The 12 hazards of Christmas: a guide to keeping your dog safe this Christmas

The festive season is upon us, which means it’s time to let our hair down and spend some quality time with family. And yes, that means with our four-legged family members too.

But do you know what Christmassy treasures and delights can be hazardous to our canine companions? Use this guide to learn the 12 hazards of Christmas, from toxic foods to fire safety hazards.

Help your dog live his best Christmassy life.

1. Baubles

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the perfect tree dressed head to toe in baubles and fairy lights. Some of these baubles may even be family treasures passed through generations.

Unfortunately, your dog isn’t going to know the difference, and the chances are your carefully selected baubles will be seen as new sparkly playthings to chew on. When swallowed, baubles can cause stomach upsets and intestinal blockages. Glass baubles can also shatter, leading to lacerations in the mouth. 

To avoid this, make sure you do not leave your four-legged friend unattended with the Christmas tree.

2. Fairy Lights

Your dazzling fairy lights are another sparkly piece of kit that could be mistaken for being a plaything. This can be particularly harmful if the lights are main operated.

To avoid your dog getting a potentially life-threatening electric shock, keep lights away from the bottom branches of your tree and pin loose wires out of reach.

Battery operated lights can help avoid electric shocks. But remember, a chewed battery comes with its own set of dangers, so make sure the battery pack is secured and placed somewhere your dog won’t reach.

Likewise, an excited pup may find himself tangled in your fairy lights. This could lead to panic and cause your pup to become injured. In worst cases, it could result in strangulation.

Prevent this from happening by keeping fairy lights away from bottom branches, and don’t leave your pup unattended with the tree.

3. Edible decorations

Most edible decorations are made with chocolate. Chocolate contains a chemical that acts similarly to caffeine but is toxic to dogs. Your dog will be able to sense these chocolatey treats no matter how high they are placed on the tree.

For this reason, it is best to refrain from hanging edible decorations altogether. There are no bounds a dog won’t leap for such an edible sweet treat.

4.Christmas Trees

Fortunately, the classic Christmas tree doesn’t pose too much of a risk to dogs, but a few things remain to consider.

Although pine needles contain low toxicity levels, they can still cause a stomach upset when ingested and irritation in the mouth when chewed.

For a curious canine who likes to spend time sniffing around the Christmas tree, there is also a risk of needles getting stuck in paws and/or causing damage to the eyes.

Prevent this by opting for a tree with a low needle drop, or you could even consider buying an artificial one. If neither of these options works for you, water your tree regularly to avoid an excess of loose needles and vacuum under the tree frequently.

5.Gifts and Gift Wrapping

As wonderful as beautifully wrapped gifts may look under the tree, they could prove too much of a temptation for your dog.

Gifts that contain chocolate or alcohol can be toxic to your dogs, as can gifts that have batteries.

In addition to this, ribbons used for gift wrap can be swallowed and become tangled in your dog’s intestines. This can cause intestinal blockages, which are a medical emergency.

To avoid this, refrain from putting gifts under the tree until needed and make sure your dog doesn’t have unsupervised access to them. The last thing you want to wake up to on Christmas day is a bunch of chewed up presents and a poorly dog.

6.Open Fires and Log Burners

An open fire can turn even the dreariest of winter nights into cosy and memorable ones, and just like us, dogs find comfort in the warmth that they provide.

But with open flames come potential fire hazards: you wouldn’t let a small child play by the fire, so don’t let your pup!

Not only can an excited pup’s wagging tail get seriously burnt if it catches the flames, but there is also a risk that fire can be spread to other parts of the room.

To keep your dog safe without losing the warmth that a fire provides, invest in a mesh fireguard. This type of fireguard offers extra protection by preventing falling embers from landing on your dog or carpet.

Finally – and it goes without saying – never leave your dog unattended with an open fire.

7.Poisonous plants and flowers

Festive flowers are a stunning addition to any Christmas décor, but, yep, you guessed it, they come with their own set of hazards.

The toxic saponins found in the English and Asian varieties of the holly plant can cause severe gastrointestinal distress when ingested.

Viscatoxins found in the leaves and berries of mistletoe can lead to stomach upset and a slowed heartbeat.

The milky white sap of the poinsettia plant can result in excessive drooling, diarrhoea, and vomiting. However, despite this plant having a reputation for being the most dangerous of them all, your dog would need to eat large quantities to become seriously ill.

