Christmas can be a hard time for pets, with all the comings and goings, different smells, different people in the house and their emotions, people visiting and going out/in at strange times, extra noise, different sights, changes in their environment, tempting foods, changes to routines, the list goes on.
I saw this poem and it reminded me of that: (7) Magical Change – emotional support for kids | Facebook
Here’s a few things to make it easier on them:
They need time and space. They don’t always want to be petted, played with, called over. Respect that.
They can be very sensitive to change – this can include furniture moving about to fit the Xmas tree in, different times for their habitual activities, different food, amount of people about, amount of noises, smells, etc.
Try to stick to their normal routines, walk and feed times.
Don’t be tempted to feed them lots of the food you eat. Chocolate, for starters, is toxic to dogs, and so are plenty of other foods. Some foods are not necessarily toxic, but are too rich for their digestive systems to process.
They may want to have constant access to their toys to be able to ground the emotions of everyone who is visitng and hyped up.
They may want to go for more walks, or ground on the grass in your garden to release anxiety or stress, or excess energy/emotion they have picked up from the people at home.
They may wish to get away from the scent of that christmas scented candle you are burning. Remember their sense of smell is FAR greater than ours.
They have 300million scent receptors compared to our 6million!!
Their can get sensory overload, with all the different smells, noises, sights, flashing lights, movements, touch/sensations and so on.
Let them be. Give them space, fresh air, ability to leave the room to have quiet time or get away from people, emotions, or smells.
Don’t take away their resources to release emotions e.g. toys, enrichment, walks, etc.
Get everyone to respect that, who is in your house, visiting or living there.
And I can’t say this enough, if you are unsure if your pet has consumed something toxic, be that food, drink, a plant or anything else, please contact your vets’ emergency service (know who they are before the Christmas break begins) or contact te Veterinary Poisons Information Service on 01202 509000 (but bear in mind their phone call costs £35-£45*
*Price correct at the time of publication
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