Waggin' Tails

Wondering what you can do with your dog in Hampton Roads? Get the answers here. I'll be discussing dog care, nutrition, training, play, and games to play with your dog.

Pet owners should be well informed when it comes to caring for their pet. Recalls on food ingredients, brand name foods, and toys make it necessary for pet parents to have information. But there is so much information it would make your head spin. Angie has a knack for getting and sorting this information. Having run two pet related businesses and having rescued two dogs so far, she has years of experience in pet care and training. For questions or comments, you can contact her at bigdogmom@mailpuppy.com.

Category: Pets

■ 19 November 2008 | 12:53 PM

Turkey Day Tips

Thanksgiving is next week. Christmas is right around the corner. Your pets, like mine, will be right there underfoot. They’re trying to help catch all the goodies that fall anywhere near the floor.

In my house, those goodies rarely make it to the floor. So, are those goodies okay for your pet? I have a list of holiday tips from all over the place. At least this way you'll know what’s good for Rover and what isn’t.

1. A little turkey is okay for your pets as long as it is bone free and well cooked.

2. Have a little feast for your dog while you’re feasting. Stuff some turkey, a little gravy, and a bit of sweet potato inside a Kong toy. They’ll be occupied and happy while you eat.

3. Hold the stuffing! Stuffing has sage in it. Pets can’t have sage. It can upset the stomach and cause depression of the central nervous system.

4. Keep batteries in a safe place. That means anywhere your pet can’t get them. They cause choking and obstructions. If they leak, they can cause chemical burns.

5. Keep up the exercise. It will help control the excitement and energy level. A tired dog is less likely to be too hyper.

6. Keep the lid on the garbage. All those good smells in the garbage can are too tempting for a lot of dogs and cats. Some of the things you use for cooking can be dangerous for you pet Keep them out of it.

7. Make sure your pet has an I.D. tag. They can slip out of the door so fast and get lost.

8. Be prepared. Have your vet’s number and the emergency clinic number handy. Also have the ASPCA Poison Control Center number handy too. It’s 888-426-4435.

Hope these tips help. Cesar Millan has some Thanksgiving tips on his website too. It’s at

www.cesarmillaninc.com/tips/thanksgiving.php.

Don’t forget to keep voting for your local shelter. A lot of dogs and cats will be spending the holidays in a shelter instead of a nice warm forever home. Vote at www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces;jsessionid=9DBAB07034E1807DAD246366D486891F.ctgProd04?siteId=3&link=ctg_ars_home_from_ars_shelterchallenge_sitenav.

I’ll have more tips for Christmas. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Link to post

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of civility. Comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its Web sites. Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the "Report Violation" link below the comment.