A Dog’s Diary: Charlie’s Reminders for Pet Owners during the Holidays
Dear Diary,
The holidays will look a lot different this year as people stay away from family gatherings and parties in hopes of controlling COVID. But, even with this, there are still a few things I hope people remember on behalf of their canine friends.
For example, it’s important to remember that the holidays are a prime time for dogs to eat something they shouldn’t. Sometimes, people are more prone to dropping table scraps or feeding us their leftovers. There’s also a lot more bones this year, such as turkey bones, and – not to brag – but we’re especially gifted at digging those out of the trash. So, humans need to be extra vigilant. They don’t want to spend Christmas Eve at the Doggie ER. And neither do we!
There’s also other stuff we can chew up, like holiday lights, ornaments, and plants. Some of us do this because we enjoy chewing things; others do it because the holidays – and the chaos and change they bring – make us nervous.
The holidays are also a time when we might need our own space, such as a room to go into or a crate to hang out in. Sometimes, all the hustle and bustle of decking the halls and what not is too much for us to handle. Even the most social of us can get overwhelmed.
The last thing I hope people remember is that we want to spend the holidays with our owners, our family. While we know we’re not invited everywhere they go, we hope that they’ll set aside time to stay in with us. That’s what we want most of all.
Talk to you later,
Charlie
JJ Keeler lives in Colorado with a house full of pets. She owns three dogs, two cats, and a hamster she bought as a bribe to get her daughter to ride the school bus. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado and has worked as a professional writer for fifteen years. Her clothes are perpetually covered in pet hair.
