Would you like to switch to the accessible version of this site?

Go to accessible site Close modal window

Don't need the accessible version of this site?

Hide the accessibility button Close modal window
Accessibility View Close toolbar
Carver Street Animal Hospital

2703 Carver St

Durham, NC 27705 US

919-477-7319

Open mobile navigation
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Services
    • Meet Our Team
      • Meet Our Wonderful Doctors
      • Meet Our Fabulous Staff
  • Client Info Center
    • Resources
    • Online Forms
    • What to Expect
    • Payment Options
  • Tributes
    • Client Volunteers
    • Pet Memorials
    • Petsimonials
  • Updates
  • Helpful Tips
  • Trusted Links
  • Cat Tips
  • New Puppy Tips
  • Pet Trainer
  • Clinic Hours
    • After Hours Emergency Care
  • Contact Us
  • Veterinary Topics
    • Finding Your Pet
    • Choosing Your Pet
      • Birds
      • Rabbits
      • Reptiles
        • Lizards
        • Turtles
      • Cats
      • Dogs
      • Ferrets
    • Feline
    • Today's Veterinarian
    • Pets4Kids
    • Client Survey
    • Video Newsroom
      • Other Interests
      • Technology and Science
      • Health Topics
    • We Help Your Pet With
      • Pests and Parasites
      • Diseases and Viruses
      • Digestive and Oral Health
      • Orthopedics
      • Chronic Conditions
    • Living With Your Pet
      • Bringing Your Pet Home
      • Providing Care
      • Saying Goodbye
      • Travel
    • Newsletter Library
      • Tips for Pet Owners
      • Recognizing Illness
      • Keeping Pets Healthy
      • Cats
      • Pet Dangers
      • Nutrition & Food
      • Fleas & Parasites
      • Seasonal Topics
      • Unbelievable Pets
      • Visiting the Vet
      • Equine
      • Fun with Pets
      • Behavior & Training
  • Home >
  • Articles >
  • Newsletter Library >
  • Behavior & Training >
  • Keep Your Pets Calm During the Holiday Season with These Tips

Keep Your Pets Calm During the Holiday Season with These Tips

  • Created in Newsletter Library, Behavior & Training
Pug on cozy fur rug with fall leaves.

Although the holidays may be an exciting time of the year for you, your pets may find the festivities a little overwhelming. Even normally well-behaved pets can experience a little anxiety when their usual routines are disrupted. These tips will help you ensure that your furry friends truly enjoy the holiday season.

Create a Haven

The holidays are the perfect time to catch up with friends and family members you have not seen in a while. While you may welcome the visits, your pets may experience anxiety due to the steady stream of unfamiliar faces. Pets express anxiety in a variety of ways. Some become more aggressive, while others hide or shy away from strangers.

Creating a guest-free haven in your home will give your pets the opportunity to escape stressful situations. Add a comfortable resting spot, food, water, and a few toys to a quiet room in your home when you are expecting guests. Place your pets in the room before guest arrive, but be sure to check on them periodically throughout the visit or party. If you have cats, add a litter box to the room.

Improve Your Pet's Socialization Skills

If guests are a regular occurrence in your home, it may make sense to help your pets adjust to the idea of strangers in their territory. Ask a friend your pet knows to visit you well before the holiday season begins. During the visit, ask him or her to pet your friend and offer a treat. Add several people that your pet knows to the next training session then add a friend your pet has never met to the mix. Every time an introduction is made, give your pet a treat so that they develop a positive association with meeting new people. If your pet doesn't warm up to the idea, take advantage of your pet-friendly haven during holiday events.

Do Not Introduce New Pets During the Holidays

The holidays are not the ideal time to make a furry addition to your family. During the chaotic holiday period, it's hard to give enough attention to your current pets, let alone help both new and old pets adjust to new circumstances. If you have been considering getting a new pet, postpone the new addition until after the holidays.

Help Your Pet Handle the Noise

Parties mean lots of noise, even if your pet spends the evening away from your guests. If you anticipate a noisy New Year's Eve to be a problem for your anxious pet, consider using an over-the-counter pet stress remedy or ask your veterinarian to prescribe a sedative.

Does your pet hate fireworks and firecrackers? Gradually desensitize your furry friend to the noise by playing a recording of fireworks for a few seconds then offer a treat. Once your pet can successfully sit through a few seconds of the recording without fear or anxiety, gradually increase the length of time you play the recording. Some dogs feel calmer if they wear ThunderShirts during fireworks. The shirts apply gentle pressure and work the same way swaddling a baby does.

Protect Your Pet from Common Holiday Dangers

Holidays are a particularly dangerous time for pets. Keep your pet safe during the holiday season by following these suggestions.

  • Keep Gift Wrapping Supplies Out of Reach

Ribbon or string can wrap around your pet's intestines if swallowed and also pose a strangulation risk. Store wrapping supplies out of your pet's reach, and throw away discarded wrapping paper and ribbon immediately after opening gifts.

  • Prevent Tree-Related Accidents

Cats love to climb Christmas trees, but a quick scramble up the branches can knock the tree over. Prevent tree mishaps be securing it to the wall or ceiling. Surround your tree with a baby gate or pen to prevent your dog from knocking it over.

  • Use Care with Cords and Candles

Gnawing on an electrical cord can shock or even kill your pet. Place cords in PVC piping or special cord protectors. Keep lit candles out of the reach of pets or use battery-operated versions instead.

Could you use a little assistance helping your pet handle holiday disruptions? Call us today to schedule a convenient appointment.




