Many pets love people. The holidays are their bailiwick. They look forward to the changing home décor and an influx of guests. Some even get excited over the road trips that take them to visit relatives that they don’t often see. But maybe that doesn’t sound like your pet. And that’s OK. There are still easy and effective ways to enjoy the holiday season without causing stress for your fur-baby. Here are a few of our tips. Start Early Don’t wait until the tinsel is up to think about how to best prepare your pet for frequent guests. Instead, start in late summer or early fall with a few training sessions. These can be at home or with a pro, but the purpose is the same. Focus on building a bond with your pet. This way, not only will they have better behaviors over the holidays, but they’ll also trust that you would never put them in a place of danger. Meal Planning What is a holiday party without a lot of great food? You know it, and chances are, your pet knows it, too. You really can’t fault them for being too curious about the influx of new foods. The problem becomes when the buffet table has a lot of harmful foods for pets. Things like chocolate, nuts, and alcohol are perfect examples. Consider asking your guests to bring only safe foods, and then ask them not to feed your pets. Remember that safety comes first, even if that means keeping your pet in a separate room during the party. No Escape Artists There may be no worse way to spoil a holiday party than with an escaped pet. The best way to avoid this is with a plan. If you have a dedicated door darter, consider confining them to a favorite bedroom before guests arrive. You can hang a sign on the door asking guests to please not disturb your pet. If that doesn’t sit well with you, consider designating a door watcher at the party. And, be sure to advise all guests when they arrive that you’d prefer to keep the door shut as much as possible. You can also consider hanging a sign near the door reminding the guests to keep the door shut. Secure the Scene Before inviting guests into your home, be sure that you secure delicate, breakable items. This includes the Christmas tree. Your pet may be scared or excited when the party gets started, and that means that they could be running a bit more frantically than normal. For these reasons, make sure breakable items are out of their reach and secured from being knocked over by a wagging tail. Once guests begin arriving, you may want to have a designated room for coats and purses, too. This keeps your pet safe from sniffing out food or medication often stashed in purses, and keeps your guests items safe from potential scratching or soiling from your pet. We love getting to see furry friends enjoying the holiday season. If your pooch is dolled up and ready for the big day, would you do us a favor? Why not snap a photo and share it with us on social media? Don’t forget to tag @QALO so that we see it!