Keeping Our Dogs and Pets Safe for the Holidays

I just read an article written by Dr. Donna Spector telling about the hazards that arise when you feed your pet Holiday fare. So many foods are dangerous for your pet and need to be avoided. Dr. Spector warned of the following and gave an explanation of why. I have summarized them for my readers. This is yet another reason why I recommend using a dog crate during the Holiday season. It is a great place to put your pet during preparation, eating and cleaning-up of those scrumptious holiday meals. It is one of the best ways to keep him safe.

A Few Things to Keep Your Dog Away from During the Holidays:

• Chocolate – (all kinds, but dark and baking are the worst) Problems associated with consumption of this are mild stomach upset to seizures and death.
• Alcohol – Dogs tend to like sweets and eggnog is especially tempting. Don’t let them lick the glasses or bottle caps; its consumption can be lethal.
• Rich Fatty Foods – Not only are they bad for us they will cause mild stomach irritation and can lead to pancreatitis. This often requires hospitalization and can be fatal.
• Uncooked Dough – The yeast in the dough can expand and cause excess gas in the stomach which results in bloating and possible rupture of the digestive system.
• Fruits and Nuts – During the holiday season candied fruits, fruits and nuts are plentiful and left out for holiday visitors. Be careful, especially with grapes, raisins and macadamia nuts as they are prone to cause problems with your pet from digestive upset to organ failure and death.
• Sugar-Free Candies – These treats contain Zylitol, a sugar substitute, which even in small dosages are life-threatening to dogs. They cause low blood sugar and liver failure in dogs.
• Wrappers, Aluminum Foil, Etc. – Keep these out of harms way. Dogs can sniff them out and swallow them. If they do not pass through the digestive system, it may require surgery.

A Few Precautions to Take for the Safety and Well-Being of Your Pet During the Holiday Season:

• Avoid feeding him from the table. Ahead of the meal, satisfy him with his own high quality natural pet food.
• Keep him away from the table by placing him in his crate while the food is being prepared, eaten and clean up is over.
• Any treats that will be made available to guests need to be out of the reach of your pet.
• If a spill occurs, quickly clean it up and keep your pet in his crate. Don’t take chances on him rushing over to lap up the spill. 

We all love our dogs and pets and want them to be safe and happy.  The responsibility is ours.  The Holidays are a lot of fun, but can be stressful too.  Keeping our pets safe is one way to reduce some of this stress.  Happy Holidays from Canine Crate Store!

Encourage Your Freind to Love His/Her Dog Crate

There is nothing cruel or inhumane about having a crate for your dog when used as his private den.  Genetically dogs are den animals and are wired to seek den-like enclosures rather than living in wide open spaces.  Left in the wild, they would seek out places under heavy brush where predators would not hunt and there made a bowl like hole in the ground to sleep and to nurture their young.  Because we have domesticated the dog, we have also provided them with a crate that resembles as closely as possible the den they would have created for themselves in the wild.

Placing a dog crate in the home and furnishing it with a blanket or a dog crate bed and/or cover instinctively allows your pet to imagine that he is in the wild and is protected from harm.  Leaving the door open and letting him wander in and out at his leisure provides him with a sense of crawling out of his den that has been hidden by the bushes. He will think of his crate as a den and will want to be inside when frightened, needing rest or just wanting to be left alone.

Just as a dog will not soil his den in the wild; he will desire to keep his crate free from soil and will wait for you to let him outside to potty.  Using a dog crate to potty train a puppy works very well for this reason.  The technique of using a crate to train your pet to wait until he is taken outside to potty reinforces his natural instinct to keep his den clean.

Proper Use of a Dog Crate Helps with These Safety Issues:

• When inside the crate he cannot chew on electric cords.
• When inside the crate you do not have to be concerned about his whereabouts
• It affords a safe place when transporting in a vehicle
• Inside the crate, he cannot chew on poisonous plants

Dog Crates provide a safe place for your pet and when used properly they are an asset.  Our pets love to play and they need plenty of exercise for bone and muscle development.  Being a social animal they also need to have lots of socialization with other dogs as well as with their human family.  It is recommended by the experts that four hours without a break is a long time for many adult dogs.  They do not recommend crating your dog for an entire day.  They need to be let out for exercise as well as socialization.  Also, after two hours they will need to stretch their legs and have a fresh bowl of water.  Remember that dog crates are not a substitute for love, affection, and proper training.   They need to want to be in their crates and most adult dogs will be content there during the night and will retreat there on their own without any encouragement.  Keep the dog crate a happy place.