The Holiday Season - take care

The Holiday Season is upon which means we as canine guardians must be on our toes, more vigilant than the normal day to day.   As I said in a previous blog; we have been amazingly lucky with Elsa.   She has been as good as gold and better about not touching anything, but.  That does not mean that I let my guard down completely.  The other night we were heading out for a party and I had grabbed a smaller sized purse, throwing just a few things in it instead of carrying my full sized one.  As I turned to go out the door I saw my big purse on the floor.  I picked it up and put it out of reach, just in case.

It is the just in case feelings that you need to go with.  At this time of year you need to have your 'Safety Supervisor' hat on when it comes to your dog.  Stop, look and see any possible safety issues.  Does your dog have Christmas tree problems?  Many dogs cannot leave the tree alone so if you are going out you must keep them separated somehow.  There are many dangers in tree raiding.

What about goodies around the house?  I know in this house, the Holiday Season is one of over indulgence in the goodie department so if I'm going out I make sure that there is nothing within reach.  Of course I'm not worried about Luke at all and Elsa has been amazing so far but why chance instilling a bad behavior.  Push everything out of reach.  If you have a lot of stuff on the kitchen counters; best to keep the kitchen closed off somehow.  Often when I am baking I have to run out to grab eggs or something I forgot.  I will put the baby gate up just in case.  One stolen piece of goodie from the table or counter can create a whole behavior issue that takes a ton of work to get rid of.  Don't forget that chocolate is not for dogs, at all.

Lights can be dangerous as well.  Don't forget to unplug any lights within reach when you go out.  Puppies and dogs can find wires enjoying to chew and of course being electrocuted is not optimal.  Decorations are a huge hazard if left to be chewed and/or consumed.  Make sure that you instill the "don't touch" lesson when you put decorations out.  If you are worried even the slightest bit about them, separate your dog from them all when you are not around.  It is always better to be safe than sorry.

I'm a safety freak so to speak; I am always on the watch for dangers.  I have been since my children were born and it has spilled over into my dog's lives as well.  Not a bad thing.  Safety is all about foreseeing a problem so that it does not become one.   You cannot just go through your day to day hoping that all will go well; you must be vigilant and this is the time of year when that is needed the most.

Most people will have guests over during the Holidays; watch that door.  Dogs can slip out the door unnoticed when there are lots of people around and be gone for quite a while before you realize that they are missing.   Don't chance a bolt; stay on top of it or put your dog away for safety.

This is a great time of year; but it is also a dangers time for dogs if you don't foresee dangers.  Put your safety hat on and keep it on, especially through the holidays.