11/30/2025
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There are many things that change in your home during the holidays. Packages and visitors come through the door, decorations adorn the house, big meals are made with special foods, and wrapped gifts surround a new tree in the main part of your home. As much fun as this can be, it can also pose some stress and risks to your dogs. Here are some important holiday safety rules, tricks, and tips that can help keep you and your fur baby happy during the holiday season.
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When hosting visitors, keep a leash and collar or harness securely on your pets, with ID tags showing your cell phone number. Be sure your pets are microchipped. Dogs can slip out the door in a heartbeat and be gone. Alternately, keep an exercise pen set up at the door so you can open the door, but your pets canโt escape.
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The skinny cords on Christmas tree lights are not well insulated and easy for a puppy to chew into. Electrocution can result, so safety is paramount. Keep the cords covered so pets stay safe. Also, consider keeping the lower branches of the tree free from lights. If you catch your dog chewing on a cord, unplug the cord immediately and move it out of their reach.
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You can easily add a safety measure by tethering your tree to the ceiling with a plant hook and a thin wire. Curious climbing pups or those with enthusiastically-wagging tails will appreciate not having the tree fall over on them. Also, monitor and prevent pine needle and tree water ingestion.
Hang bells on the lower branches to help alert you to your petโs exploration of the tree. Either keep your special, breakable ornaments at the tops of the tree or in storage the years you have young dogs romping around. Another option is to surround the tree with an exercise pen to remove any temptation to much on ornaments.
Tinsel, yarn, strings, and other items with long strands can be fascinating to pets. Avoid using these products in areas where pets can get into them. Strings of popcorn and cranberries may be especially enticing, so keep these out of reach.
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Traditional holiday plants like mistletoe and holly are toxic to dogs. Yew, the evergreen many people have in their landscaping is extremely toxic. As a safety measure, avoid bringing clippings into your home to use as garland unless you can identify the variety. Poinsettias are not toxic, but any plant ingestions can lead to oral irritation, vomiting and/or diarrhea. Please be sure to check out my file โPlants Poisonous To Dogsโ in the AJ'S Waggin' Train Tips on Training group page for a full list of plants that are poisonous to dogs.
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Several common holiday foods that humans can safely eat are unsafe for dogs. These include chocolate, raisins and grapes, Macadamia nuts, and sugarless products containing xylitol. Avoid putting
food-containing gifts under the tree, wrapped or unwrapped, when your dogs will be in the room unsupervised. Alcohol innocently set on a low table or the floor can be quickly raided by a pet, leading to serious consequences.
Gifts under the tree occasionally include meats and cheeses. Too much fat from these can be dangerous. Bones and fats from ham, turkey, and other meats can cause pancreatitis or intestinal blockages. Mesh wrappers and leg holders on meats can also smell tempting but cause bowel obstructions. If youโve got a dog who gets into trash cans, be sure to empty them when theyโre full of food.
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Dogs can easily tip candles over or venture too close to the flames. Even potpourri oils are dangerous when licked from the source or off their coats. Place these high or avoid altogether. Consider using plug-in room scent products as an alternative.
If you'd like more tips on training, safety and more be sure to join my group page, AJ'S Waggin' Train Tips on Training.
