Ho Ho Ho… Home For the Holidays

Nov. 26, 2012 - PRLog -- The holiday season is well upon us and of course our beloved pets will be there for each festive celebration. While the holidays usually bring good times and joy, it could also present a number of dangerous circumstances to our four-legged friends. Many individuals or families will be hosting get-togethers or parties this season. With this said, due to constant distractions and the stress of cleaning, decorating, preparing food and satisfying guests, we can easily overlook potential dangers to our pets. Proper pet etiquette for Hanukkah and Christmas party hosting is a must! It's essential as pet owners, that we address these issues and do our best to protect our furry companions while hosting or attending a holiday party this year.

Home for the holidays and ready for some tasty meals! Of course, hosting a party includes lots of treats and feasts; and your animal companion sure has their eyes on the prize! Although it is tempting to leave chocolates or candies around the house for guests to pick on, try to refrain from this. Keep all goodies in high areas that our pets are unable to reach. Chocolates are poisonous to dogs and cats and can even be deadly. Cookies, candies and certain nuts should not be given to pets as well.

Although it seems natural to give a dog a bone, fat trimmings and bones are dangerous for dogs. Fat trimmed from both cooked and uncooked meat may cause pancreatitis. Dogs could also choke on a bone or could get a splinter and cause an obstruction of the dog's digestive system. During the holidays, a pet owner's best bet is to keep our furry friends on a regular diet and inform visitors against giving pets special treats or table scraps.

Alcoholic beverages are very common during holiday get-togethers but these beverages should be kept away from animals at all times. Alcohol can cause serious intoxication in pets and many dogs and cats are attracted to it because of its sweet smell and taste. Make sure to caution guests to keep drinking glasses out of the animal's reach, and clean up glasses as soon as the holiday party is over.

Although decorations are fun and pretty to display, christmas trees, tinsel, ribbons and candles can be very dangerous to our pets. Tinsel is not toxic but pets may be attracted to it. It shines, dangles and reflects light; what pet wouldn't be curious to try and find out what this is! If an animal consumes tinsel, the ingestion could be fatal as it twists and bunches inside of your pet's intestines. Make sure to anchor christmas trees securely because a climbing cat or the wag of a dog's tail can easily knock over a tree. Clean up pine needles often and try to prevent pets from drinking water from the tree stand; especially if there has been added preservative.

Tree ornaments are also a risk because of their bright and colorful look. Place glass, aluminum and paper ornaments higher up onthe tree so that pets can not break or swallow these fragile objects. The lighting of candles is common during this time of year but may be another source of danger to our curious pets. Not only can pets burn themselves, but knocking over a candle can be a serious fire hazard to all family members and guests.

Some pets love visitors and behave very well; however others could be fearful or act aggressive with new guests entering the house. This is especially true when adding more animal friends to the house.

"I have a lot of company coming for a week during the holidays and my dog Gypsy doesn't get along with other dogs. Of course they are bringing their miniature pincher along, too. So we are planning to have our Portable Pop-up Shelters in the house to keep the dogs separated."– Sally Montiano, Sturdi Products "Heavy User"

In this case, Sally decided to keep the dogs separated by using the spacious, comfortable and easy to maneuver Portable Pop-up Shelter. It is important that we find alternative solutions in order to keep our pets safe at all times. We want the holiday celebrations to be a happy time for pets and their owners, so it is important to keep in mind these helpful pet etiquette and safety tips!

Sturdi Products Inc. is a Washington State corporation, manufacturing pet products since 1993. Sturdi was founded on the principle of decreasing the stress of both pets and people by designing better products for use when traveling with pets. Sturdi has gained an international reputation for designing unique, attractive, durable & adaptable products that reflect the needs of customers who travel with cats and small dogs. Since the creation of the patented SturdiBag pet carrier in 1992, Sturdi now offers over 40 professional quality & innovative products. All Sturdi Products are developed with a focus on safe pet travel, emergency preparedness planning & pet show exhibition. Learn more at www.sturdiproducts.com.  Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/. Sturdi Products' Twitter:   http://twitter.com/sturdiproducts.