Havanese Christmas Safety Tips

Thousands of our furry friends end up lost, injured or sick during the winter holidays. Take a few moments to learn how you can easily make this holiday season a safe and happy one for your Havanese dogs and puppies.

Chocolate and candy canes, trees and garlands can create emergency veterinarian visits for obstructed bowels after the tinsel on the tree mysteriously disappears, chocolate poisoning from careless children leaving their treats out, and turkey bones from the garbage that must be removed from an intestine. Be careful with your little ones. It's too easy to get caught up in the celebration of the season and a puppy can quickly get into things they shouldn't.

Untrained pups tend to 'bolt' out of an open door or gate and may not be missed for hours. Pups can easily be stepped on while trying to navigate their way through all the extra feet. Children can accidentally injure a puppy during rough play if adults are too busy to monitor them. Prevent injury to your pup by setting up a playpen or using a child safety gate to create a safe place for your pet to access food, water and a potty area away from all the activity.

Holiday plants such as mistletoe, poinsettias, lilies and holly can poison or make your Havanese very sick. These should be placed in areas that cannot be reached by your Havanese or younger children. Most kids instinctively pluck at plants, taste leaves and petals or offer them to pets.

Don't forget to spend quality time with the fur-family - sometimes we get so caught up in the activities and family events, we don't take time for walks and play sessions with our buddies - which are an excellent way to de-stress from the busy-ness of the holidays and our furry pals can also allow us to cope with Aunt or Uncle so and so telling you what to do. There's nothing better than a Havanese distraction.

If your Havanese is young, do not let the stress of the holidays come in the way of POSITIVE training. If you are too busy and forget to take your little one out, well - you are to blame not your pup if they have an accident. It's too easy over the holidays to get distracted and mistakes do happen but then there is always the next day to get you and your little one on the right path. They do love to learn and when it is positive, and you use huge praise when they do the 'right' thing, well they will do it again and again. Havanese are natural people pleasers if they know what you want.

Keep electrical cords away from the curious Havanese. You CAN get tubing available in Home Depot that covers cords. This gives you a barrier from them biting through a cord but the best protection is watching your little one or containing them in an x-pen or crate when it is impossible to do so.

Tinsel or angel hair on the tree can be a grave concern for your Havanese as it is exciting to see and therefore will attract them. If they eat it, it can twist in their intestines or stomach. Place a barrier between your pup and your tree or a gate across the room when you can't watch them every minute or best yet, don't use tinsel. Place an x-pen or screen around your tree. I know it's not so pretty but I saw someone who actually decorated theirs at the top and it looked trendy fab!.

Be cautious of piling Christmas presents under the tree and allowing unlimited access. Wrapping paper is exciting to your dog and you may find many unwrapped presents, You can't really blame your little one either if you don't watch them and expect them to know this is a 'no touch' area. This takes training.

Tree water at the base of live trees can be harmful if preservative chemicals have been added to prolong the life of the tree. Keep your dog from drinking the water by covering the tree basin with foil or a tree skirt.

Hang your ornaments with ribbons rather than hooks to keep your dog from accidentally swallowing something that could get lodged in his throat.

If you're having guests over, try to leave a room available as a "quiet room" for the pets to escape to, especially if there are a lot of boisterous children. Play with your dog before your party. If you tire him out, he’ll be too tired to get into any mischief when guests arrive.

Anchor your christmas tree to the ceiling or wall behind it. The tree can be pulled down by a quick tug and not only create a lot of damage but quite a mess.

Don’t use toothpicks. Try not to use toothpicks for hors d’oeurves because your Havanese can eat the toothpicks if they are dropped on the floor and they can get stuck in his throat or puncture internal organs.

Antifreeze tastes sweet and many dogs are attracted to it. Just a few drops can be fatal. Do not let your havanese eat anything that can be found on the ground outside. You simply do not know if it is tainted and most times it can cause stomach issues, at the very least.

Hypothermia can pose a danger during severe cold. Puppies, old dogs, and sick dogs are most vulnerable. Dress your dog in winter clothing or restrict outdoor time. Provide snug shelter. Warm your dog quickly if he starts to shiver.

Ice-melting chemicals and salt can irritate paws or cause digestive upsets if swallowed. Booties help protect sensitive paws and so can some paw pad protection products but be sure to wipe/rinse your dogs feet and if snow piles up between their pads during your walk, clean the pads out as soon as you see your dog showing signs that their pads are bothering them.

Season's Greetings Everyone - enjoy your Havanese and make sure you set aside cuddle and play time with your furry pal! You will be glad that you did! It's the best medicine that the world has to offer.

© Content published on this page has been a collaborative effort and provided by, and copyrighted by Darlah Potechin and Nathan Potechin (talemakerhavanese.com). No unauthorized reproduction or re-publication in any medium whatsoever is permitted without prior written permission.