How to Celebrate Christmas With Your Pet
Our pets are our family, so while we’re shopping for gifts and setting the table for our human family members, let’s not forget to make a little time to treat our pets to the Christmas they deserve. If you’re still settling in with a new lockdown pet and feeling a little unsure of how they’ll react to new visitors or children, these cat and dog breed guides are really helpful for getting to know more about your pet’s temperament.
Christmas Dinner
Hopefully your pet has been an angel 99% of the time this year, so it’s only fair they get a little upgrade on their usual food. Serve Christmas dinner up in a personalised bowl to make them feel like one of the family. You’re welcome to make a mini serving of your own dinner for your pet but keep it to plain turkey or chicken (without skin) pureed carrots and parsnips and boiled greens. Skip anything with raisins or sultanas or cooked in fat/butter (no roasties sadly!). What about some homemade pet Christmas dinner gravy to finish the dish off?
Go shopping together
If you have some last-minute gifts to pick up or are looking to treat yourself (and your pet) in the post-Christmas sales, the good news is that there’s a growing number of stores that welcome well behaved dogs, John Lewis being one. Once you’re all shopped out, head to your fave dog-friendly coffee shop to warm up with a seasonal drink - they might even do a puppuccino!
Bake cookies
One of the most nostalgic things about Christmas is the unmistakable smell of your fave foods cooking or baking, whether that’s your mum’s signature soup or your secret ingredient Christmas pudding. Give your pet something to get excited about by adding some home-made biscuits to your meal prep. You get extra points if they’re cut into festive shapes! We found some great recipes that sound almost good enough for our human treats in this how to pamper your pet piece. Crumble a couple of our YuCALM One A Day chews bites for dogs, they reduce stress and anxiety which can become an issue for pets among the hubbub of Christmas.
And….relax!
Are you the type who gets all dressed up on Christmas day to sit in your living room? Let’s get your pet feeling their best too! Stick on some relaxing spa music and kick off with a soothing head and shoulder massage. Ease their tired paws with a pedicure - a careful clip of the nails and a gentle massage down the legs and toes will be perfect. Since their fur is like the outfit they can never take off, spend time making it soft and shiny. First of all we’d suggest a regular dose of YuDERM, it’ll have their hair and skin glowing. Ease them gently into a warm bath to get them freshened up (treats, words of praise and taking things slowly helps for anxious pets). Pat dry with a soft towel and gently brush their coat from head to tail in slow calming motions. Your fluffy friend will be sparkling and smelling fresh for the big day!
Presents
While a cuddle with you is enough for your pet, it’s hard to resist getting them a little gift when you’re shopping for the rest of the family. They’re pretty easy to shop for too if you consider their interests – playing, sleeping and eating. Tick the playing box with an exciting new scratching pole for your cat, or a new squeaky chew toy for your pup. A plush new bed or a soft blanket for snuggling in will give them somewhere comfy and calm to rest from the festive excitement. And to finish off, fill their very own stocking with some fave treats and you’re officially world’s best pet Santa.
Find more information and inspiration on supplements to keep your pet healthy on our YuMOVE shop.