The wonderful things that come with holidays delight many people. The celebrations, the good food, the fun times spent with other people—these things add to the excitement when anticipating a holiday. While some pets share the same feeling about these events, others, unfortunately, view them as a bedlam.

According to KOMO News, holidays can put a lot of stress on your cats and dogs, as they have to withstand some unusual situations that only come once a year that they are not used to. For example, there might be a lot of people going in and out of your home, or there might be fireworks lit up to start a celebration.

As the owner, you should find some ways to make the holidays enjoyable for your pets as well. You should know how to calm down a dog or a cat when the situation calls for it.

WAYS TO INCORPORATE YOUR PETS DURING HOLIDAYS AS ONE OF YOUR FAMILY

To make the holidays fun and exciting for your pets as well, you should include them in your activities in a way that they will not become anxious. Here are some ways to do it:

Give them delicious treats that help them relax.

There are many dog and cat treats that you can choose from—including those that you can buy and those that you can make at home—to make holidays delightful for your pets.

For example, you can consider making some peanut butter dog treat recipes and make it extra fun for your dogs by shaping every piece into dog biscuits that they will love. For cats, you can make a catnip soup, made of dry cat food, soy or almond milk, and catnip.

With the constant eating, you should also make sure that their tummies stay healthy. You can check out our Relaxin’ Rover probiotics for dogs. Not only that it offers immune support for your dogs, but it also contains calming ingredients that help your dogs feel relaxed during the holidays.

Allow them to open their own gifts.

Pets have been known to get into Christmas gifts that are not for them. After all, it would be like tearing up a toy!

Now, for the upcoming holiday season, you can give your furry friends their own stockings and fill them up with their favorite treats and toys. This way, they will be able to join in the fun when Christmas Eve comes.

Give them extra playtime.

With all the hustle and bustle of planning for the holiday rush and shopping, you should still not overlook what your pets need. While you remember to feed them at the right times of the day, you should also consider allowing them to get enough play and give them your attention. This will prevent them from feeling bored, which might cause them to resort to certain compulsive and obsessive behaviors, like excessive barking and self-injurious chewing.

Donate to animal sanctuaries together with your pets.

Holidays, especially Christmas, are a time of giving. Now, you can take this as an opportunity to honor your furry friends by donating to animal sanctuaries.

Your four-legged friends are also part of your family, so treat them as such by letting them partake in the activities that you have planned for any upcoming holiday. However, you should check first with the sanctuary you are going, as some of these places do not allow outside animals to come. 

FIREWORKS ON THE 4TH OF JULY: HOW DO THEY AFFECT ANIMALS

According to Animal Ethics, the noises, sparks, and fumes created by fireworks can cause harm to both wild and domesticated non-human animals. Fireworks and explosions instill fear into animals and can be stressful. Repeated exposure to the explosions can even cause them to develop phobias, where they would have panic reactions to noises that resemble the loud bangs created by fireworks.

Research shows that every time people celebrate the 4th of July, domesticated animals, such as dogs and cats, tend to be very nervous.

Dogs can hear audio signals of up to 60,000 hertz, which is three times the capability of human ears. This is one of the reasons why dogs experience an overwhelming level of anxiety as they cannot escape from the sounds during this time of the year.

While cats show less-obvious signs of feeling the effects of the explosions during such an event, they still show responses that are similar to dogs, like trying to hide or escape. Also, they are at risk of being poisoned from inhaling the fumes of fireworks that are being lit in nearby areas.

Nonetheless, you can always find a way on how to calm down a dog or a cat and make the experience less stressful for them.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR PETS MORE COMFORTABLE DURING HOLIDAYS

During holidays when fireworks are involved, you should remember to always keep your dogs and cats safe. For starters, you can keep them inside your home with your windows and doors closed. This will, at least, minimize their fear and reduce their risk of being harmed.  

Aside from this, there are ways on how to calm down a dog or a cat and keep them comfortable. For example, you can let them wear an anxiety vest, which helps them feel calm when they are anxious. How? This type of dog vest will apply pressure to a dog’s torso, which creates a calming effect that is similar to when you swaddle a crying infant or hug a distressed person.

Another way is to offer them solitude. While dogs and cats like to socialize, over-socialization can wear them out. So, during your parties, you should set aside a quiet and familiar place for them where they can get a breather.

Avoid placing your dogs in the kennel, though, as they might feel alone and anxious from being away from you. If you are going to be busy, you can hire a pet sitter instead. This professional can come by your house to care for them for the majority of the occasion and ensure they are comfortable.

CONCLUSION

Most importantly, you should keep your dogs and cats safe at all times during the holidays. Keep an eye out for potential dangers that place your dogs or cats at risk.

As for food, it is best to feed them with those that are not only delicious, but are also healthy enough to make them happy in all your celebrations. For example, you can make your dogs some vegan dog food recipes that they will enjoy.

An upset stomach can be a common problem experienced by your dogs and cats. To make sure their tummy is well, you can give them Fidobiotics Good Guts vegan probiotics, which help restore a healthy balance of good bacteria in the gut.