Planning Your Dog’s Holiday: Tips from Cesar Millan

The decorations are up, the presents are bought, the holiday plans are in motion. But have you made plans for making sure your dog has a healthy and happy holiday as well?

We just received these tips from Cesar Millan for making sure you have a balanced dog, not just during the holidays but all winter long.

• Exercise your dog before taking him to visit, or receiving, holiday guests. Holiday visits may involve more excited energy than usual. Your dog is more likely to behave if you’ve drained its energy with a long walk first.

• Do your holiday boarding research in advance! Feel confident and comfortable that your pet is safe while you are away. Get recommendations and find two or three facilities that meet your requirements, and investigate further.

• Plan your trips ahead of time. Your dog will sense the tension and anxiety if you hastily try to pack and go. Be ready days beforehand so that your dog has a normal experience before getting in the car or on a plane.

• Beware of hazardous holiday items. Ingested poinsettia plants cause dogs to vomit; chocolate is poisonous to dogs; and tinsel has sent many a dog to the emergency room after being ingested.

• Protect your presents and decorations. A dog will be able to smell presents with food in them, so be sure to keep these items separate and ask guests to do the same. Keep all of your fragile ornaments near the top of the tree, place old sturdier ornaments near the ground.

• I don’t recommend giving a puppy as a holiday gift. I strongly believe that the whole family needs to have basic knowledge about the commitment and responsibility of pet ownership before receiving an animal.

• Protect your dog from the cold. Many breeds are not built for cold weather. There are many products made specifically to help your dog stay warm such as doggy boots and paw waxes. Check out your local pet store for suggestions.

• Don’t forget rules, boundaries, and limitations just because it’s the holidays! New temptations abound in the form of sights, smells, and sounds during the holidays. Use this opportunity to reinforce the household rules.

For More Information:

• visit CesarsWay.com

Photo courtesy Cesars Way

About Paris Permenter and John Bigley

DogTipper publishers Paris Permenter and John Bigley are a husband-wife team of full-time writers. The couple has authored over two dozen books and 2,500+ magazine articles.

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