Of course you want to include your dog in the holiday celebrations but it’s easy to forget that the holidays bring a new set of safety concerns for your dog.

Holiday decorations.
Once you put up your decorations your dog will want to scope out the additions to his environment. And as you know the way dogs inspect is with their mouths and noses. Be especially careful with electrical chords, one bite through the plastic shielding could put a damper on your whole holiday season. Make sure they’re safely away from inquisitive noses or at the very least taped down or hidden.

It goes without saying that dogs and naked flames are not a great combination. If you do light candles make sure they’re safely out of your dog’s reach and (dog or no dog) candles should never be left unattended.

Be particularly careful of Christmas foliage. By now most people know that Poinsettia is poisonous but holly, lilly, Jerusalem cherry, and mistletoe can also make your dog (or you) sick if ingested. Pine needles, if ingested can puncture a dogs stomach so be watchful of your dog around the tree and don’t let him drink the tree water, it can harbor bacteria and pesticides.

Tip: Place crunchy aluminum foil or bubble wrap around the tree to prevent your dog from getting too close

Food
If your dogs are allowed in the dining room it’s going to be difficult to refuse them scraps, however be very careful of what you give them. Holiday foods tend to be richer and fattier than everyday foods. They will often contain more sodium and of course more sugar, all of which can play havoc on with a dogs delicate digestion. As a rule of thumb its never a good idea to give your dogs the following foods:

* Onions and garlic, which can both cause anemia
* Chocolate, especially dark chocolate
* Grapes and Raisins
* Cooked bones especially poultry bones)
* Alcohol not only is it unhealthy but do you really want to have to enroll your dog in a 12 step program?

But it’s not all doom and gloom here are a few items that are great for dogs:

* Raw Carrots, great for dental hygiene and most dogs love them
* Broth, an excellent way to treat your dog to a little extra flavor, let it cool and then pour a little over his favorite food.
* Cooked Vegetables, in small amounts, the one exception to this rule is corn, some dogs are allergic.
* Cottage Cheese a great way to add flavor to your dogs food.

Guests
Holiday parties are often loud and confusing for dogs, especially nervous dogs. It’s often better to have them stay with neighbors or keep them upstairs for the duration of the party. Even the most social dogs should have somewhere to retreat to if it all get’s too much Don’t forget to leave plenty of water and make sure you take time to take him for a nice long walk both before and after the party. It will help release some of the energy and make sure there are no accidents.

Tip: It’s a good idea to tell your guests in advance that you own dogs, some people are uncomfortable around dogs and of course there are those who are allergic.

And above all, whatever your dogma, whether you plan on celebrating Christmas, Hannukah, Kwansa or the winter solstice have a happy healthy and joyous time.

Top 10 Christmas Gifts for Your Dog

Every year we search high and low for the healthiest, most practical and innovative gifts for our four-legged companions. This year’s list is a compilation of products that we have used and highly recommend. You’ll notice that the products are all useful items that for the most part solve a problem (okay, there are a couple of silly and fun products) but with money being a bit tighter this year, we want to make sure you get just what Fido needs.

If you know of any other cool dog gifts, leave a comment so our readers can get more ideas.

Here are the top 10 in no particular order.

1. Santa Paws & Hanukkah Hound Spa Collections

Four grooming products to make your smelly dog smell Fabulous!  Includes a shampoo for dry and itchy skin, an ultra rich conditioning treatment, a freshen up spray and even a breath spray that also helps eliminate gas!! If your dog doesn’t celebrate Christmas, no problem, Hannakuh Hound is also available! Get it at www.happytailsspa.com

2. Matching Kiss Me Dog & Human Tank Top

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"

Gift for human and hound! Ruff Ruff and Meow have designed a plethora of matching tank tops and dog shirts. Check them out on their website ruffruffandmeow.com

3. Squeaky Balls

Squeaky Balls?  WHAT??? Kong has the patent on Squeaky Balls—ummm… that is squeaky tennis balls. Your dogs will love these Air Kong Squeaker Tennis Balls. I have one dog that is obsessed with squeaky toys and another who loves to chase bouncing balls. So this satisfies everyone concerned. They also have them in x-small! Available at most pet retailers.

4. Good Karma Rope Toys

"Frosty the Snowman"

These adorable toys come in 2 sizes and are offered in a variety of animal shapes. The toys are made from 100% natural dyed cotton thread and are hand tied. Proven to improve dental health and guaranteed to provide hours of chewing and tugging fun.  A portion of the proceeds go to the Rescue Train organization. Visit jaxandbones.com

5. Sleepytime Tonic

"Silent Night, Holy Night"

With all of that joy, cheer and happiness, dogs can become very nervous around the holidays. The change in routine, people in and out and late night wrapping sessions (a difficult task  with no opposable thumbs) can make any dog a little stressed out and anxious. Sleepytime Tonic to the rescue. This all natural herbal remedy helps to calm a nervous, anxious overactive dog. Perfect for travel, thunderstorms, fireworks, trips to the groomer, vet and more Calms your dog within 20-30 minutes.

6.  Holiday Cards

"I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas"

The modern dog needs his own holiday card to send out, doesn’t he?  Gifty Idea has a whole slew of uber cute cards like this one. Hurry before it’s too late! Go to Giftyidea.com

7.  Dogswell Treats

If you really want to get your dog the best gift EVER- get her Dogswell treats. I have two small dogs that are super picky and these treats are like crack cocaine for dogs. Forget about dog clothes, collars and leashes, this is what your dog really wants.  And they are great for bribes! Available at most major petstores.

8.  Lighted Collar

"How Brightly Shines the Morning Star"

You don’t want your adventurous dog to get lost on all of those off-leash walks in the mountains or on the beach, do you?  This handy light clips right onto any collar. It’s lightweight, useful and inexpensive and as far as we can tell it is water resistant. Get it at niteize.com

9.  Have you Buttered Your Dog Lately?

Pamper your canine in healing relief. Fur Butter (or Fur Worse) is an Ultra-Rich Deep Conditioning Treatment for Dry & Itchy Skin. Just wash your dog, slather on Fur Butter and rinse. It will leave your dog super soft and silky and will moisturize that dry skin.

Click here to get other holiday ideas for your dog

10. Your ideas???

If you know of any other cool dog gifts, leave a comment so our readers can get more ideas.