5 Tips to celebrate Christmas safely with your pets

Christmas is a time spent best with all of the family, including our pets. However, the festive season can be a dangerous time for them, from lethal leftovers to poisonous plants, so it’s important to be aware of what’s good and bad for our pets’ health.

Leading raw pet food and wellness company Bella & Duke has announced the launch of its festive offering, including advent calendars and festive meals for both cats and dogs as well as a range of seasonal treats and bone broth, all made from natural and species-appropriate ingredients so our beloved pets can feel part of the Christmas celebration. To ensure you and your pet can enjoy some festive fun this holiday season, Mark Scott CEO at Bella & Duke shares his top tips to celebrate Christmas with your furry friend.

It’s lovely to treat our dogs to some special food at Christmas time. They’ve smelt the cooking for hours, so they want to experience the flavours of your labours. Surveying a group of its subscribers, Bella & Duke found that two-thirds (64%) of pet owners were reported to always make a pet-friendly Christmas dinner.

From a turkey leg topped with bone broth, to a whole pheasant or prawns, one pet owner even said they’ll be giving their dog “a dog-friendly portion of our Christmas dinner, with lots of Brussels sprouts because she loves them”! It’s important to note that while we can treat our pets to festive foods, there are parts of a Christmas meal that shouldn't be shared with our furry friends.

To celebrate the Christmas season, Bella & Duke customers will be gifted a free "roast" dinner festive meal as a way of showing thanks for their continued support over the years, and to ensure no four-legged friends are excluded from the festivities.

Many pet parents already go above and beyond with how they include their feline friends and canine companions in the family celebrations. Bella & Duke found that the vast majority (94%) of pet owners get their furry friends their own Christmas presents, from new squeaky toys to tantalising treats, bow ties and even a relaxing break at a dog-friendly cottage.

Spoil them this Christmas with the Bella & Duke three bird ‘roast’ bites for dogs. A special festive treat for our canine companions, packed full with protein and made from all-natural ingredients, they’re the perfect way to make sure nobody misses out on the Christmas fun.

During the festive season, there are a number of new foods for your pet to explore. Keep your pet safe by making sure dangerous foods are out of reach and not left in presents under the tree easily accessible by pets. The safest bet is to stick to your raw food diet and avoid toxic foods such as:

Over-excitement and negative stress can have the same impact on a dog as they have on a human. How you are around your pet impacts their behaviour. For them, escaping the Christmas mayhem can help them feel safe and secure.

So, make sure they have their own space they can retreat to when they need peace. This can include a cosy space under the table, a covered crate with an open door or a warm pad to make them feel relaxed. A longer lasting chew like a pizzle stick can also help reduce anxiety as well as playing soft calming music.

As the days get colder and shorter, and you start to look out those waterproof coats, warm gloves and woolly hats for winter walks, it’s important to consider how the change in weather can affect your four-legged walking companion too. A regular walk is not only vitally important for your dog’s health but is also a great opportunity for bonding with your furry friend, clearing your mind and getting in those steps too!

While throwing on a dog coat might seem the obvious choice when heading out for a walk in the cold weather, many dogs don’t need them and are well equipped with double coats, needing only a good dry when home to untangle snow that may be caught in their fur. Just make sure to clean up their paws once you’re home to keep them safe from grit, salt and de-icer that may be used to clear paths, as these can often irritate their skin and can be toxic if ingested.

Mark Scott, CEO at Bella & Duke, added: 

“We believe that no one should be left out during Christmas time, including our pets, who are important members of our families. We know our loyal subscribers enjoy having Christmas gifts to share with their beloved pets and create memories with the whole family. This year we’re excited to be gifting all of our subscription customers a pet-friendly Christmas dinner for their furry friends to enjoy and make sure no one misses out on the festive fun.”