Despite the fact that most people’s animals are affectionate, the holidays can bring out the worst in them. It’s hard for pets to adjust to new people and new smells, environments and activities. In some cases, those conditions could make a normally friendly family pet aggressive or even cause it to lash out.
It’s easy to think your pet will do fine, but be prepared to see a whole different animal in unusual and new situations. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to prevent injuries.
What can you do to prevent a dog bite during the holidays?
The key is prevention. If you have a dog, for instance, a good idea is to keep it restrained throughout the holiday events. Whether you’re having family over or taking your pet to a new location while traveling, consider using a cage or having a leash handy to keep your pet restrained. Even if it prevents one aggressive interaction, the precaution is worth the trouble.
Normally, it’s relatives, friends or neighbors of a dog who end up being attacked. Why? They’re around the most and feel most familiar with the pet. As a result, the individual may not be as careful as he or she should be, which leads to dog bites. Additionally, on the holidays, there tend to be more children around, and as they get more excited, pets can become excited as well. Excitement sometimes comes out in dogs in the form of nipping or attacking, because they think they’re playing like they would with their own pack.
Unfortunately, because adults spend more time mingling and less time paying attention to their kids during holiday events, that excitement and nipping behavior could turn into a bite with serious repercussions.
Source: The Mercury News, “‘Tis the season for dog bites,” Tracy Seipel, accessed Nov. 03, 2017