How to Avoid the Dangers of Holiday Decorating if You Have a Dog

As the days become shorter and November is coming to an end, it’s time to start thinking about decorating our homes for the holiday season.

Before we begin we should consider our pets and what could be harmful to them. As with children we should carefully watch our dogs near and around Christmas trees and decorations. Tinsel on a tree can be very enticing to a dog and if ingested can lead to very serious health problems and should be avoided. We should also be careful of using glass, aluminum or paper ornaments which could cause mouth lacerations if chewed. Try to place ornaments higher up on your tree and out of reach of curious pups.

When wrapping gifts and decorating with ribbons, be sure they are out of reach of your dog. As with tinsel it can be ingested by your dog and may cause health problems. We should also be very diligent about leaving dishes out containing chocolate which is highly toxic to dogs. Dishes containing certain nuts such as almonds, walnuts and pistachios can also make your dog very ill if ingested.

And lastly be very careful with electrical cords which your dog could chew on resulting in serious injury or death. So start decorating your home and Christmas tree so everyone, including your dog, can all enjoy a safe and happy holiday season.