a vet if you have an issue where a dog has ingested some material and make sure you take precautions to keep bottles/ containers secure.
Christmas treats and turkey with all the timings
The traditional Christmas dinner is often the highlight of the season but don’t forget there are a range of food stuffs that are not great for your dogs stomach, not to mention any addition of rich treats and leftovers. Remember to take care with your dog’s diet even if yours has flown out of the window before the queens speech as started!
Foods to avoid for your pet include, chocolate, grapes and raisins which are all poisonous to dogs. Leftovers from the Christmas meal can feed the family for a week, but don’t forget your dog probably isn’t used to rich foods so, of course treat them to some sensible additions, but remember to balance things out with a ‘normal’ diet as soon as possible.
Presents and decorations are necessary for any Christmas party, but don’t forget there are host of things which might be harmful to your pet. Silica gel packs, paper, and probably no amount of lego bricks are not good chew toys so watch out for your over interested dog. There are also a range of Christmas plants that might cause some problems, including seasonal faves of Mistletoe, Holly, Poinsettia and even Christmas tree needles. Just keep an eye on these and where possible don’t leave them within your dogs inquisitive reach.
A bit of calm
We all love Christmas and the it’s a time of year we should enjoy and be thankful for your pets, family and friends but dropping the energy levels for excitable dogs could be a good thing. Try and have space for your pet to still enjoy their favourite bed, snug or toy so they can retreat to these sanctuaries should they need to. Don’t forget that keeping a regular exercise routine will help work off the extra treats for your dog (and us!) and long walks are a great way to create calm and structure and also an opportunity to show any swnaky new coats and leads your lucky pooch might have received in their Christmas box.
Therefore, our top tips are:
- Stay safe in the cold weather and dark nights. Be careful when walking your dog around roads and open water
- Watch out for winter maintenance essentials which might be harmful to pets, keep container safe and secure
- Treat yourself and your dog, but watch out for Chocolate and other food stuffs which might be harmful and go easy with the extras. Balance your dogs diet after the wall of food on the 25th!
- Presents are great fun but additional paper, silica gel packs and small components are not good chew toy. Supervise your dog and keep things out of reach if necessary
- Keep harmful Christmas plants out of the way during the break
- A safe, quiet or familiar place, toy or bed will help your dog relax when things get hectic
- Regular walks will help bring calm back to your house and work off that extra pile of pigs in blankets
- Enjoy the break and the fab time you get to spend with your pet, family and friends
All in all the Christmas break is about enjoying time with family and being thankful. So please enjoy your time with your dog, friends and family and take our season’s greetings with you wherever you go. All the very best.
Claire, Steve, Lucy and Anna – the Hot Dog Hols team – Merry Christmas.
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