Holiday – Green Acres Kennel Shop Blog

Podcast – Holiday Gift Ideas for Pets and Their People-2019 – 30NOV19

< Updated 30NOV19 >

< A short link for this page – http://bit.ly/WfMw-HolidayGifts2019 >

In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from November 30th, 2019, Kate and Don offer suggestions on things you can give your pet and yourself that they believe will greatly benefit the relationship between the two of you. They are not promoting products, nor are they discussing things that you need to purchase. Don and Kate’s suggestions include several gift ideas that you can use throughout the year during your pet’s life. Tune in and learn how these simple concepts can nurture your relationship with your furry companion. Specifically, they discuss the gifts of patience, knowledge, focusing on behavior we like, and giving our pets an opportunity to have a choice when it comes to giving their consent.

There is a companion piece to this podcast on Don’s blog, based on his December Words, Woofs, and Meows column in the Downeast Dog News. You can read that at http://bit.ly/WWM-HolidayGifts2019

You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ , at Don’s blog http://bit.ly/Words-Woofs-Meows and the Apple iTunes store.

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Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog ( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com )

Shared Blog Post from Nancy Tanner – The misunderstanding of time by Nancy Tanner – http://bit.ly/Patience-Dogs

Maine Pet Care Professionals That We Recommend – http://bit.ly/MEPetPros

Recommended Resources for People with Pets – http://bit.ly/KnowledgeforPetParents

Shared Blog Post from Jenny Efimova What My Dog Taught Me About Consent – http://bit.ly/Dog-Consent

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Podcast – Cold Weather and Holiday Tips for Pets – 2018

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In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from November 10^th, 2018, Kate and Don discuss the change in the seasons and how reduced daylight, lower temperatures, snow and ice, and the hectic holiday season affects our pets. They will offer several suggestions on how you can keep your pet safe and happy.

You can find an article that corresponds to this podcast at http://bit.ly/ColdWeatherHolidayTips

You can hear The Woof Meow Show on Z62 Retro Radio, AM620, and WKIT HD3 at 9 AM on Saturday. If you are not near a radio, listen on your computer at http://streamdb7web.securenetsystems.net/ce/index.cfm?stationCallSign=WZON or your smartphone or tablet with the free WZON 620 AM app. A podcast of the show is typically posted immediately after the show. You can download this show and others at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/ and the Apple iTunes store.

< Click to Listen to Podcast >

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog
( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com )

Seasonal Issues – Cold Weather and Holiday Tips for Pets – http://bit.ly/ColdWeatherHolidayTips

Podcast – 2017 Edition of Holiday Gift Ideas for Pets and Their People

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This is one of Kate and Don’s favorite shows as they discuss holiday gift ideas for pets and people with pets. They talk about old favorites like the squeaky and grunty Hedge Hog, as well as new items like the book A Kids’ Comprehensive Guide to Speaking Dog!. They suggest their favorite toys, leashes, treats and more. If you are looking for that special gift for your pets, tune in!

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Preparing Your Pets for the Holidays

< A version of this article was published in the November 2016 issue of Downeast Dog News>

November and December can be a joyous, yet also a chaotic and hectic time of the year. We can look forward to several major holidays, each of which can mean more activities at school for the kids, and an increased probability of guests in our home. To prepare for those activities, we may also find it necessary to spend more time away from home attending school concerts, company parties, and family gatherings. Some people thrive on a flurry of activity and some long for a calmer time of year. Our pets, especially dogs, and cats typically are more likely to be fans of predictability and routine. Here are a few tips to make the coming frenzy less stressful for your pets.

Do not forget your pet(s)

As you get busy with the holidays, please do not forget your pet. Make sure to allocate time for them, as they miss you when you are not home as much as usual. You might also find that spending time with them helps you to relax from all of the holiday madness.

Family Gatherings

Put your dog in his crate with a bone or favorite chew toy, at least during the most hectic times – when guests are arriving and leaving as well as when meals are being prepared and served. If your cats are not fond of large numbers of people, or people they do not know, set them up in a room where they can be alone. Make sure your guests know that they are to leave your pet alone in this situation.
Assign one adult to be in charge of each of the dogs, to watch for signs of stress and to protect the dog from unwanted attention from children. At the same time, assign one adult to supervise each baby or toddler, with no other tasks assigned to them. Make sure that ALL interactions between pets and children are supervised by an adult.
Not every dog likes every person – ALWAYS let your pet decide if they want to meet someone new.
If you are quite certain, your pet will not enjoy the increased activity due to the event, or if you are more relaxed knowing your pet is in a safe, pleasant environment, consider boarding your pet the day and night of the event.

Special considerations for the holidays

Pets do not make good holiday gifts, especially if the person receiving the gift is not aware of it. If you want to get a pet related gift for someone get them a book on selecting a pet, or a leash or toy for the pet to come.
Many holiday plants such as holly, mistletoe and poinsettias are poisonous to pets. Make sure they are someplace where your pet cannot get to them.
Be cautious about where you leave holiday gifts, especially those with food inside. A misplaced box of chocolates can kill a dog.
Candy and other holiday treats sweetened with Xylitol can also be fatal when pets ingest them.
Keep lights and fragile ornaments off the lower branches of your holiday tree where your pet can get to them.
Make sure all electrical cords for holiday lights and decorations are located where your pet will not become entangled in them or attempt to chew on them.
Avoid using edible ornaments on your tree.
Tinsel can be very attractive to dogs and cats and can also be fatal if ingested.

Have a safe and joyous holiday season!

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Don Hanson is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop (greenacreskennel.com) in Bangor. He is a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP), Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), Associate Certified Cat Behavior Consultant (ACCBC) and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA). He produces and co- hosts a weekly radio show and podcast, The Woof Meow Show heard on The Pulse AM620 WZON and streamed at http://www.wzonradio.com/ every Saturday at 9 AM. A list of upcoming shows and podcasts of past shows can be found at www.woofmeowshow.com. Don also writes about pets at his blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com.