The holidays are a wonderful time of year, but it can sometimes be a bother to keep your pets out of the seasonal decorations. Instead of keeping a wary eye on your pet, take the following precautions to allow you to rest easy during the holidays.

Elevate the Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree is a staple to the holiday scene, but keeping your dog or cat away from the tempting ornaments can be a challenge. You can place it on a pedestal or pot to make the tree a harder target for animals to get into. This is also a way to keep your animals out of the water at the base if you have an authentic Christmas tree; the water can be toxic to your pet!

Cover Up Electrical Cords

The colorful lights that make our days brighter may also be an appealing toy for your pet to play with. Be sure to cover up cords for any lights with tape so your pet doesn’t hurt themselves or the decorations if they should accidentally cut the cords with their teeth. You can also tape the cords to the floor or walls to make it harder for your pet to get a hold of it. It also keeps you safe so you don’t accidentally trip!

Don’t Give Pets Chocolate

It may be tempting to let your cat or dog have a wonderful piece of chocolate for being a good pet this year, but an ingredient in chocolate is actually harmful to pets! Chocolate is safe for humans, but even a little bit of chocolate for your pet may cause some serious health problems. Keep it safe, and keep the chocolate to yourself.