Holiday Etiquette Tips For Pet Guests And Hosts

If you're going to be hosting holiday gatherings this year and some of your guests are bringing pets with them, it can feel overwhelming. Before inviting pets to come visit for the holidays, make sure that it's something everyone in your home is comfortable with and feels good about. The animal visitors should have their basic needs taken care of by their people, but here are some ways to be a welcoming host to animal companions staying with their people in your home over the holidays.

• ‌Communicate boundaries -‌ be clear in advance with your guests about your comfort with having
  their animals in the house. Think in advance about if pets will be allowed
  everywhere, or if there are certain areas you would rather pets not go, or
  furniture you don't want pets on. Communicating in advance can help guests
  prepare themself and their pets for staying in your home.

• ‌Pet-proof areas‌ – To help prevent issues, it's best to remove easily breakable
  objects from low areas where pets could access them. You may also want to
  remove important and fragile belongings from the guest room where pets and
  their people will be sleeping/staying to prevent issues.

• ‌Welcome gifts:‌ Consider
  gifting them a little welcome package including a fun and festive toy.
  This can help pet owners know how welcome their pets are in your home and
  help provide enrichment for those pets in case their people forgot to pack
  them toys.

• ‌Remove toxic plants‌ If you have houseplants check to see if they are toxic to pets. If you have any plants
  that aren't safe for dogs or cats it's best to remove them from areas of
  your home where animals will be. Note: popular holiday plants, including poinsettias, are toxic to both cats and dogs!

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• ‌Be flexible -‌ even the most "well-behaved" and well-trained pets are still individuals with their own
  personalities, and respond to stress in different ways. Try to be flexible
  about the needs of pets visiting your home. They might be loud sometimes,
  but that just adds to the holiday festivities.

• ‌Hide toys -‌ If you have
  children or your own pets in the home, you'll want to pick toys up to
  prevent conflicts between visiting pets. This will also prevent dogs from
  thinking children's toys are meant for them to chew on.

• ‌Provide private spaces:‌ If possible, provide a room or other private area for holiday guests
  traveling with pets. Having a private place will allow your furry guests
  to get breaks from the business of the festivities. This can help
  them be less stressed and better behaved while staying in your home.

• ‌Ask before feeding:‌ When welcoming pets into your home for the holidays, ask their people
  before sharing any treats with the animals. Many holiday foods aren't safe
  for our pets to eat. In addition, many dogs and cats have food sensitivities
  or allergies which could be aggravated from unapproved snacks.

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As you're traveling with your pets this holiday season, you'll want to be prepared with everything your pets will need while you're away from home. When your pets are a guest in someone's home, you'll want to be especially thoughtful about making sure to be respectful. Keep your dog on leash as they adjust to the new space, and use positive reinforcement including lots of treats and praise to help your pets adjust to holiday visits. When preparing to stay with friends and family it's also helpful to:

• ‌Groom in advance‌ – Before heading out for the holidays spend some time grooming your
  pet including bathing and brushing. This will help your pet smell clean
  and fresh while staying in someone's house. It can also help reduce the
  amount of shed fur your pets leave behind while traveling.

• ‌Be prepared‌ – Don't assume
  you'll be able to purchase food and other supplies your dog is used to
  wherever you are traveling. Instead, bring things your dog needs for the
  trip including food, treats, travel bowls, and toys. You'll also
  want to make sure to bring any medications that your pets take
  regularly.

• ‌Clean up-‌ if your pet
  makes a mess while visiting for the holidays clean it up! This includes
  making sure you're bringing bags to pick up your dog's poop in your host's
  yard and scoop a travel litterbox regularly. Ask your host if pets will be
  allowed on furniture, and if so, if they would like you to bring your own
  sheets or blankets for your pet to lay on. While as a guest in
  someone's home, if your pet breaks or damages something, offer to replace
  or pay for it.

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• ‌Pack comfort objects:‌ When bringing your pets for holiday festivities pack comfort objects
  including blankets, beds, and toys to help your
  pets feel at home and be comfortable while traveling. This can help your
  pets feel less stressed about being away from home.

• ‌Bring enrichment‌ – While you are going to have fun visiting with your friends and
  family, it's important to pack activities for your pets to enjoy. This can
  include chews, lick mats, treat-releasing toys, and puzzles. This mental
  enrichment will help keep your pets from getting bored and can help
  prevent pets from becoming stressed.

• ‌Don't forget exercise‌ – While you're celebrating holidays with your friends and family,
  don't forget that your pets still need exercise. Plan time during your day
  to play with your pets, take your dog for walks, and make sure their
  physical and mental exercise needs are being met. Getting enough exercise
  can help pets settle better in a new environment and help reduce
  stress.

• ‌Maintain Routines:‌ Dogs and cats thrive on routines. Whenever possible when ‌traveling with cats‌
  or dogs for the holidays try to maintain your pets normal routines in
  terms of activities, feeding schedule, playtime, and exercise. This will
  help your pets feel more secure and comfortable while being away from
  home.

• ‌Research local emergency vets:‌ Before traveling with your pets research the closest emergency
  veterinarians to where you'll be staying. If your pet got into holiday
  food, or otherwise was sick or injured it's helpful to know in advance
  what vets will be open over holidays.

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Supervision for pets around the holidays is always important especially when somewhere new. Keep your pets under your direct supervision while traveling. Pets can unexpectedly become stressed which can lead to them seeking out difficult-to-discover hiding places or darting at doors and getting lost. When you can't supervise your pets in a new place make sure they are closed into a safe pet-proofed room, in a crate, or otherwise safely contained.

Many of our favorite holiday foods aren't safe to share with our pets. Even foods like green beans, carrots, and turkey meat which are generally safe to share with pets for the holidays are usually prepared with spices, onions, and/or garlic, which makes these foods potentially toxic or harmful for our pets. Before sharing food with your pets or your guest's pets, make sure to check if the food and the ingredients used to prepare it are safe for your pet.

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As you travel with your pets this season check that your pet's identification is up to date. If your pet is microchipped be sure that your contact information is updated and accurate. Your pets should also be wearing identification tags on their collars that have your cell phone number, or other number you will have access to while traveling.

Happy holidays!