It's the most wonderful time of year for us humans, but Christmas can be a stressful — and potentially dangerous — time for dogs.
Gloucestershire pet food producer, Cotswold RAW, shares its top tips for keeping your dog safe and happy this Christmas, from the tempting but toxic seasonal foods to avoid, to how to help calm anxious pups.
Can dogs have Christmas dinner?
In short, no!
All the salt and seasoning could seriously upset their stomachs, while cooked fat can cause inflammation and potentially acute pancreatitis, which is commonly seen by vets over the Christmas period.
Better safe than sorry, Cotswold RAW offers a dog-friendly alternative to the traditional festive feast in its Three Bird Raw Christmas meal — crafted from free range chicken, turkey and duck, mixed with seasonal vegetables and enriched with herbs for an all-natural health boost.
Its bone broth is also a great alternative to gravy, packing a flavoursome punch when drizzled over their meal.
Browse the full range of Christmas pet products at cotswoldraw.com/christmas-products.
Which Christmas food is most toxic to dogs?
- Chocolate: Don't think about sharing your Milk Tray! Chocolate contains theobromine, which is highly toxic to dogs and especially potent in darker chocolate.
- Raisins and sultanas: Watch out for these pesky dried fruits, found in many of our favourite festive treats, like mince pies, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding.
- Onions: Lots of our own hearty winter recipes include onion but if consumed by dogs, it can cause severe gastrointestinal illness.
- Cooked bones: Cooking bones makes them brittle and likely to splinter, which can cause internal damage — raw bones, however, are safe to feed you dog this Christmas.
Top tips for keeping your dog safe at Christmas
While everyone deserves a little treat at Christmas, Cotswold RAW recommends not deviating too much from your dogs' regular diet, being careful not to overfeed them.
Some dogs relish the extra attention from visitors at Christmas but for pets that are more reserved, consider creating a quiet, safe space for them to retreat to. Remember that music, loud chatter and bangs from Christmas crackers could cause their anxiety to spike.
Raw bones and air-dried chews are a great source of physical and mental stimulation for dogs, with chewing releasing endorphins that can help them calm down.
Keep Christmas decorations out of reach to save your dog from using your favourite baubles as a chew toy.
Dogs are natural scavengers too, so be wary about leaving them unsupervised around the Christmas tree. If there are any foodie presents under there, you might find them opening it before you!
Finally, stick to routine as best you can. Lots of winter walks will help to get your dog out of the house, to escape the chaos for a moment of calm.
