1) Book a sitter early and take time to prepare your home
Hopefully by now you’ve booked your pet sitting service but if not make sure you line up a professional pet sitter today. Christmas and New Years is a busy time for pet sitters and most book up and have to turn away last minute requests! Once you’ve confirmed service now start preparing your home and your pet for your absence. Here is a great article on prepping your home for your pet sitter. http://www.petsitusa.com/prepare.htm
2) A tired dog is a happy dog
In this busy season it might be easy to skip a walk or two but it’s so important to keep pets on their usual routine. Just like us planning ahead the workout makes it almost certain it’ll get done! Your little ones will be grateful that you did, as will you! In this season of overeating it’s important that we “up” our exercise routine too! If you’re too busy be sure and call the office so we can arrange for a Petcentric Dog Walker/Pet Sitter to take them out for a good hearty walk. We’re working around the clock over the holidays and are happy to help!
3) It is better to give then to receive
Sort through your pet supplies and donate items that are gently used or never used to your local cat or dog shelter. Visit the shelters web sites to view their wish lists to see what they need and have fun playing “Santa Claus” for the day! Plan a head for tax season and ask for a tax donation form!
4) Mi Casa Su Casa
If you are having parties or overnight guests be sure to take precautious in regard to your pet’s safety. Pets may behavior differently around large groups of people and depending on your pet’s personality (you know your babies) it might be best for them (and your guests) to put them in another part of your home, which is off limits to visitors. Be sure to put a sign on the door saying, “Do Not Enter – Pets Inside” or something of the sort. Make sure your pets are comfortable and have his or her favorite bed and toys so they won’t be bored or lonely. I’m sure you’d be stopping in periodically to give them so TLC but doing that would make them feel less lonely or forgotten by their best friend! I would even suggest turning on a radio or a TV to the pet channel so they’re less distracted by the noises of the party.
Another option is to hire your sitter to be your pets “date” for the night. At my wedding we had Grady’s dog sitter be his escort for the entire event. We wanted him to be a part of the wedding party but I didn’t want to worry about him not getting enough attention or getting into trouble, as we were too busy running around to keep a watchful eye on the big guy. The same thing can be done at your party or yet another option is to have the sitter take your dog to their house for a “slumber party”. Over the years I’ve had clients drop their pets off for the night at my house and it’s an excellent alternative to traditional dog boarding or dog kenneling. So much better in my unbiased opinion!
5) You are what you eat
Remember as a child when you were told to eat your vegetables and most of us probably were encouraged to stay away from the junk food too. Well our parents were right and I think this also applies to our pets! My dog happens to love carrots (the old fashion big ones!) and will often eat them as a snack in the middle of the day. Of course he gets his regular treats but I think it’s could to also give him the veggies!
This is not only important all year long but even more so during the holidays as there will be more food around the house and you, or your children are visitors may be tempted to indulge your pup. I know it’s tough when they’re drooling and eyeing your plate but it’s best to not give them human food. Sometimes when I have parties I put a sign around my dogs neck, which says, “Please don’t feed me”. My guest really get a kick out of it and it’s a good thing Grady can’t read or else he’d take the sign off in a second!”
6) Celebrate the holidays with your pets!
Christmas for me besides the obvious gift giving (and receiving!) has always been a special time of getting together with friends and family and since my dog; Grady is always where we are he’s always part of the celebration! Most of us pet lovers consider our pets our “children” and so I always to put them on my shopping list!
This year we were lucky to be able to celebrate Hanukkuh and now to be celebrating Christmas as my toddler attends Beit Ha Yeladim (one of Santa Barbara’s Jewish preschool). Even though we’re not jJewish I’ve greatly appreciated the peacefulness and joy of the holiday and feel lucky to be able to share in something so special with others as well as my family.
On Christmas morning Grady, receives a few presents in which Maya helps him open. It’s really fun to watch the two of them! Besides toys and treats I give him some things that he “needs”, this year it’ll be a new bed. Shhhhh…
7) Better safe than sorry
As the old adage goes it’s better to be cautious then to possibly suffer later. So, here are some preventive tips to keep your pets safe over the holidays.
Tinsel, String and Decorative Wrapping
Tinsel used as a tree decoration and fancy ribbons used on presents are pleasing not only to our eyes, but to the eyes of our four-legged companions (especially cats). String used to tie a turkey or roast is also tempting to our pets’ taste buds. If any of these items are ingested by your pet, they may become lodged in the digestive tract and require surgical removal. To avoid these problems during the holiday season, avoid tinsel unless you can keep the pet out of the room with the tree. Also keep those nicely decorated Christmas gifts out of your pet’s reach and ensure that your pet doesn’t get too involved in preparation of Christmas dinner!
