Tips to Dog Proof Your Home for the Holiday Season

Whenever the holidays roll around, I hear a lot of tips for pet-proofing decorations, but most of those tips revolve around cats. We've all heard  a story or two of a cat running up the Christmas tree and knocking it over, batting at candles, or chewing on berries. However, I haven't heard many stories about holiday pet-proofing for dogs. Knowing how curious and trouble-prone my dog can be, I thought I would cover a few ideas on how to keep both your pup and decorations safe and full of holiday cheer.

Christmas Trees

Christmas trees are probably the number one spot for potential troubles. You take a tree that seemingly sprouted out of nowhere, add in shiny pinpoints of light and wobbly little balls of color, and you get one interesting area to explore for a curious puppy. Even after the novelty of this furniture addition wears off, you still have an anomaly in the everyday layout of the room. I remember our first Christmas with our pup - he pawed at and broke an ornament that I thought was out of paw's reach. He also decided that crawling under our tree to retrieve an errant ball was a good idea. Talk about a heart-stopping moment! After these experiences, I learned a few tricks to keep both my furry little guy and my ornaments safe:

• Position your tree strategically. This can involve putting it in a corner, placing it in an area where gates or pet pens can be set up around the perimeter, or tethering it down.
• Decorate with care. Position fragile ornaments near the top, and keep the lower limbs either sparse or colored with hardier items.
• Re-think the tinsel. If you want to use tinsel, think about using a greater amount near the top than the bottom.
• Wire carefully. Try to keep all light wires buried within the tree so that only one short wire is exposed. Cords are a great temptation to chew, and the fewer wire options available, the better.
• Discourage consuming parts from a live tree. If you put up a live tree for the season, discourage your dog from eating any pine needles or drinking water from the base by keeping the area extremely clean and covering up the base.
• Presenting presents early. You may want to hold off putting presents and packages under the tree until Christmas morning. While there is nothing more picturesque than a lit Christmas tree with brightly wrapped packages piled underneath, your dog may decide to start opening gifts before December 25th. While some of the presents may be for him, chances are he won't be selective in the ones he opens.

Plants of the Season

Mistletoe, holly, berry wreaths, and poinsettias are some of the most iconic plants used as gifts and decorations. However, none of them agree with your dog's tummy. Keeping your beautiful holiday arrangements off the floor and away from nuzzling muzzles will prevent any chance of chewing or digestion.

Gift Wrap & Supplies

While it may not first appear to be an area that can cause trouble, there are lots of ways your dog could get into trouble while you are wrapping gifts. Keeping an eye on your gift wrapping supplies is probably a good idea so your pup doesn't ingest or tear up all the ribbons, papers, tissue, tape, and so on. I learned the hard way that all gifts need to be wrapped on a high surface so scissors and tape don't go running off. Even if my dog ignores scissors or tape runners the rest of the year, it's a different story around Christmas!

Cookies & Other Goodies

Christmas is definitely the time of year when people pull out their baking pans to make candies and cookies that are only served during the holidays. It is also the time when people receive lots of great cookies and treats as presents. Whether you are baking or receiving, be careful where you store or display your holiday goodies. Platters of cookies on end tables or bowls of chocolates in un-secure containers could end up as an unintentional dinner to your dog. Storing and displaying your treats away from a curious tongue will prevent any accidental meals of sweets.

As a side note, if you wish to share some Christmas-themed cookies with your dog, consider giving him cookies that are made just for him. Sharing a special snack isn't bad if the treat is safe for your pup to eat. While human cookies and candies are not a good idea to share, there are some great dog-safe options you can get so you both can watch Charlie Brown's Christmas while munching on Christmas cookies. I'm sure Snoopy would approve!

If you can identify with any of the scenarios above, you know how important it is to be mindful of what your pup gets into during the holidays. Hopefully, these tips will help prevent any accidents from occurring. Even if you have a dog that doesn't usually get into much at home or one that hasn't touched holiday decorations in the past, it is still a good idea to keep an eye on all the new tempting items placed around your house. With some simple safety precautions in place, I wish you and your dog a safe and merry holiday!