7 Ways to Keep Your Furry Friend Happy, Healthy and Stress Free this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving can be an incredibly fun and gratifying holiday, but with all the travel, commotion and general action that happens, we have to make sure to keep an eye out for our pets so their turkey day is just as great as ours! 

Below are 7 ways to keep your furry friend happy, healthy and stress free this Thanksgiving.

 

1)      Visiting Relatives by car with Fido?  Make sure you've taken all the proper safety precautions before heading out into the open road.  Purchasing a seatbelt made especially for dogs, or keeping them in a nice, roomy crate for longer rides will protect your pet from any sudden stops, and keep them from distracting the driver.
 
2)      Make sure your road trip has a lot of built-in stops scheduled so excited pets can stretch their legs and relieve themselves, as well as stay hydrated.  Dogs, especially younger ones, need the exercise on longer drives.

3)      No matter if you're cooking turkey at your house or going somewhere else for the big day, always call guests beforehand and make sure they know there will be a four-legged visitor attending the celebration.  This will prevent any awkward "I'm allergic" or "I'm just not a dog person..." interactions at the dinner table.

4)      Keep any and all food items at a safe distance from pets.  Dogs have been known to jump counters and steal whole turkey wings straight from the dinner table if given the chance.  Make sure everyone is fed their appropriate food at the appropriate time, and seriously, watch that apple pie.

5)      Lots of cities have an annual Turkey Trot the morning of Thanksgiving, and many of the races are connected to a charity.  See if your town's Turkey Trot is dog friendly (some pup-friendly trots include those in: Seattle, WA, Alexandria, VA, Dallas, TX and Saratoga Springs, NY), and if so, make sure to bring a leash, portable water bowl, and some water for both you and your pooch!  Not only will you work up an appetite, you'll also most likely be able to help people in need.

6)      If you can't find a dog friendly race to take part on this Thanksgiving, why not take the whole family - including your pet - on a hike or nice long walk prior to the meal?  A little exercise on a day dedicated to eating is always a good thing, and nothing calms a pup down like a nice outdoors excursion.

7)      Don't let the hubbub of the holiday distract you from the daily care your pet needs.  Sure, there may be lots of people around and lots of stuff to do, but pets enjoy consistency.  Give them the same amount of attention and caring you'd give any relative in the house that day - they'll love you forever for it.

Photo courtesy of Supercoolpets.com