Christmas Trees
To help your pet avoid injuries, ensure that your Christmas tree is firmly set in place. A playful or curious pet may run into or climb the tree, knocking it over. If the pets have access to the tree room, suspending support wires to ceiling and walls, and keeping the tree in a corner of the room are helpful preventive steps. If using a real Christmas tree, be sure to avoid the use of chemicals in the water. Pets may drink this water and become ill. Note that glass ornaments can be dangerous if they fall from the tree and break. Shards of sharp, fine glass can become imbedded into the pads, or in the skin between the toes, or perhaps even be chewed on! Keep them off the ends of branches where traffic passes, or avoid them altogether.
Ornamental Plants
Ornamental plants such as poinsettas, holly, and mistletoe, found around the house during the holiday season, may be toxic to pets if ingested and should be kept out of your pets’ reach. The ingestion of holly is most commonly associated with digestive upset and nervous system depression. American Mistletoe produces quite severe irritation of the digestive tract, as well as whole body symptoms including low heart rate and temperature, difficulty breathing, unsteadiness, excess thirst, and sometimes seizures, coma, and even death. The ingestion of poinsetta leaves generally results in mild to moderate digestive upsets. If it is impossible to keep your pets and plants apart, there are a variety of spray products on the market designed to keep pets away from sprayed areas.
Pet Toys and Presents
When choosing that special Christmas gift for your pet, it is best to avoid toys that consist of string or that contain small, potentially removable objects such as bells. Pets can easily ingest these objects and surgery may be required for their removal. When purchasing chew bones such as rawhides for your dogs, be sure to purchase the appropriate size. Small-sized chewy bones should not be given to large breed dogs. Large pieces may be swallowed whole resulting in stomach upset, or sometimes they will choke on the pieces. Some forms of animal-based chews are potential sources of harmful bacteria, such as salmonella.
Table Scraps
Feeding pet’s table scraps and other foods that are high in fat content may cause inflammation of the pancreas, a potentially life-threatening situation in companion animals. This is a potential problem any time that table scraps are fed but is more prevalent during the holiday season. Avoid feeding raw meat and bones to pets at all times of the year. There are many zoo noses (diseases shared by people and humans) potentially contaminating raw meat and bone products. You, your family members or your pet could become ill with these conditions. Sharp bone fragments are also a common source of intestinal puncture or blockage requiring surgical treatment, so never offer bones.
8) “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley” (which is popularly misquoted as: The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray).
Giving pets as Christmas gifts is almost always an unwise idea. Pets are for life, not just for Christmas and many of them end up unwanted or neglected. If someone is thinking about getting a new pet, often best to give the prospective adopter a variety of toys, treats, food, books, bowls and/or pet sitting gift certificate, available through Petcentric! That way, the family can choose their own pet in their own time and make an educated, well-researched decision.
9) Dog rules for Christmas
1. Be especially patient with your humans during this time. They may appear to be more stressed-out than usual and they will appreciate long comforting dog leans.
2. They may come home with large bags of things they call gifts. Do not assume that all the gifts are yours.
3. Be tolerant if your humans put decorations on you. They seem to get some special kind of pleasure out of seeing how you look with fake antlers.
4. They may bring a large tree into the house and set it up in a prominent place and cover it with lights and decorations. Bizarre as this may seem to you, it is an important ritual for your humans, so there are some things you need to know: - Don’t pee on the tree - Don’t drink water in the container that holds the tree - Mind your tail when you are near the tree - If there are packages under the tree, even ones that smell interesting or that have your name on them, don’t rip them open - Don’t chew on the cord that runs from the funny-looking hole in the wall to the tree.
5. Your humans may occasionally invite lots of strangers to come visit during this season. These parties can be lots of fun, but they also call for some discretion on your part: - Not all strangers appreciate kisses and leans - Don’t eat off the buffet table - Beg for goodies subtly - Be pleasant, even if unknowing strangers sit on your sofa - Don’t drink out of glasses that are left within your reach.
6. Likewise, your humans may take you visiting. Here your manners will also be important: - Observe all the rules in #4 for trees that may be in other people’s houses. (4a is particularly important) - Respect the territory of other animals that may live in the house - Tolerate children - Turn on your charm big time.
7. A big man with a white beard and a very loud laugh may emerge from your fireplace in the middle of the night. DON’T BITE HIM!!
10) A cat’s 12 days of Christmas
On the twelfth day of Christmas my human gave to me
Twelve bags of catnip!
Eleven tarter Pounce treats,
Ten ornaments hanging,
Nine wads of Kleenex,
Eight peacock feathers,
Seven stolen Q-tips,
Six feathered balls,
Five MILK JUG RINGS!
Four munchy house plants,
Three running faucets,
Two fuzzy mousies,
And a hamster in a plastic ball!!
