Seven Holiday Activities to Do With Your Pet

The holiday season is here and it’s time to celebrate with your family. Generally, the holidays – and the winter season in general – coincide with all kinds of festive fun. Caroling, gift-giving, and delicious holiday meals are all exciting reasons to look forward to the season. But what about the four-legged members of your household? While your pet might notice the different decorations and sense something different in the air, it is a nice gesture to do something special and bring your pet into the fold. We’ve compiled some pet-friendly activities you can do this holiday season to get your pet feeling just as festive as you are.

Take a Holiday Walk

Many homes are decked out with lights and decorations at this time of year. Take your dog to a beautifully decorated neighborhood and take a walk together. You’ll have a great time admiring all of the beautiful holiday homes and your dog will appreciate a new route with different smells. Make sure to take all proper safety precautions; if you’re walking in the evening, take advantage of reflective or light-up leashes, harnesses, or clips to make sure that any passing drivers can see your dog. Be sure to wear protective clothing yourself in order to make yourself more visible.

Pet-Friendly Holiday Baking

You spend plenty of time every year making cookies for you, your family and your friends to enjoy – but what about your pet? There are plenty of pet-friendly cookie recipes out there. Some of them are incredibly easy to make and require minimal ingredients. You can even use holiday cookie cutters for an extra special touch. Whip up a batch of delicious holiday treats for your furry friend and watch them go wild!

Find Your Tree Together

Many Christmas tree farms allow dogs. Bring your four-legged best friend with you to pick out the perfect tree. You will have a blast exploring the farm together. After the excitement of choosing the tree is over, you can put on some Christmas music and decorate your tree while your dog takes a nice cozy nap.

Replace Your Mistletoe with Catnip

If you have a cat in the house, hanging mistletoe or putting out a poinsettia might not be the best idea – both of these plants are toxic to cats. Instead, try hanging some catnip in places around your house that are easy for your cat to access. It will look festive and provide your kitty with hours of entertainment!

Make a Donation in Your Pet’s Name

The holiday season is the most popular time of year to make a charitable gift. There are so many worthwhile causes out there; donating to charity shows the true spirit of the season. This is a great opportunity to make a difference for someone else. Making a donation on your pet’s behalf to a local shelter or animal rescue might not make any difference to your pet, but it will help benefit the lives of other animals who don’t have loving families yet.

Watch Holiday Movies Together

When it gets too cold outside, getting cozy indoors can help us feel festive too. There are many festive movies out there that help us get into the spirit of the season; everyone has their favorites. Snuggle up with your dog or cat, a cup of cocoa (for you), and a blanket on the couch, and binge-watch a few holiday movies to get yourself in the spirit.

Holiday Decorations for Your Pet

Every other member of your family has their own stocking; why can’t your pet? Buy a Christmas stocking, write your pet’s name on it, and hang it on the mantle or fireplace along with the rest of the family’s stockings. For Christmas morning, fill it with treats, toys, and other goodies your pet will love.