Holiday Safety Tips for Small Dogs

The holiday season is fast approaching. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are all times of happiness and family celebrations, which create many memories to cherish over the years. To insure that those memories are happy ones, people who own small dogs should think ahead and make plans for their pets. Toy dog breeds have special needs. More and more families have added a tiny canine family member, and need to remember the following common sense precautions.

General

Maintain your small dog's normal feeding, exercise, and sleeping schedule to avoid stress. Stress can give your dog an upset stomach, which can lead to housetraining accidents.

Halloween

When their favorite humans appear dressed in costume, it's normal for a dog to be frightened. Make sure your pet knows that it's really you behind that mask!

When trick-or-treaters come knocking at your front door, your dog will probably work himself into a frenzy as he barks at each new visitor. Or, he may be scared of all the noise and excitement, and seek out a hiding place. Even a well socialized dog can feel threatened and defensive around a crowd of excited kids or adults. It's possible that his barking may even scare away potential trick-or-treaters, so it would be best to give him a safe haven such as his crate so he can feel secure while the candy is being handed out. This will also ensure your dog does not slip outside unnoticed during the constant opening and closing of the door. Small dogs can do this so easily, so why take the chance?

It is not a good idea to put your dog outside for the evening. Children in costume are scary indoor and out, and kids may feel anonymous enough while dressed up for the evening to do things they normally wouldn't, such as teasing your dog, or even letting him out of the yard as a prank.

Halloween costumes for small pets are a very cute tradition. If your dog will allow you to dress him up, by all means enjoy this tradition. Never leave your dog unsupervised while he is in costume, however. A dog that is not used to wearing clothing could chew on the costume and end up with a bowel obstruction from the cloth. He could even choke! Most costumes also contain elastic. If your pet should swallow this, it could act much like a rubber band does when swallowed, and wrap around vital organs. Check all costumes before and after you put them on your pet to make sure everything is as it should be.

Thanksgiving

Most dog owners are aware that chocolate should not be given to their pets. But other foods commonly prepared during the holidays can make your dog quite sick and spoil Thanksgiving Day with a trip to the emergency vet. It is natural to want to share your special meal with your dog. Dogs absolutely love turkey and turkey skin, but too much rich food can lead to canine pancreatitis, which is a serious inflammation of the pancreas. Vomiting and dehydration are symptoms of this disease, which can be mistaken for an upset stomach. One or two bites of rich food could spell disaster for a toy dog.

Any savvy dog parent knows that you do not feed cooked poultry bones to your dog. They can splinter easily, and could puncture your dog's intestines, or lodge in their throat in their haste to swallow them. But don't underestimate your pet's potential to be a little thief! Be very careful when discarding anything used to prepare your turkey. Roasting bags, pop up timers, string... any of these could cause your pet intestinal blockage if swallowed. Have an empty coffee can with lid handy, and place all turkey-related items in it before placing the can in the garbage.

It is best not to give your dog any food from the table. Most of the dishes you will be serving to your family and guests are simply too rich or spicy for your dog's digestive system. Onions are toxic to dogs. Even something as seemingly innocent as a raisin or grape could make a small dog very sick indeed. Make sure your guests know not to share their food with your dog. To keep his mind off of all the good smells coming from the table, give your dog a new chew toy to keep him occupied while you are eating. There are commercially available canned dog foods that are perfect for Thanksgiving. I found a turkey and cranberry sauce flavored food for my dog last year at PetSmart, which he loved. This is a much safer option, and allows your small friend to have a special treat on a special day.

Christmas

Follow the same advice given above for feeding your pet at Christmas. The main dangers to your small dog during this holiday are the decorations you have around your home. The attractive plants used extensively during the season such as mistletoe, holly, and poinsettia are all poisonous to dogs. Since small dogs are apt to climb onto a couch and then onto an end table in order to get to something that interests them, give some thought to where you place these plants in your home to keep them out of your pet's reach. The needles from your tree, live or artificial, are sharp, and can do damage to your pet's internal organs if swallowed. Vacuum often to insure no stray leaves or needles can be eaten by your dog.

Tinsel can be dangerous to any dog, but especially a small one, as it would take so little to do a world of damage. When swallowed, it can cause intestinal obstruction and the sharp edges can even cut the intestines. Decorations can be mistaken for toys by your dog, especially the glass balls. They break very easily, and broken glass in a dog's mouth is not a good thing. Small dogs have sensitive feet, and could also cut them severely on a broken ornament. Use decorations at the bottom of the tree that are unbreakable for your dog's safety.

Edible ornaments, such as candy canes, gingerbread men, or popcorn strings are also a bad idea, as your pet may actually try to knock down or climb the tree to get at them. If you use lights on your tree, don't place them at the bottom. They can get very hot, and could burn your dog's mouth, or worse, electrocute him if he were to bite into them. Electrical cords around the tree can also be dangerous. Try to keep them out of reach as much as possible.

If you have a live tree, watch carefully to insure your dog doesn't drink the water in the tree stand, as it can make him sick, especially if you have used a tree preservative in the water. Burning candles could spell disaster if they were to come into contact with your dog's wagging tail. Keep lit candles well out of your dog's reach. Wrapped packages may be irresistible to your toy dog. It may be best not to put them underneath the tree so as not to invite temptation.

Planning ahead and taking a few safety precautions is the key to a happy and safe holiday season for the entire family - including your small dog.