Holiday Safety Tips for Small Dogs

The holiday season is fast approaching. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are all times of happiness and family celebrations, which create many memories to cherish over the years. To insure that those memories are happy ones, people who own small dogs should think ahead and make plans for their pets. Toy dog breeds have special needs. More and more families have added a tiny canine family member, and need to remember the following common sense precautions.

General

Maintain your small dog's normal feeding, exercise, and sleeping schedule to avoid stress. Stress can give your dog an upset stomach, which can lead to housetraining accidents.

Halloween

When their favorite humans appear dressed in costume, it's normal for a dog to be frightened. Make sure your pet knows that it's really you behind that mask!

When trick-or-treaters come knocking at your front door, your dog will probably work himself into a frenzy as he barks at each new visitor. Or, he may be scared of all the noise and excitement, and seek out a hiding place. Even a well socialized dog can feel threatened and defensive around a crowd of excited kids or adults. It's possible that his barking may even scare away potential trick-or-treaters, so it would be best to give him a safe haven such as his crate so he can feel secure while the candy is being handed out. This will also ensure your dog does not slip outside unnoticed during the constant opening and closing of the door. Small dogs can do this so easily, so why take the chance?

It is not a good idea to put your dog outside for the evening. Children in costume are scary indoor and out, and kids may feel anonymous enough while dressed up for the evening to do things they normally wouldn't, such as teasing your dog, or even letting him out of the yard as a prank.