There it is again, the Advent season: hectic shopping for presents and taking the dog into the crowded city center, a detour to the Christmas market while the dog lies freezing under the reindeer antlers or trots through puddles of mulled wine. Plus lots of appointments and visits from relatives. Find out here and now how you and your dog can best cope with this time and what you need to bear in mind during the Christmas season with your dog.
Don't drink & dog: Dogs don't belong at the Christmas market
The pre-Christmas period is characterized by a hectic pace. Your dog can sense this too. If you seem even more stressed than usual because there is so much to do, this will be transferred to your dog. Give him more rest and dedicate quality time to him, which you spend with him instead of including him in your pre-Christmas plans. A dog feels anything but comfortable in the Christmas hustle and bustle. New smells and fresh stimuli everywhere, the dog's nose is working hard and then there's the volume of the Christmas musicians and the smell of the sausage stands on every corner. This has nothing to do with going for a walk, but is stressful for your beloved four-legged friend in all respects.
Please don't take your dog Christmas shopping with you.
A visit to a Christmas market is even tougher for your dog. While we humans warm ourselves with mulled wine or punch, the dog lies at our feet in the cold. A cold is inevitable after a short time. Then there's the alcohol level of other people, who can kick our dog after drinking a few mulled wines or, in the worst case, spill mulled wine in front of the dog or on the dog.
Please don't take your dog to the Christmas market.
No-go's for your dog at (pre)Christmas time
But who would think that interesting-looking Christmas tree decorations made of glass could turn into dangerous dog food? Users of the tinsel that was widely available at the time can still tell you a thing or two about what can happen to tinsel and dogs, the keyword being intestinal obstruction. The same applies to burning candles on the Advent wreath, which can be an invitation to tear them apart.
Possible sources of danger for dogs at Christmas and alternatives:
1. avoid tinsel and glass Christmas tree decorations on the Christmas tree, use decorations made of straw, paper or wood instead
2. do not leave any ribbon lying around
3. do not leave any candles burning unattended on the Advent wreath and also make sure that LED fairy lights are out of reach
4. put poinsettias, mistletoe or holly branches, which are poisonous to dogs, out of reach of your dog or do without these plant decorations altogether and use real fir branches instead
How to get your dog through Christmas and visits from relatives
Whether it's brunch with friends or coffee with the family - dogs get out of their usual routine when there are lots of visitors and get a little stressed. So here are our
Top 3 tips for dogs & visitors:
1. let your dog feel that he is still important and don't just focus on your visit. Always take opportunities to play with him.
2. set up a special area just for your dog. This could be a dog blanket in the bedroom or protected under the stairs. Make it possible for him to retreat if the hustle and bustle becomes too much for him. Especially if there are lots of small children visiting, the childishly different play can become too much for the dog after a while. By the way: tell everyone in advance which treats the dog is allowed to have and how many of them.
3. don't postpone or shorten the walk, but include your visitor. Many people are happy to go for a walk after a good meal and will be happy to accompany you on the walk.
There are many things unsuitable for dogs at Christmas time
Every dog owner knows only too well that the theobromine and caffeine contained in chocolate is poison for dogs. We would therefore like to briefly point this out here.
If your dog has accidentally eaten chocolate, especially chocolate with a high cocoa content, go to the emergency veterinary service immediately.
We are more concerned with prevention: sweets are more present at Christmas time than the rest of the year. There's a bowl of marzipan on the table or a chocolate Santa Claus adorning the festively decorated sideboard. Not to mention the curls on the Christmas tree or the spicy festive roast. The dog likes to grab something in an unobserved moment. Therefore:
Please keep sweets and leftovers safe from your dog and never leave them lying around!
Special dog cookies are an exception. Especially if you bake them yourself, they are a joy for your dog and definitely his personal Christmas highlight. Especially as your dog can be involved in the baking process and is happy to have a taste. In cooperation with dog-bakery.de, we are offering you two very simple recipes for dog cookies to bake as a PDF. You can find even more treats for your dog in the free Dog Bakery app, in which all recipes can be searched for keywords such as "grain-free".
You can find it in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Just search for Dog Bakery there.
Or use this link: https://www.dog-bakery.app
DOWNLOAD DOG COOKIE RECIPES HERE
How do you spend the Advent and pre-Christmas period with your dog? Do you have any tried and tested tips for other dog owners? We look forward to your comments and wish you, your dog and your family a wonderful Advent season.
