Practical Tips for Having a Holly, Jolly, Accident-Free Holiday with Your Puppy

Last year’s Christmas was during Covid-19 and as a result, I decided to take the year off from decorating. 

We didn’t even put up the Christmas tree. 

Yep, 2020 was a Scrooge-kinda-Christmas, but this year we are back to hosting Christmas dinner with family, complete with a decorated tree. 

Rune is almost two and has never seen a tree with ornaments in the house so I know this will be met with curiosity.

Maybe your new puppy (or two-year-old) will be the same. 

Here are some things to take into consideration.

TIPS FOR THE TREE 

• If your male puppy is intact, be aware that he could mark (pee) on the tree
• If your puppy is teething, keep the lights and decorations out of reach
• Make time to practice “leave it” around the tree
• Don’t place gifts under the tree until Christmas morning
• Avoid leaving your puppy unattended with the tree

CAUTION WITH HOLIDAY GREENERY & OTHER SUBSTANCES

Being prepared includes knowing about which Holiday Plants can cause varying degrees of health problems: Holly, Mistletoe, Poinsettias, Lilies, Daffodils, Amaryllis and Christmas Cactus. If your pet has ingested any of these call ASPCA Animal Poison Control phone number for instructions on what to do. A $75.00 consultation fee can apply but some of that fee may be covered if you are enrolled in ASPCA Pet Health Insurance.

When my dog Manny was a puppy, he found my son’s asthma inhaler on his bedside nightstand and punctured the container. It was animal poison control who saved the day when he was in the ER with a racing heart from inhaling a blast of Albuterol. Overnight guests should be reminded to keep any medications up high and off nightstands to avoid potential ingestion.

PEOPLE, FOOD, AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS FOR GATHERINGS

The days leading up to the big day are busy but it is important to give some thought as to what your puppy/dog’s ability is around guests.  Have a plan as to how you are going to handle when guests arrive and when the meal is served. 

• If you can’t do it, assign someone to be in charge of the dog when guests arrive. This can mean slipping a leash on him so the person in charge has some control over jumping up, etc. If you don’t have someone to handle the pup it might be best to crate him until someone is free to take the job.
• Instruct your guest to not feed the pup under the table. 
• Instruct guests to not leave their toothpicks, food plates and alcoholic beverages unattended on coffee tables. 
• Put guest coats and purses up high and/or in a room with a closed door. Dogs can forage through pockets and purses grabbing pill bottles, etc.
• Practice down stays and tethering the pup during mealtime in the weeks leading up to the big day. If he can’t help himself and starts visiting the guests around the table, put him in his crate. 

And just for good measure, here is an additional resource that you may find useful: 3 Ways to Survive the Holidays with Your Dog – wikiHow  

We all want to have a nice time with family and friends during the holidays. Include your pets in as much a part of the day as is safe for him and will keep you out of the ER. We want the holidays to be merry and bright for both you and your pets. 

Susan Lynch is a former competitive dog trainer who has been training, competing and volunteering with her Golden Retrievers since 1995. In 2020, she founded Life with Rune, a Facebook community that documents the socializing and training of her own puppy Rune. In 2021, she was awarded the Rachel Page Elliot Lifetime Achievement award by the Golden Retriever Club of America. Her memoir Life After Kevin: A Mother’s Search for Peace and the Golden Retrievers that Led the Way is available here . To learn more, visit: www.susan-lynch.com.