Your daily dose of doggy goodness!
Every day, we celebrate our shared love of dogs and hopefully brighten your day. Enjoy!
Dog(s) of the Day:
Jina and June Bug!
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Meme of the day: True!
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Deck the Halls Safely: A Dog Owner's Guide to Holiday Decorations
The holidays are a magical time, filled with twinkling lights, festive ornaments, and the joy of shared family traditions—including those with our beloved canine companions. As you begin to transform your home into a winter wonderland, it's essential to remember that many popular decorations can pose unexpected hazards to curious paws and sniffing noses.
Creating a beautiful and memorable holiday display doesn't have to mean sacrificing your dog's safety. With a little foresight and a few simple adjustments, you can ensure a festive, worry-free season for everyone!
The Tree: A Majestic, Yet Tempting Hazard
The Christmas tree is the centerpiece of the season, but to a dog, it can look like an exciting new toy, a giant fire hydrant, or an indoor tree to mark.
Anchor Your Evergreen: Ensure your tree stand is heavy and secure. A playful puppy or a big dog wagging its tail can easily knock over an unsecured tree, causing injury and a messy cleanup. Consider tying the top of the tree to a wall anchor or a sturdy piece of furniture for extra stability.
The Water Bowl Concern: The water in a traditional tree stand often contains fertilizers and preservatives that are toxic if ingested. Keep pets away by covering the water reservoir with a skirt or foil, or consider using a fully artificial tree.
Needle Danger: Pine needles, whether real or artificial, can cause irritation or puncture a dog's digestive tract if swallowed. Sweep or vacuum regularly.
Lights, Ornaments, and Electrical Safety
What looks like a glittering strand of magic to us looks like a chewy new rope to a dog.
Mind the Wiring: Electrical cords are a serious hazard. Puppies and chewers may mistake them for chew toys, leading to potential electrocution, burns, or fire.
Use cord covers or run wires high along baseboards, out of sight and reach.
Unplug lights when you are not home or when you go to bed.
Ditch the Breakables: Reserve glass and delicate ornaments for the top two-thirds of the tree. Low-hanging ornaments should be pet-friendly (wood, plastic, or fabric). Broken glass can cause severe cuts, and swallowing plastic shards can lead to internal blockage.
Say No to Tinsel: This sparkly, fun decoration is one of the most dangerous. If ingested, tinsel is rarely digested and can cause a linear foreign body—a potentially fatal condition that requires emergency surgery. It’s best to avoid tinsel entirely if you have a dog (or cat!).
Toxic Trimmings: The Plants to Avoid
Many traditional holiday plants are poisonous to dogs.
Plant | Danger to Dogs | Safe Alternative |
Poinsettia | Generally low-toxicity, but causes mild stomach upset (vomiting, drooling). | Faux silk poinsettias. |
Mistletoe | Highly toxic; ingestion can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, breathing issues, and a drop in blood pressure. | Hang a bunch of faux mistletoe high up where it can’t be reached. |
Holly | Contains saponins that cause severe gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, drooling, diarrhea). | Faux holly berries and leaves. |
Lilies (e.g., in bouquets) | EXTREMELY toxic to cats, and causes kidney issues. Avoid keeping any lilies in a dog or cat household. | Roses or pet-safe orchids. |
Keep It Calm: Candles and Other Decorations
A dog's wagging tail is an innocent weapon against tabletop decorations.
Open Flames are a No-Go: Never leave a lit candle unattended. For a more dog-friendly glow, switch to flameless LED candles which provide warmth without the fire risk. Place all heat sources (like menorahs) well out of reach.
Secure the Scents: Scented items like potpourri and essential oil diffusers can irritate a dog’s respiratory system or be toxic if licked or spilled. Opt for dog-safe natural scents or keep diffusers on high shelves.
Watch the Wrappings: After presents are opened, quickly clean up ribbons, string, and tape, as these are also linear foreign body hazards.
A Season of Joy, Not Jitters
The key to a safe holiday season is management and supervision. By simply raising tempting items, anchoring the tree, and choosing pet-friendly alternatives, you can drastically reduce risks.
Enjoy the season, take those adorable holiday photos, and make sure your furry family member gets to enjoy the coziness of the season without any trips to the emergency vet!
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Dog Food and Supplement Recalls
Here are the recent recalls and advisories:
Foodynamics - Freeze Dried Pet Treats for potential Salmonella contamination.
Nature’s Own - Pet Chews Bully Bites Treats for potential Salmonella contamination.
Viva - Ground Beef for Dogs and Ground Chicken for Dogs and Cats for potential Salmonella and Listeria contamination.
Savage Pet - Cat Food Chicken for potential bird flu exposure.
Family Photo of the Day:
Hershey!
We want to feature your pup!
We want to share your pup with our pack. Email us your favorite doggy pic or video with your pup’s name, and we'll try to feature it as a family photo in one of our upcoming newsletters or on our Facebook page.
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Meme of the day - Instagram: @axelunleashed
