Preparing for your Puppy’s 1st Christmas
Can you tell by the title of this post that I don’t have children? Well anyway, this is seriously something you have to prepare for as we enter the holiday season. There are certain things to think about and watch out for that you may not realize. Here are a few tips for example:
The Christmas Tree: Whether real or fake, think about where you put the tree and how you decorate it. In our apartment there aren’t a ton of options for placement, but we made an effort to switch it up this year so that if the tree “falls” as a result of puppy curiosity it’s well out of range of the TV. If your TV isn’t what you care about, make sure whatever valuable, breakable item you have isn’t within harm’s way. We also didn’t hang any ornaments within reach of our puppy. If you have a larger breed pet this might not be realistic for you… a tree with ornaments only on the top half may look odd. But I would advise you to place your more prized ornaments towards the top. I speak from experience; we’ve had our tree up for three days and already have had a fatality. Lastly, I would try to avoid any food trimmings for your tree. Popcorn and cranberry garland is fun to make and nice to look at, but your puppy might think it’s also great to eat! Real candy canes may also entice your furry friend. When in doubt this year, err on the side of caution.
Poinsettias: If you want a poinsettia plant in your home this year try to keep it out of your pet’s reach. You may have heard rumors that they are poisonous to pets, but those are a bit exaggerated. However, they have proven to be an irritant to pets. Again, I’d play it safe.
Baking and Cooking: If you own a pet you should know that certain foods can be harmful to them. If you’re like me and you tend to spend a little bit more time in the kitchen than usual during the holiday season then you’ll need to be more conscious of your puppy while you’re in there. A change in diet or getting a taste of unsafe foods can really set your pup back. My advice is to keep your chocolate close and off the ground; don’t feed your pet table scraps; and make sure to clean your kitchen floor well after each cooking endeavor. It doesn’t take much for them to sniff out those diced onions that fell but it will take a lot to work it out of their system.
Gifts under the Tree: You know better than I do what objects on the floor would appeal to your puppy. My dog isn’t really interested in wrapped boxes as of now, but if I had food of any kind in a gift bag or wrapped it might be a different story. Be smart about what you wrap and how soon you put it under the tree. Some dogs just love to put their noses where they don’t belong and that could mean a lot of gifts to rewrap… I’m just saying.
I’m sure you’ve already given a lot of these tips some thought, but hopefully there was a new suggestion that may prove beneficial to you and yours this holiday! Happy decorating!
Photo: brianbrooks, Boston Terrier at Christmas
Category: Apartment Life, Holidays
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