Bajan Sun Magazine - Caribbean Entrepreneurs Vol 1 Issue 10 | Page 127

BAJAN SUN MAGAZINE  Be careful with Christmas lights! Secure electrical cords and conceal outlets. Pets may chew on cords, which can shock them.  Keep your pets away from poinsettias which are poisonous and can cause mouth or stomach irritation, vomiting or diarrhoea.  Keep your dog out of the kitchen when cooking. He could get under your feet and trip you when you’re carrying a hot pan.  Table scraps and left-overs aren't just too rich for your pets: bones in the meat could lead to serious complications or death. Giving your dog leftovers that he’s not used to can upset his stomach, and never give your dog alcohol to drink. I’m sure you don’t want to be cleaning up diarrhoea or vomit.  All of the following seasonal items are dangerous to your dog if eaten: chocolate, grapes, and raisins. Xylitol, a sweetener found in many sugar -free sweets, has also been found to be dangerous. Cooked turkey bones might become lodged in the dog’s throat or perforate the intestinal tract, and onions can cause anaemia so don’t feed them to your dog in any form.  If you're entertaining, you may wish to keep your pets in a quiet room away from the noise and activity. Your dog should have its own place in a crate or another room with toys, a stuffed Kong or other long lasting chew and its special bed or blanket so that it can be happy and comfortable and away from guests. THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP – DO NOT GIVE A PET AS A GIFT As well-meaning as it is, a pet should never be given as a gift. It is a life time commitment that everyone in the house should be in agreement with. Experts agree that getting a puppy during the busy holiday season is NOT a good idea. This is often an impulse buy that leads to the puppy being ignored or abandoned after the initial novelty wears off because the pup starts to chew up everything in sight and have frequent accidents. During Christmas, there is usually no time to devote to proper training and socialization. The puppy can get frightened and develop behaviour problems due to inappropriate handling or ݙ\