Atlanta Lab Rescue

While most people may be focused on what gifts to give or how to fit in every holiday party on their schedule, Pack Leaders also have another goal: dog-friendly holidays.

Part of this means keeping your dog safe during festivities. The holidays can be perilous for four-legged family members if you’re not careful. Just a few things to watch out for include: cord chewing and tinsel eating, trees and other decorations that can fall, and dangerous reactions to noisemakers. For a more extensive list, check out our story on Holiday survival tips for pets.

But the holidays don’t have to be mired in worry and safety concerns for your dog. In fact, there are all kinds of ways to get Fido involved in the fun and put everyone in a festive mood.

Include your pooch in the family photo
Like you needed another excuse to dress your dog up in hilariously ugly holiday sweaters! Your dog will love it— the photo, not the sweater part—and seeing her behave will encourage your kids to do the same. Right? Maybe not… But it will be a memorable experience for all.

Give Fido his own stocking
Just because he didn’t create a gift list doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of things he wants. So grab a stocking and fill it with all of his favorites! You can use everything from treats to toys. Or include gifts that are more for you — like a grooming brush or poo bags.

Bake dog-friendly holiday cookies
Does anything say “holidays” more than baking delicious treats? No! So it’s totally unfair that your pooch doesn’t get to participate. Well, guess what — she can! With just a little bit of effort, you can create yummy, gorgeous-looking holiday treats that are totally safe for your dog. We even have some recipes. One word of advice, though: do not let her try to cook. Bad idea.

Give him a dog’s-eye view of holiday lights in town
Checking out the lights and decorations is a holiday tradition for a lot of people. It can be a tradition for your pup, too! Whether you’re driving around to be wowed by neighbors’ holiday spirit or walking through a decorated public park or downtown, invite your furry family member to join you. The lights may not mean the same thing to him, but he’ll still like the excursion and being with his pack.

Take her with you!
For many of us, the holiday season means traveling, and traveling means getting a pet sitter. But it doesn’t have to. There are now all kinds of options available for people who want to take their dogs with them when jetting around. See what dog-friendly hotel and restaurant options are available at your destination, but don’t forget to follow Cesar’s travel tips for an enjoyable journey.