Holiday Safety for Greyhounds

It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, make sure you don’t neglect your Greyhound during this time. With some proper planning, you should be able to spend the holidays without your Greyhound getting too stressed:

1. Keep in mind that your typical holiday festivities might not please your Greyhound as much as they please you. In fact, it may completely stress out your Greyhound if you aren’t paying attention. Extra blinking lights, loud sounds, and sometimes children will make your Greyhound nervous.
2. Make sure you aren’t too caught up in conversations, as your Greyhound may need to relieve themselves and if you aren’t paying attention, you might have some accidents to clean up after.
3. You’re going to want to plan ahead. If you have travel plans or people visiting, make sure you have someone lined up to take care of your 4 legged friend!
4. Don’t force costumes on your Greyhound. While they may provide some form of entertainment and it can be REALLY cute, it’s definitely not a fun time for them if they haven’t experienced this in the past.
5. Check your leashes and collars for any kind of wear. You definitely don’t want a loose Greyhound during the holidays. You may even want to put up a festive sign that lets visitors know you have a pet inside and that they should not leave any doors open on entry.
6. Sometimes, holiday decorating can be a messy process. Be sure to keep decorations out of reach as they can seriously damage your hound if consumed.
7. If your Greyhound is not used to small children or other visitors in the home, you may want to take extra precautions such as using a muzzle or hiring a pet sitter.
8. If you use live Christmas trees, make sure your Greyhound isn’t drinking the water. A lot of people put chemicals in the water to help preserve the tree for longer. These preservatives can be harmful to your Greyhound, so make sure to keep a close eye.

Overall, some simple planning can help your holidays become enjoyable for you, your family, and your Greyhound. Happy holidays!