Keeping your pets calm and safe during the holidays.

Holidays, can be a nervous and dangerous time of year for your pets, dogs especially. Unknown visitors, constant trips, toxic decorations, and foods that are poisonous to dogs, can lead to a unhealthy, and nervous animal during the holidays. When planning for the holidays, always include your dog in the planning. A few things you should consider are:

• If you will be gone for more than a few hours, try to have someone "on call" to take care of your dog. A last minute stranger, or kennel visit, will probably just stress your dog out more than he needs to be.

• Keep food out of Fido's reach. Desserts, are usually mostly chocolate and sugar, a deadly mix for dogs. Other foods, like a Christmas turkey, or platter of hors d'oeuvres, may leave your dog sick if he gets to it, a extra hassle when your busy enough already. Keeping him in a different room when your eating, or setting the food in a high out of reach spot, will best for both of you.

• Decorations. Puppy's, dogs teething, or even older dogs, like to get into mischief. You wouldn't to come home to Spot chewing your heirloom ornament, or finding he ate all the popcorn off your tree, along with the string. Dogs also commonly choke, and suffocate on decorations. Supervise him as much as possible when your home, and when you leave, put away anything he might get ahold of, and possibly kennel him for the time being.

• Traveling with your pet? If possible driving will probably keep him more calm than flying. Try to bring him his favorite toys, his regular bed, and food. The more at home he feels, the calmer he'll be.

• If your having guests stay, or just visiting, try to urge them to leave there own pets at home. The excitement of meeting a new friend, along with all the hustle and bustle, will probably be to much for him. If your pet is still acting stressed, you may want to set him up his own room, with his toys, bed, food and water. Sticking a note on the door, "Do Not Disturb" and playing the radio/TV in that room, will drown out the noise, keeping your dog more calm.

I also strongly urge you to not give or encourage people to give a puppy as a present during this time. The dangers of the holidays to pets, especially curious and playful puppies, is enormous. Also the new dog owner wont have enough time to properly care for a new puppy, and he will end up depressed, or develop destructive behaviors. Also, a good breeder will not breed for the holidays, for this reason. If a breeder is urging you to give a puppy as a holiday gift, he is probably more worried about profits, than the dog's welfare. If you want to give a puppy as a holiday gift, give a promise for a puppy, as soon as the holidays are over.

Wishes for a happy, healthy holiday season.