People like to eat chocolate, ham and pastries at Christmas. We make our homes festive with things like seasonal lighting, Christmas flowers and a decorated Christmas tree.

However, these are the kinds of decorations that are meant for people, not pets. Chocolate and ham fat are dangerous to dogs. Any treats that contains fat, salt or sugar, is leavened with yeast or is not part of the animal’s normal diet is either not healthy for pets or can easily upset their stomach.

Most Christmas flowers – such as hyacinths, amaryllises, tulips and poinsettias – are also toxic to cats and dogs and are not suitable for homes with pets. So please don’t give them as gifts to homes where their beautiful but poisonous flowers may end up being eaten by pets.

You should also be careful about Christmas gift wrapping paper and strings, Christmas lights and Christmas tree decorations. They’re also interesting to pets, but, if swallowed, they can cause a great deal of trouble. This is why it’s a good idea for families with pets to gather up the Christmas wrapping paper right after exchanging the Christmas gifts and not decorate the lower branches of the Christmas tree.

It’s a good idea to get your pets their own special Christmas treats to celebrate the holidays. For example, did you know that there is gingerbread specially made for dogs? You can also bake biscuits for your pet using their own kibble or pet-suitable foods you can find in your kitchen or buy them a chew bone or other pet treats for Christmas.

Some pets also know how to unwrap gifts. Look forward to some funny videos and photos!