How to Make Sure Your Pets Have a Happy and Healthy Holiday

During Winter holidays your house might come to resemble a hotel. Or during Summer holidays there might be fireworks out there in the center of your city or on your stret. Kids will love it, but not pets unfortunately. Such crowded and noisy environments can impact their mental health, and you should do everything you can to prevent that negative influence. In this article, we will show you how to make sure your pets will have a happy and healthy holiday.

Take them to a walk before your friends come

Some pets like to play with guests that come to your place for the holiday. Other pets, however, might get stressed and overwhelmed because of a sudden crowd in your house. To prevent this type of stress, you should take your pet for a long walk before your family members and friends arrive. That way your pet is more likely to spend his energy and get tired, and most likely will be able to take a nap without difficulties.

Keep them away from dangerous decorations

All those fancy decorations and ribbons are super tempting for both children and pets. A dog, for instance, will always be tempted to play with a Christmas ball since it really does looks like a toy. However, those balls are usually made of glass, and you should do everything you can to prevent your dog from playing with it. Ribbons are also very dangerous. If your pet consumes them, a trip to the vet is often inevitable. Therefore, keep all these kinds of hazardous items out of their reach: candles, wrapping paper, batteries, etc. Just keep an eye on your pets all the time until they get used to new decorations.

Keep them away from toxic food

Even though you can occasionally give your pet some of your own snacks and meals, you should be very careful during the holidays. There will be a lot of food and drinks that smell great, but that you must keep your pet away from. Most importantly, make sure that food such as chocolate, macadamia nuts, ham and bacon, and eggnog are far away from your pet. Other foods that you should put out of reach include alcohol, sweeteners, garlic, blue cheese, raisins, and much more.

Protect them from fireworks

Watching fireworks is great, especially with your family during New Year’s Eve. But most pets don’t like it. Therefore you have to find ways to keep them calm. There are several options you can choose in order to calm your pet during fireworks. First of all, provide them a safe place where they can hide, with the windows and curtains closed. Give them enough food and drinks during the day, and let them exercise before the fireworks start. That way, they will get rid of extra energy that has the potential to turn into stress and anxiety. And finally, try to distract them with games and toys. When they are occupied by playing games, they may just ignore fireworks.

Clean their hiding place

Many pets will be afraid and disoriented during fireworks, and that’s the reason why they prefer a hiding spot. Your job is to clean that place, whether it is a bed inside the house, a crate, or anything else. Your pet might spend a whole night in that hiding spot, and you should clean it thoroughly. Once you clean it, get a pillow or a few pieces of clothe and put it inside to provide extra comfort. They will have an easier time falling asleep, which will help them get rid of the stress. And don’t forget to keep the door to their hiding spot open.

Give them holiday gifts

Everyone deserves to get spoiled during the holidays. Therefore, get the right gifts for your pets and make them happy! Holiday toys are usually the best option, but there are also other options, such as special foods. However, don’t give them too much since they can get sick.

Unfortunately, pets don’t necessarily share the same emotions with us. Holidays can be super fun, but pets might get stressed during these times. Your job is to help your pets remain calm, even though it might be difficult at times.