~Gifts to avoid buying at Christmas~

Between all the mega stores, small speciality shops, malls and on line shopping.
There are many different things you can buy for your friends and family this year at Christmas. It's doubtful you'll have a hard time coming up with gifts this year. But what about the gifts you shouldn't give during the holidays?

The number 1 gift you should not give at Christmas is......

Pets of any kind. There are a few reasons why you should avoid this gift. First, pets are really fluffy and adorable and on Christmas day they can really light up the room and make your loved one go gaga. The problem is, after the excitement wears off, your present may not be as welcome any more and may even end up neglected. If it's really bad, that pet may end up homeless in an animal shelter, no longer wanted. A precious little life like that deserves love and attention so don't buy an animal for the holidays. Another reason pets are a bad idea for Christmas day, is that a new pet will be scared or nervous enough coming to a new home. They will need your total attention and love and a calm place to come home to. If your family is like ours, Calm and quiet is not something we have in our home on Christmas Day!!!! laughing

So our suggestion is this, if you just have to give a pet to your loved one on

Christmas. Give them a gift voucher for a pet of their choice. Or if you know the

pet they really want, why not buy and wrap up the items they will need to care for

that pet, include a card letting them know that after the holiday craze is over they

will have their pet. This also allows them to go along with you and help pick out

the perfect new friend for them.

Completely avoid the urge to wow that special someone on Christmas day with an
animal. There are enough other fun things you can buy for them to open that day!

As for the pets you already have in the home. Please don't forget them during this
busy time of the year. Watch so they don't run out the door as all your guests are
coming and going. Please place them in a quiet room alway from all your company.
Remember they aren't use to all those strange people, and no matter how friendly
your furbaby is, a large amount of company can cause them to behave badly or
even snap and bite someone. Also removing your pet from the party keeps your
friends from feeding them all this rich food we enjoy. See our Thanksgiving post
for more information about holiday foods and our pets.

Diggin Dawgs and Co, along with myself, would like to wish you all a very happy and
healthy Christmas Season. May you enjoy the spirit of the season and remember the
reason we have this special day!

Much love
Jodi and Family
The gang at Diggin Dawgs
Tracie - Blog site designer & administrator

*Holiday Dangers To Pets*

Holidays can create special dangers for your pets. Each year during the various holiday seasons, thousands of pets are seriously injured and/or become deathly ill. It's a busy time ... a time of much planning, shopping, cooking and baking, rushing to and from parties and get-togethers with relatives and friends. Oftentimes we forget about our little four-legged members of the family during the rush and festivities. They are curious and anxious as we, their caretakers are and there are many hazards waiting for their curiosity.

Here are some reminders to help you keep your pets safe this holiday season!

*Holiday treats, alcoholic beverages, rich, fatty food scraps and bones can be harmful or toxic to pets. Keep your pet on his regular diet and caution visitors against giving your pet "special treats."

*Supervise all candles - pets are attracted to the bright "lights" in a darkened room. Not only could they receive serious burns, but they could knock the candles over, spilling hot wax onto furniture and carpeting. Don't leave candles unattended for their sake and for the obvious fire hazards.

*All other decorations should be carefully placed so that the pets can't pull or scratch off any small pieces to swallow.

*Pets' highly sensitive noses pick up scents before humans can. Therefore, don't be surprised when Fluffy and Fido are underfoot in the kitchen while Thanksgiving goodies are being prepared. Watch those hot containers filled with turkey and ham drippings. The pets can easily tip them over causing severe scalding and burns to themselves.

*Don't feed pets the cooled drippings either. Human seasonings aren't good for pets, plus the fact that the rich stock and drippings can easily upset pets' digestive systems.

*Though it's so tempting, don't give your pet large quanitities of cooked turkey and ham during the holidays. Again, human food is too rich; overfeeding of human food can cause additional health problems and feeding human food will often lead to unsatisfactory eating habits when given pet food at their regular mealtimes. Consumption of human food can also result in pitiful begging, an aggravating habit hard to break, when the family sits down for meals.

*BONES ARE DANGEROUS! Please, please don't feed your pets bones, especially poultry bones. Poultry bones splinter easily - each year thousands of pets are treated for consumption of splintered bones, causing pain and sometimes death.

*Provide a quiet and relaxing retreat. The number of houseguests and parties increases during the holiday season, and pets don't know what to make of all the extra household activity and noise. Even the best of pets will bite when they are nervous or scared. Allowing them their own private sanctuary will reduce the amount of stress they experience and the number of "accidents" you'll have to clean up off your floors and carpets.

*If you are planning to take your pet with you when visiting friends and relatives during the holidays, be sure to contact them in advance to find out if your pet is welcome. Because of the excitement during the holidays, it might be best for you and your pet to board your pet or hire a reputable pet sitter.

*Identify your pet. If you haven't purchased an ID tag for your pet before the holiday season, make this the first gift you give him. With all the coming and going and opening and closing of the front door, it's just too easy for a pet to slip out and get lost, taken or hit by a car.

Diggin' Dawgs & Co. would like to take this time to wish each of you a very Happy Thanksgiving season. Make this holiday a enjoyable one for you and your pets.

Resorces used for this artical from: http://www.sniksnak.com/ and http://www.ehow.com/