Hippity, Hoppity, Dog-Safe Ways to Celebrate Easter

Easter is right around the corner. This year, don’t forget to include your precious pup in all the festivities and make some memories that will live on forever!

Let the Hunt Begin!

Dogs love to hunt, and Easter provides the perfect opportunity. Take advantage of your pup’s instincts and desires to give him a little extra fun and enrichment on this special day.

In her article How to Make an Easter Egg Hunt for Your Dog in Positively, Kelsie McKenzie offers the following suggestions for making a memorable Easter for your pup:

• Grab some plastic Easter eggs (the kind you typically put candy or coins in). If the eggs don’t have a hole in the end, poke a hole to allow the scent to escape.
• Add your dog’s favorite strong-smelling treats to each egg. Allow your dog to watch what you are doing, especially if he is new to nose work activities.
• With your dog out of sight, hide those eggs! Consider your dog’s level of experience with nose work when choosing hiding spots. If your dog is new, keep the eggs at nose level where they can be seen fairly easily.
• Bring your dog back into the room and have fun helping to search for those treat-filled eggs! 

You may need to help or show your dog how to open the eggs, McKenzie adds. If you think your little fur monster might splinter or shatter the plastic egg shells, hide the treats unpackaged around the house or yard instead. Remember, this is just a fun, holiday-spun theme on nose work.

Doggie Dress Up

Want to make the day even more special? Give Fido a celebration makeover. Get your dog an Easter sweater to protect against the cold, or a costume to make him the life of the party. Sites like Amazon.com and Pet Costume Center have plenty of premade costumes. You can find as many styles of bunny ears you can imagine, dresses, bonnets, bowties, and vests.

Feeling crafty? Search the web or have a look at Etsy.com for basketsful of ideas. And make sure your phone or camera has a full charge to take plenty of pictures and videos to share!

Keep Your Pooch Protected

Amidst all the fun, you need to take a few precautions to keep the holiday happy and safe. As with our two-legged kids, we need to danger proof the day.

Easter Lilies

While deadly to cats, Easter lilies do not pose a threat to dogs in and of themselves. But they can experience stomach upset and vomiting from chewing them. Also, the fungus Botrytis, common on these lilies, and the insecticide used to prevent it can make your dog sick.

Check all of your plants carefully. While Easter lilies won’t kill your dog, other variants, like peace lilies and calla lilies, will.

Chocolate

Canines don’t do a good job of digesting the fats and sugars in this tasty treat. Even small amounts can result in stomach and digestive problems, including pancreatitis, a serious and painful condition.

In addition to the high fat and sugar, chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine. These cause cardiac and neurological problems in dogs and can result in death. The level of toxicity depends on the amount of chocolate the dog eats and the amount of these substances in it. Skip the risk and keep the chocolate away from your dog, not only this Easter but every day.

Fat Trimmings and Bones

A juicy ham, a golden chicken, or a turkey baked to perfection – the hallmarks of many holiday meals. And dogs love these special treats as much as their human counterparts. But keep them away. The high-fat content in the meat and trimmings can cause pancreatitis. And the bones can break teeth, resulting in choking and stomach issues that require surgery to fix.

Easter Grass

Many of our pets like to chew grass. But their artificial substitutes, like Easter grass and string, can cause choking hazards and intestinal blockages. So skip this decorative addition to your dog’s basket and keep the other baskets out of reach.