Keeping Your Dog Safe at Thanksgiving
November 11, 2008 by Paris and John
Filed under Holidays & Your Dog, Safety, Tips
As American readers begin to prepare for Thanksgiving, it’s time to make a few preparations with your dog in mind on this important day.
If you’ll have a house full of company, now’s the time to make sure you have a current ID tag on your dog’s collar. A day filled with doors opening and closing means an ideal time for a dog to slip out of the house, perhaps undetected.
All the extra excitement around the house makes it important to set aside a quiet place for your dog, away from the cooking and the company. Take a look around your house and find a room where your dog can relax with a good chew toy after greeting the company. Do you need to purchase a baby gate to close off this room? Now’s the time.
When Thanksgiving arrives, make sure your dog stays safe with all the food preparations, dining, and cleanup throughout the day. It’s important to:
• keep the trash put away where he cannot get to it. With many cooks in the kitchen, it’s tempting to pull out the trash for everyone to access…but remember that your dog may try to access it, too! Everything from bones to coffee grounds are no-nos.
• keep all bones away from your dog. Turkey bones will splinter and present a real hazard so make sure he doesn’t get any! That means making sure your guests don’t slip him some bones, too.
• keep chocolates, raisins, and onions away from your dog. Whether you’re using onion for the dressing, chocolate for a pie, or raisins for cookies, they need to stay out of your dog’s reach; they’re all toxic to canines. Make sure your guests don’t feed your dog these foods, either, or leave scraps sitting around for your dog to pick up.
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