Thanksgiving Day Safety Tips for Dog Owners

Preparing for the holidays? Consider a few Thanksgiving Day safety tips for your dog. Owners of pets often haven to take special precautions during this time in order to lower their risk of injury.

1- Save the turkey bone for soup.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to warn the public that bones are not safe for canines. Why? Bones can splinter, break teeth, puncture intestines and damage other internal parts of a dog's body. So, instead of saving the turkey bone for your four-legged friend, protect his health and use this item for the creation of delicious soup.

2. Set any chocolate out of reach.
This Thanksgiving Day safety tip for dog owners can save your pet's life. Keep chocolate out of your canine's reach. This sweet treat is toxic for him and can lead to death. As a result, you want to put your Aunt Em's favorite chocolate cake up high on the refrigerator after your guests have had a slice.

3. Close your trashcan up tight.
The rubbish you throw in your trash can hurt your dog. Plastic bags can suffocate small breeds. Half eaten candy and wine corks can also lead to choking if consumed by a dog. For this reason, you should seal the lid on your trashcan tightly. One that has a locking mechanism works best.

4. Set firm rules for your guests.
A good Thanksgiving Day safety tip for dog owners who plan on having over company is to set firm rules about how they interact with their dog. Take control of what happens in your household and tell each guest not to feed your dog or roughhouse him, especially children. Often, a new, unknown canine bites children because they don't understand how to handle him. Don't let this kind of incident occur in your home.

5. Prepare a space for your dog.
Your dog needs a room he can retreat to for warmth or quiet when the noise level in your home gets too high. Be sure to accommodate his needs. Just like the other members of your family, he can freeze to death in the cold or get emotionally upset over too much racket.

These five Thanksgiving Day Safety tips for dog owners will help your canine enjoy turkey day as much as you. Keep them in mind and save yourself from an emergency trip to the vet or worse - the pet cemetery.