11) Wrapping presents 101 for cat owners
1. Clear large space on table for wrapping present.
2. Go to wardrobe and collect bag in which present is contained, and close door.
3. Open door and remove cat from wardrobe.
4. Go to cupboard and retrieve rolls of wrapping paper.
5. Go back and remove cat from cupboard.
6. Go to drawer and collect transparent sticky tape, ribbons, scissors, labels, etc.
7. Lay out present and wrapping materials on table, to enable wrapping strategy to be formed.
8. Go back to drawer to get string, remove cat that has been in the drawer since last visit, and collect string.
9. Remove present from bag.
10. Remove cat from bag.
11. Open box to check present, remove cat from box, replace present.
12. Lay out paper to enable cutting to size.
13. Cut the paper to size, trying to keep the cutting line straight.
14. Throw away first sheet because cat tried to chase the scissors and tore the paper.
15. Cut second sheet of paper to size by putting cat in the bag the present came out of.
16. Place present on cut-to-size paper.
17. Lift up edges of paper to seal in present, wonder why edges now don’t reach, and find cat between present and paper. Remove cat and retry.
18. Place object on paper, to hold in place, while cutting transparent sticky tape.
19. Spend next 20 minutes carefully trying to remove transparent sticky tape from cat with pair of nail scissors.
20. Seal paper down with transparent sticky tape, making corners as neat as possible.
21. Look for roll of ribbon; chase cat down hall and retrieve ribbon.
22. Try to wrap present with ribbon in a two-directional turn.
23. Re-roll up ribbon and remove paper that is now torn, due to cat’s enthusiasm in chasing ribbon end.
24. Repeat steps 12-22 until down to last sheet of paper.
25. Decide to skip steps 12-16 in order to save time and reduce risk of losing last sheet of paper. Retrieve old cardboard box that you know is right size for sheet of paper.
26. Put present in box, and tie down with string.
27. Remove string, open box and remove cat.
28. Put all packing materials in bag with present and head for lockable room.
29. Once inside room, lock door and start to re-lay out packing materials.
30. Remove cat from box, unlock door, put cat outside door, close door and re-lock.
31. Lay out last sheet of paper. (Admittedly this is difficult in the small area of the toilet, but try your best!)
32. Seal box, wrap with paper and start repairs by very carefully sealing down tears with transparent sticky tape. Now tie up with ribbon and decorate with bows to hide worst affected areas.
33. Label, then sit back and admire your handiwork, congratulating yourself on making good of a bad job.
34. Unlock door, and go to kitchen to make drink and feed cat.
35. Spend next 15 minutes looking for cat, before coming to obvious conclusion.
36. Unwrap present, untie box and remove cat.
37. Retrieve all discarded sheets of wrapping paper, feed cat and retire to lockable room for last attempt, making certain you are alone and the door is locked.
38. At time of handing over present smile sweetly at receiver’s face, as they try and hide their contempt at being handed such a badly wrapped present.
39. Swear to yourself that next year, you will get the store to wrap the darn thing for you.
Thanks to Mary Campbell
12) Wrapping Presents With Dogs
1. Gather presents, boxes, paper, etc. in middle of living room floor.
2. Get tape back from puppy.
3. Remove scissors from older dog’s mouth.
4. Open box.
5. Take puppy out of box.
6. Remove tape from older dog’s mouth.
7. Take scissors away from puppy.
8. Put present in box.
9. Remove present from puppy’s mouth.
10. Put back in box after removing puppy from box.
11. Take scissors from older dog and sit on them.
12. Remove puppy from box and put on lid.
13. Take tape away from older dog.
14. Unroll paper.
15. Take puppy OFF box.
16. Cut paper being careful not to cut puppy’s foot or nose that is getting in the way as he “helps.”
17. Let puppy tear remaining paper.
18. Take puppy off box.
19. Wrap paper around box.
20. Remove puppy from box & take wrapping paper from its mouth.
21. Tell older dog to fetch the tape so he will stop stealing it.
22. Take scissors away from puppy.
23. Take tape older dog is holding.
24. Quickly tape one spot before taking scissors from older dog & sitting on them again.
25. Fend off puppy trying to steal tape & tape another spot.
26. Take bow from older dog.
27. Go get roll of wrapping paper puppy ran off with.
28. Take scissors from older dog that took them when you got up.
29. Give pen to older dog to hold so he stops licking your face.
30. Remove puppy from present & hurriedly slap tape on to hold the paper on.
31. Take now soggy bow from puppy & tape on since the sticky stuff no longer sticks.
32. Take pen from older dog, address tag & affix while puppy tries to eat pen.
33. Grab present before puppy opens it & put it away.
34. Clean up mess puppy & older dog made playing tug-of-war with remnants of wrapping paper.
35. Put away rest of wrapping supplies & tell dogs what good helpers they are.
One more bonus for you cat lovers!
A cat’s favorite Christmas Carol
10. Up on the Mousetop
9. Have Yourself a Furry Little Christmas
8. Joy to the Curled
7. I Saw Mommy Hiss at Santa Claus
6. The First Meow
5. Oh, Come All Ye Fishful
4. Silent Mice
3. Fluffy, the Snowman
2. Jingle Balls
1. Wreck the Halls!
Thanks to Daryl Hillen
Warm wishes for a beautiful Christmas from all of us pet lovers at Petcentric!!
Warmly, ,
Wendy Fisher
Top Dog and Chief Pet Lover
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