Wee Westie Christmas. CC Image by Randy Robertson (Flickr).

Will you be travelling to see family over Christmas and taking your dog with you? According to veterinarians, Christmas is one f the most dangerous times of the year for your pup. The danger isn’t during the car journey there; rather it’s the time you spend in the house. Below you will find some tips to help you keep your dog safe over the festive season.

Before getting into the car give your dog a nice long walk to tire him out and allow him to rest at the back of the car in his pet carrier or dog hammock. It’s extremely important that your dog feels safe, secure and at ease when travelling in the car. A fleecy blanket or toy could offer some familiarity for your dog.

One thing that you must be sure to ask your family to do is to remove any chocolate hanging from the Christmas tree. Dogs have a keen sense of smell and can be easily enticed to jump up at the tree to get to the chocolate. What’s more, chocolate can be extremely poisonous to your dog. If your dog eats chocolate he may suffer from theobromine poisoning, which can result in vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and even death, although these cases are rare.

Facts about theobromine poisoning

• Symptoms can commence within 6-12 hours of your dog consuming chocolate
• Different types of chocolate can contain various amounts of theobromine
• Dark chocolate or cooking chocolate contains the most theobromine
• Half a pound of dark chocolate can be dangerous for a 20lb dog

Other tips to bear in mind during Christmas

A new place with new faces along with a busy atmosphere can be upsetting for a dog. Bring with you your dog’s bed or a cage and keep to your routine as much as possible. The more you make the day feel normal to your dog the better. Having your dog’s bed or cage in the new surroundings will give your dog a place for him to go when he’s had enough.

Always supervise your dog when he comes into contact with children. It doesn’t matter how old the child might be or how placid your dog is with new people, children and dogs should always be supervised.

If your family have decided on a real tree this year make sure all the pine needles are vacuumed up as this can be dangerous to your dog if consumed. It’s also best to make sure that your dog doesn’t have any access to the tree’s water. The Christmas tree’s water can be toxic to your dog as it may contain pine sap. Decorations can be equally as dangerous, especially if they are made from glass.

Spray cables with Tabasco sauce or bitter apple to prevent your dog from chewing through them. As for food, raisins and sultanas can be toxic to your dog so be mindful before giving him a taste of that scrummy Christmas cake.

So there you have it, our top tips to keep your dog safe when travelling to different locations for Christmas. We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Travelling with your dog over Christmas has been written by dog-lovers Bonlays. You will find a great selection of Christmas gift ideas for your dog along with many innovative travel items, such as their Sherpa pet carrier product range.

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