Today’s topic is something I’m especially passionate about. Honestly, I wasn’t going to do a Christmas themed episode because I always feel like I avoid themed podcast episodes because they don’t offer as much value but then my husband asked if I was going to do an episode on holiday pet hazards and so I thought I should at least entertain the idea. 

Well, we’ve been doing more entertaining in the past few weeks and in doing so have noticed how our dogs are not as used to social gatherings as they used to be, thanks to the pandemic. We’ve been extra on top of things because of this to ensure they feel comfortable and don’t develop bad habits. 

Not only are our pets less socialized but so are our kids. They are still coming around to bigger gatherings again. This means they may have no knowledge on how to greet pets or have less than they once did because they aren’t putting it into practice during ‘COVID times.’

This all made me think about the fact that my number one concern when hosting people at Christmas is the comfort and safety of my pets and company.

If you look up lists of holiday pet hazards, or pet safety tips at Christmas you’ll see recommendations about:

Securing your Christmas tree

Keeping cords and wires away from pets or taped down

Restricting access to holiday foods like chocolate, raisins/grapes, onions, garlic, fried or fatty foods like gravy and cheese

You’ll also see suggestions to have a safe room for your pet away from all of the chaos. 

I was happy to see this included on most lists but what this solution doesn’t take into account is the average, happily, social dog or cat that wants to be amongst people but also be respected. This is the tip we’re missing. 

So, my number one holiday pet safety tip is…

DEMAND RESPECT FOR yOUR PETS FROM ALL GUESTS, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN!

The best way to keep our guests and children safe is by advocating for our pets at every turn. I don’t think locking our social pets away in a room is the best scenario for them. After-all, we can’t learn without opportunity.

It’s up to parents and pet owners to teach their children to give pets space or offer interaction that gives the pets a choice.

So how do we go about teaching our kids and guests to respect our pets? Well, it starts the first time they interact. 

Lay out the ground rules such as: don’t feed them people food, don’t walk on dog beds, don’t leave doors open, don’t bother pets when sleeping, no chasing pets

Guide introductions; have people seated and pets calm before they can greet guests. Tell people to call dog over and suggest a pet under the chin or on the back if the dog hangs around out of choice. For cats, tell them to kneel or sit with hand out, index finger extended and let cat come to them. Can pet cat on back or head if the cat bumps the finger and stays around.

Don't leave children unattended with pets. (If your Christmas or holiday is anything like mine, the adults often sequester from the children - this is a big opportunity for something to go wrong between the pets and kids - adult supervision is absolutely necessary - so this is a good opportunity to ensure the pets are with the adults instead or in a safe room away from the kids).

Show them how and where your pet appreciates touch., or what ways they can engage in play with your pet safely (if they can)

Point out your pet’s body language and signals when they are unhappy.

Don’t allow children to disrupt your pet’s meals, rest or personal space. (can feed them away from the chaos)

Remove your children or your pet when boundaries are not being respected.

Reward positive interactions by giving food or praise to pets and praise to children.

It’s really easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays but if we can slow down and look at these gatherings as opportunities, we can teach our children and guests some really important fundamentals about our pets and how to interact with them. We have to set the precedent or we will forever have to lock our pets away for no fault of their own. 

Any dog or cat has the ability to injure a person with their teeth or claws. Every time they're put in a position to defend themselves the chance of injury increases.

We cannot expect our pets to distinguish children as harmless individuals. Rather we must teach our children to be harmless individuals towards our pets, training them to be pet-friendly.

Most importantly, DO NOT yell at or punish your pet for growling, barking, hissing or swatting at your child. These are warnings which can save your child from further injury. If this has occurred, you likely should have intervened earlier and should immediately remove your child from the situation or can take your pet to a safe place (kennel, bed etc).

Respect begets respect, let’s lead by example! I’ve created a revolutionary course to debunk the myth that dogs should inherently be kid-friendly. It’s called Pet-Friendly Kids: A Guide for Parents & Pet Owners. With just 2 hours of your time, you’ll be perfectly equipped to build better relationships between kids and pets so you can create a happy and safe environment for everyone. Get started today!