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The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration, but it can also mean a lot of chaos and excitement. For your beloved pet/s, this can be overwhelming and stressful. Luckily, this article highlights a few tips on how to keep your furry (or not-so-furry) friends calm and happy amidst all the holiday excitement.
Stick To Your Pet’s Normal Routine As Much As Possible
Maintaining a regular routine is one of the best ways to keep your pet calm during the holiday season. Major abrupt changes to their routine, on the other hand, could easily make your pet feel overwhelmed, curious, anxious, or uneasy, all of which can make them not be on their best behavior.
Stick to regular meal times, walks, and playtime, and try to avoid any major changes to your pet’s routine. This can help ensure they feel more secure and comfortable despite the activities going on during the festive season.
Prepare a Calm Spot for Your Pet
If you have guests coming over, it’s wise to provide a quiet place for your pet to retreat to if they start to feel overwhelmed. Noise and commotion can be overwhelming for pets, so try to minimize the amount of stimulation they are exposed to. Besides keeping visitors and noise to a minimum, providing a quiet and comfortable place to retreat to when they need a break can help keep pets calm during the festive season.
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Ask a Vet Live NowUse Treats for Animal Anxiety
From the presence of unfamiliar people to the excitement of the festivities, overwhelming decorations, and loud noises, a lot of things can make pets anxious during holidays. Luckily, there are several treats that you can use to help them feel at ease.
For your canine friend, some tasty CBD treats could be all you need to help them relax and enjoy the festivities. These may range from CBD oil to organic hemp bites and chews, omega-3 fatty acid treats, probiotics, and even thiamine (Vitamin B1) treats.
Keep Them Occupied With Toys
Make sure your pet has plenty of toys and activities to keep them occupied, and don’t forget the treats! After all, your pet is highly likely a part of your family, so you might as well consider shopping around for dog or cat Christmas gifts, which range from toys to treats and accessories. Getting a nice toy for your cat or dog can help keep them occupied to ensure they don’t feel abandoned as you interact with guests or indulge in other holiday activities.
Observe Their Exercise Needs
If you’ve had a canine pal for a while, you probably already know that they might need at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise daily to stay healthy and happy. Cats may need a similar amount of activity, even though most breeds can get active on their own. So, even if time is limited during the holiday season, make sure your pet gets a decent dose of normal exercise. As a matter of fact, exercise is an effective way to calm overexcitement in certain dog and cat breeds.
Don’t Keep Your Pet Isolated
Finally, don’t forget to give your pet some extra love. Especially if your pet is so fond of you, keeping them isolated just because you have visitors or holiday-related chores and activities to attend to should be a no-no.
Whether it’s a few extra cuddles or a special treat from time to time, your feline or canine friend will appreciate the extra love and attention. If you’re traveling for the holidays, it may also be a good idea to bring them along, which would mean planning a pet-friendly vacation.
By following these tips, you can help keep your pet calm and stress-free during the holidays. The most important thing is to remember that your pet needs your love and attention during this time of year.
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Tom
Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!
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