When throwing a New Year’s party, it’s easy to forget about the pets in your life and how dog safety might be achieved while the party is going on. Whether you’re considering festivities in your own home or going somewhere else, there are a few ways that you can help your dog have a happier, safer New Year’s Eve.
Create a Safe Space Away from the Party
You may think of creating a safe space for your dog if she is more skittish, shy, or just unwelcoming to people, but even the most social dog can become worn out by loud music or lots of unusual activity. If you’re planning to hold a party in your home, you should consider making one room dark, quiet, and filled with your dog’s belongings for when she needs a break from all of the festivities. The best way to keep dog safety is by providing your dog with a dark room that has items in it to make your pet feel comfortable. By the same token, if there will be fireworks or other loud noises during the night, especially if you are not home, it’s still a good idea to prepare a safety room.
Turn on Soothing Music or Calming Scents
If you do not plan to have a wild party or have a movie marathon, one of the best ways you can help your dog through the unnerving pop of fireworks is to play slow, soft, classical music. The music can not only help drown out the sounds all together, but it has been proven to help many dogs relax. The smell of lavender has also been proven to help dogs relax in tough situations. So if you’re worried about dog safety, consider these as good options for small things to change.
Minimize Guest List for Dog Safety
If you know that you will be hosting a party come New Year’s Eve, consider keeping the guest list shorter and the party more intimate in order to minimize the noise and action happening around the home. With the mixture of fireworks, unusual happenings like preparations and parties, your dog may feel a little anxious about the future. With fewer people in your home, you will be able to minimize the chance for your dog to panic and respond harshly to the stimuli around him.
Be Careful of the Snacks Laid Out
Whether your party foods are on a table in the kitchen or the living room, it’s always important to make sure your dog cannot get into the food. This not only means keeping food lifted high enough he can’t sweep goods from the table, but constantly supervising the table, the garbage cans, and anywhere your guests are putting their plates. Be sure to tell your party guests whether they are allowed to feed your dog anything from the party table and remind them of how unhealthy alcohol is for pets. Do not let them lick the bottles or cans of anything that contains alcohol. Also remember that caffeine and high amounts of sugar are dangerous so if you are serving soda, coffee, or other sugary beverages, the garbage from them should be picked up appropriately at all times.
Happy New Year and welcome to 2016!
