From one pet parent to another, as much as we look forward to the holidays, there’s a lot to consider to keeping our pooches safe during that time.

All of us want to have a safe holiday season, but we cannot forget about our furry companions while we are consumed by family, friends and food. This means going out of your way to possibly keep your pets out of the way when your house is filled with guests.

And, this can even mean giving house guests rules to abide by involving your pets so nobody is feeding them table scraps that’ll land your pet at the family vet or emergency room.

“We have to take special precautions to keep our pets safe, especially during the holidays,” says Jessica Clark, Rockstar Puppy owner.

Besides offering an online boutique for pet owners to buy their pampered pets motorcycle pet carriers, cute dog ID tags, helmets for a dog, and pet houses, Rockstar Puppy has some tips for humans to ensure their canines’ and felines’ safety during Thanksgiving and Christmas festivities to avoid potential hazards resulting in diarrhea, vomiting and injuries.

Don’t Share Your Thanksgiving Plate

Pets should not have what’s on the Thanksgiving plate since a lot of the foods we eat are toxic to them. Some of the ingredients including onions, macadamia nuts, grapes and raisins are all extremely hazardous to dogs’ health and can cause organ failure or even death.

Other dangerous ingredients toxic to pets are avocados, alcohol and chocolate that causes seizures, an increased heart rate, organ failure and possibly death. Candy, gum, mints, and baked goods with the sweetener Xylitol or Sorbitol cause hypoglycemia and liver failure for dogs.

While turkey leftovers are dangerous since they can have pieces of bones that can cause an interior obstruction or splinter, turkey can be used as a calming food for excited dogs because of the tryptophan, which is a natural sleep aid. Learn more about it.

Inform Family and Friends of House Rules with Pets

Children and adults who are unfamiliar with your pets can pose unintentional dangers during the holiday as people are coming and going from the house. Ask guests to close the doors when they arrive or leave so pets don’t escape.

“It might be best to put your pets in another room while everyone is there if you don’t have a gate to confine them to an area of their own,” says Clark.

Also, limit or restrict children’s contact with your pets so they don’t harm them or get harmed if the animal scratches or bites out of fear. Make sure guests are aware not to feed your pets their table scraps because of the dangers of developing pancreatitis, vomiting and diarrhea.

“Politely go over the rules with the parents and their children when they arrive so everyone understands that you expect them to be careful around your pets,” Clark says.

Minimize Excitement and Stress

Heavy foot traffic, constant doorbell ringing, and people coming and going throughout the day can cause your pets to be stressed and overly excited so if possible, consider having small, intimate gatherings so as not to disrupt pets’ comfort level in their homes.

“Understand that your pet will exhibit uncommon or even bad behavior with visitors around that day if they are frightened or overstimulated,” adds Clark.