Red lilies (amaryllis) commonly found in Christmas bouquets or flower arrangements are the most hazardous. The plant can cause vomiting and diarrhoea, excessive drooling, depression, and tremors: a precautious pet parent may want to avoid this flower altogether.

So, deck the halls with boughs of holly… but keep them out of reach from your dogs!

8.Overindulging

When we reach out for that second helping of specially selected Christmas nuts, it can be hard to resist giving our canine companions a treat of their own. But remember, dogs are just as susceptible to gaining weight over the festive period as we humans are.

Giving treats can be acceptable in isolation, but they all add up. Some can even contain the same number of calories as a standard pack of dog food. Coupled with an increased chance that your dog will be getting shorter and less regular walks due to busy days and bad weather; it can be easy for him to overindulge.

Tell-tale signs of overfeeding in dogs are persistent moulting, itchy skin, and digestive problems. To avoid this, keep snacks to a minimum and stick to your regular walking schedule as much as possible.

To support your dog’s digestive system over the Christmas period, why not try the one for happy tummy chews. The chews help boost your canine’s overall health and wellbeing so he can afford the odd extra treat!

9.Toxic foods

The delightful smell of Christmas dinner being cooked can be as irresistible to dogs as it is to us, humans. But did you know that many of the Christmassy foods we have grown to love can make our dogs seriously unwell?

Onions, shallots, garlic, leeks, and chives [KM1] can cause nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea in dogs. In worst cases, they can cause anaemia and kidney damage. Never give these vegetables or herbs (or any foods seasoned with them) to your canine companion.

Fruitcakes, puddings, and mince pies contain variants of grapes, raisins, sultanas, and currents. Just a tiny amount of these food items can cause kidney failure in dogs.

Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine which is highly toxic to dogs. Even in small amounts, it can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, and in severe cases, death.  As a general rule, the darker the chocolate, the more poisonous it will be. Contact your vet immediately in case of consumption.  

Macadamia nuts can cause diarrhoea, tremors, and fever in dogs. The most common symptom is weakness, particularly in the hind legs.

Avoid your dog falling ill this Christmas by making sure these foods are kept out of your dog’s reach, and never leave your dog unattended where human food can be reached.

Click here for a more comprehensive guide to the foods your dog can and can’t eat this Christmas. [KM1] 

10.Alcohol and Cigarettes

It wouldn’t be Christmas without cracking out the eggnog and mulled wine. But whilst we might know our limits, most dogs will drink whatever alcohol is accessible to them.

The way alcohol affects our canine companions is similar to how it affects us, humans. Drinking too much can cause wobbling, drooling, vomiting, or retching, and there is also a risk of alcohol poisoning.

To add to this, having extra Christmas visitors could mean having smokers to account for. Nicotine – particularly cigarette butts – can be highly toxic to dogs, and poisoning symptoms include excess saliva, vomiting, and hypertension.

To keep your beloved safe, be sure to keep all alcoholic drinks and ashtrays somewhere high out of reach from your canine companion

11.Stress and Anxiety

With all the hustle and bustle of family and friends visiting, your dog may be feeling anxious, overstimulated, and overwhelmed.

You’ll know this if they suddenly start to behave unexpectedly. Your dog may become destructive or unusually vocal (howling, barking, and crying) and pee or poo without warning. Or he may become unusually tense or subdued.

To prevent this:

Set up a room away from visitors.

Play the TV or radio for background noise, and have food, fresh water and a comfy bed made up.

Throw in some of his favourite toys, and your beloved pooch can have his own mini-retreat to escape from it all – now wouldn’t that be nice!

If you need more help managing your dog’s anxiety, you can also try animalife’s one for a good mood chews.  The chews are made with ginger, chamomile and other high-quality natural ingredients that can help to calm and soothe dogs during times of tension.

12.Separation Anxiety

By now, you’ll likely have an idea of where and with whom you’ll be spending this year’s special day. Just keep in mind that you should have a plan in place for any periods spent away from your dog.

The RSPCA recommends that dogs aren’t routinely left alone for more than four hours. However, all dogs are different, and you are best placed to judge what is best for your pooch.

If, for whatever reason, you are unable to include your dog in your plans, put him in his Christmassy safe haven (shown above) and leave an old item of clothing with your scent on it.

Animalife’s one for a good mood spray can also be used to ease anxiety. Spray on your dog’s bed, crate, and blanket five minutes before your dog enters the room. The effects can last up to 8 hours! And last but not least, leave calmy and avoid saying goodbye to your furry family member.  This minimises the time that your dog can get wound up.

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