Buffer
 |
| Tiki Awaits Her Guests' Arrival |
But,
when we open our home to holiday guests (especially non-pet parents), those
rules and many other facets of our life with our pets that we take for granted
can become unleashed. Whether your guests have different rules with their own
pets or they don’t come from a background of pet parenting, as host, you’re
going to have to do some preparation both to make sure your guests are
comfortable and that your pets are safe and secure.
As
we prepare to welcome guests to our own home this holiday season, we’ve been
going over our own preparations—and checking them twice. Here are our top tips
for making sure your pet home is ready for your holiday guests:
- Consider a “rule sheet” for your
guests’ room. In all the excitement when you’re greeting guests, you
might mention that the cats don’t go outdoors—but will they hear you and
will they remember? Will they be embarrassed to ask again if they didn’t
understand? You can help everyone out with a simple card in your guests’
room. Print up a few quick house rules and leave it in a bedside basket
along with some goodies to greet your guests. If you think your guests
will be tempted to treat Fido or Fluffy, leave some of your pets’ usual
treats in the basket as well.
- Clean and clean again. Let’s face
it: we get accustomed to the odors of our pets. And, although we scoop the
litter box several times a day and keep the dogs well groomed, we know
that non-residents will pick up on odors that we no longer smell. (And, if
they’re not pet people, you know that they’ll especially notice that doggy
or litter box scent.) We use the Rug Doctor carpet-cleaning machine to
deep clean our carpet and upholstery before guests arrive, removing smells
and stains as well as pet fur.
- Realize that everyone might not share
your enthusiasm. Yes, it’s hard to fathom but all guests might not be
pet lovers. Whether they’re uncomfortable with pets or just disinterested,
you’ll want to take their comfort level to heart. When Fifi insists on
sitting on Aunt Myrtle’s lap, it’s time to break out a JW Treat Tower, a
stuffed KONG® or a PetSafe Busy Buddy for some fun alone time for your
dog. Be prepared with long-lasting treat-dispensing toys and a quiet place
for your pets to go to get away from the guests. (And, no, you cannot join
them there.)
- Keep an eye out for problems.
Especially if your company isn’t accustomed to indoor pets, keep a
vigilant eye out for potential problems like the medications in an open
purse sitting on the floor or the children’s toys that present a tempting
chewing temptation.
- Make one family member responsible for
your pets. It’s all too easy to think that your pets are with another
family member—all the while they’re making their way down the street
thanks to a door or gate left unattended. Designate one person to always
know where your pets are.
Hosting holiday guests is a great way to share the joy of
the season with all the members of your family—both two- and four-legged. With
some pre-visit preparations, you, your guests, and your pets can all enjoy a
peaceful and safe holiday season in your home.
Paris Permenter and John Bigley are the publishers of
DogTipper.com and the authors of the newly released DogTipper’s Texas with Dogs (Open Road, distributed by Simon and
Schuster). The full-color book features the most dog-friendly locations across
the Lone Star State. For more information, visit www.dogtipper.com and www.TexaswithDogs.com.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment