Christmas Etiquette For Your Pet

While it might seem unfair that you’ve been planning and preparing the Christmas dinner for literally days with your beloved pet watching you every step of the way, hoping and praying that you might just accidentally drop something for them and you don’t give them any of the finished product. In reality, giving your pup or kitty some of whatever you eat throughout the day might do them more harm than good.

Humans are able to eat until they burst however our pets’ digestive systems are much more sensitive to what and how much they eat. For us, it’s a treat to try something new when we go out for food but if you buy your furry friend something different as a tasty treat, you might notice they have a stomach upset. Any changes to their diet should be made slowly so a day of eating anything but their diet and too much of it can really throw their belly through the loop.

Plenty of food that is delicious to us and might very well be delicious to them as well isn’t good for them. Many of the treats we have over Christmas can be harmful to our pets so it’s best to avoid them altogether. There are lots of ways to spoil your pets over Christmas without giving them a bad stomach.

While some foods are toxic and others are just not nutritionally beneficial to your beloved pets, there are lots of things you can feed them on Christmas day to make sure they feel included and can have an extra special day with you.

There are a few options when it comes to preparing something special for your fur babies for Christmas day. If you want them to have a Christmas meal with you, you can cook them their very own. Both cats and dogs can eat turkey and many of the trimmings like sprouts, carrots, peas and potatoes are fine for them to eat. The only hard part is making sure they get the correct portions of each element and making sure nothing that can harm them is in the cooking process. If you cook with wine or onions you can end up with a very poorly pet indeed.

Instead of making your own meal and taking the painstaking task of being sure there’s nothing in there that can harm your fluffy family members, you can buy them a pre prepared meal of their very own full of festive goodness and made especially for pets. The Lifestage Christmas Festive Feast Turkey Dinner Dog Food is a drool-worthy dinner worthy of the big day in a tin! It's made for easy-peasy serving too, helpful for hosts with plenty of other things to be cracking on with this Christmas.

Looking for a feast for your feline? The Webbox Festive Cat Mousse Turkey is a Christmas dinner in a tin! Free from any kinds of harmful additives or preservatives. It might be a treat but it’s also complete and balanced so you don’t have to worry about them not getting all of the nutrients they need for the day.

Lily's Kitchen Sunday Lunch for Dogs is a great option for your puppy pals with a perfectly balanced recipe of 60% chicken so your pooch has plenty of high quality protein to get them through the day. There’s no preparation needed and it’s rich in vitamin A, iron, folate, energy, and protein so you know you’re not sacrificing quality just to give them a special treat.

Christmas is a time for extra goodies, there is always food out on the table to snack on and you forget what being hungry feels like. While you should always avoid overfeeding your pets, working some extra special Christmas treats into their day as part of the calories they need. Discover our selection of Christmas stockings for dogs which come packed with a variety of different treats that are nutritionally beneficial to your pup. Not only do you have Christmas Day sorted but there’s plenty in here to last at least a week!

While you’re plating up Christmas dinner, there’s nothing more distracting than having to step over your pets who are just trying to get in on the action. Finding something a little longer lasting they can enjoy so you’re free to do what you need to do can be a great treat for them too. The T.Forrest Christmas Goose Filled Bone Dog Chew for Dogs is a delicious, filled bone to satisfy even the strongest chewers. The filling itself is a rich flavour packed full of vitamins and minerals that will benefit your pooch and it’ll keep them away from getting under your feet for hours at a time!

Cats aren’t always ones to enjoy chewing on a bone but they do enjoy a flavourful treat. No kitty will be able to resist the Webbox Cats Delight Lick-E-Lix with Chicken Cat Treat as a snack on Christmas day. You can serve them up on the LickiMat Casper Orange, Cat Lick Mat to keep them busy and if you really want to make it a challenge, you can even freeze it to make it last longer.

While there are plenty of things your pets can eat, you should still be watching to make sure they don’t get into anything they shouldn’t. Many families have food laid out over Christmas for the family to pick at but when your family is made up of some furry members too, you will need to make sure they don’t have access to things they shouldn’t eat.

You might think that mince pies are harmless except for the calories they contain but the mince filling in them is predominantly made from raisins. Raisins and grapes are highly toxic to dogs so just one mince pie can mean you’re on the phone to the vets Christmas day. The fees for taking your pet to the vet on a holiday like Christmas are through the roof along with the worry of your pet being poorly. It’s best just to keep them well out of the way to avoid any accidents. Instead of your Christmas treats, there are plenty of doggy Christmas goodies they can chow down on.

Leftovers can be an issue on Christmas day because many of the cooking ingredients we use can upset your pet’s stomach. While you might think that giving them some leftovers after they’ve been begging for them all day is harmless, you could actually make them sick. Many pets love to chew on bones, dogs especially however you shouldn’t give them leftover bones from Christmas dinner. Cooked bones become brittle and can easily splinter causing severe damage to your pet’s mouth and digestive tract. If you want to give them something they can really get their teeth into, try a Natural Stagbar Extra Large.

Chocolate is a big no-no whatever the season may be but if your pup seems hellbent on getting their teeth into the dairy milk selection box you can get them their very own chocolate snacks. The Rosewood Dog Safe Chocolate Drops are perfectly pup safe so you won’t risk a nasty stomach upset or a trip to the vet.

If you’re expecting a busy Christmas, it’s best to make sure all of your guests know what your pets can and can’t partake in. They might have the best intentions but feeding a furry family member something that is harmful to them can bring the day to a halt. Pets should feel safe and comfortable in their own home so not only should they only be getting suitable treats and food but they should not be put in situations they don’t enjoy. Some animals love to dress up while others are not used to wearing clothes so you should always stick to their comfort zone. Don’t pick up any pets unless you know they enjoy a cuddle!

Christmas is a day that should be enjoyed by every family member and there are plenty of ways to celebrate with your pets too.