Sources:

Cesar’s Way: Keeping Your Dog Safe When the Fireworks Start

https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-behavior/hyperactivity-overexcitement/how-to-keep-your-dog-safe-and-calm-during-fireworks

The Association of Professional Dog Trainers: Dog Safety Tips for the Holidays

https://apdt.com/resource-center/dog-safety-tips-holidays/

Drs. Foster and Smith: How to Keep Pets Calm During the Holidays

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/PIC/article.cfm?dept_id=&aid=148

ASPCA: Holiday Safety Tips

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/holiday-safety-tips

ThunderShirt: Home Page

http://www.thundershirt.com/thundershirt/for-dog-by-variation.html

  • Finding Your Pet
  • Choosing Your Pet
    • Birds
    • Rabbits
    • Reptiles
      • Lizards
      • Turtles
    • Cats
    • Dogs
    • Ferrets
  • Feline
  • Today's Veterinarian
  • Pets4Kids
  • Client Survey
  • Video Newsroom
    • Other Interests
    • Technology and Science
    • Health Topics
  • We Help Your Pet With
    • Pests and Parasites
    • Diseases and Viruses
    • Digestive and Oral Health
    • Orthopedics
    • Chronic Conditions
  • Living With Your Pet
    • Bringing Your Pet Home
    • Providing Care
    • Saying Goodbye
    • Travel
  • Newsletter Library
    • Tips for Pet Owners
    • Recognizing Illness
    • Keeping Pets Healthy
    • Cats
    • Pet Dangers
    • Nutrition & Food
    • Fleas & Parasites
    • Seasonal Topics
    • Unbelievable Pets
    • Visiting the Vet
    • Equine
    • Fun with Pets
    • Behavior & Training

Contact Us

We look forward to hearing from you

Featured Links

Click to find out more

  • Make An Appointment

    We will do our best to accommodate your busy schedule. Schedule an appointment today!

    Schedule Now
  • Services

    We strive to provide complete care for our patients. Learn more about all the services we provide.

    Learn More
  • Online Forms

    Our patient forms are available online so they can be completed in the convenience of your own home or office.

    View Forms
No Hours settings found. Please configure it

Location

Find us on the map

Testimonials

Read What Our Clients Say

  • "Wow! Thanks to all the staff at Anderson Vet Clinic. I feel like you all truly love what you do! My kitty, Lola and I always have such a pleasant experience when we come in. Fortunately, it’s usually just for a check-up, but I would not leave Lola in anyone else’s hands but yours. Thank you for your caring commitment!"
    Maya Smith / Los Angeles, CA
  • "I have benefited tremendously from the care my pet received from Dr. Anderson."
    John Doe / San Diego, CA
  • "Fabio wasn’t eating the food I was giving him and I didn’t feel he was getting the nutrition he needed. Thanks to Dr. Anderson, he evaluated Fabio and his current diet to make some recommendations and now Fabio has gone from barely eating to finishing his meals and he looks healthier than ever. You clearly are an expert in your field...thanks so much!"
    Tara Brown / Kansas City, MO

Featured Articles

Read about interesting topics

    National Heartworm Awareness Month Focuses Attention on a Potentially Deadly Disease

    Heartworm disease can have a devastating effect on your pet's health. National Heartworm Awareness Month, observed annually in April, reminds pet owners about the health dangers this preventable disease poses for pets. What Are Heartworms? Thin, white heartworms look like cooked pieces of spaghetti. ...

    Read More

    6 Questions to Ask At Your Senior Pet's Next Check Up

    Want to keep your senior pet healthy and happy? Ask these six questions at your pet's next check up. ...

    Read More

    What You Need to Know About Antibiotics

    Using antibiotics incorrectly may harm, rather than help, your pet. ...

    Read More

    Becoming a Service Dog: Training and Temperament Are Key Factors

    Service dogs help thousands of disabled Americans become more independent. The first service dogs guided visually impaired people, but today, the dogs assist people who have a variety of disabilities, ranging from hearing loss to seizures to cerebral palsy. Before a dog can become a service animal, it ...

    Read More

    Is Your Cat's Personality Influenced by Coat Color?

    Are orange cats friendlier than black ones? Coat color may play a role in personality. ...

    Read More

    Keep Your Pets Calm During the Holiday Season with These Tips

    Although the holidays may be an exciting time of the year for you, your pets may find the festivities a little overwhelming. Even normally well-behaved pets can experience a little anxiety when their usual routines are disrupted. These tips will help you ensure that your furry friends truly enjoy the ...

    Read More

    Is a Cat Enclosure Right for Your Cat?

    A cat enclosure offers the perfect way for your favorite feline to enjoy a little outdoor time without being subjected to the dangers of the real world. Before you make the decision about adding an enclosure to your property, consider these facts. Free Access to the Outdoors Can Decrease a Cat's Lifespan Free ...

    Read More

    Diabetes in Cats: Prevention and Treatment

    Diabetes in cats, also known as feline diabetes mellitus, is an increasingly common disease affecting 1 out of every 400 cats. Obesity is the leading risk factor for diabetes. "Overweight or obese cats are two to four times more likely to develop diabetes than cats with a healthy body weight," says board-certified ...

    Read More

    Pet Hearing Loss

    Many of the same health problems that affect us, including hearing loss, also affect our pets. Fortunately, most pets adapt very well to the disability with a little help from their owners. What Causes Hearing Loss in Pets? Some pets are born deaf or hard of hearing, while others develop hearing loss ...

    Read More

    5 Common Myths About Pets

    Do cats really have nine lives? Find out if these and other pet myths are true. ...

    Read More
No form settings found. Please configure it.

Connect With Us

  • Copyright © 2019 MH Sub I, LLC dba iMatrix.
  • Admin Log In
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
  • Site Map