With Christmas just over a month away (Yes, we said it!) planning your festivities with your furry friend can seem like a tricky task. From foraging for tasty treats to gobbling up those Christmas dinner droplets, our pets can make the yuletide season that little more stressful. 

However, our team at Soopa are always here to offer a helping hand and make this delightful December as stress/anxiety free. Like us humans, our dogs wish to divulge in all those scrumptious snacks we treat ourselves too at Christmas. Although magically moorish for us, our favourite festive treats can often leave our dogs feeling a little under the weather and us with a vet bill we would rather not see. 

To keep both of your Christmases’ as safe and sparkling as possible, we have created a list of foods to keep out of reach of furry paws to ensure that your canine companion is happy and healthy during the holidays.

Chocolate

With boxes, baskets and bowls full of this smooth and delightful sweet source in abundance around Christmas, chocolate can have unsettling effects on your dog’s digestive system. Containing the toxic chemical, Theobromine, consuming chocolate (specifically milk varieties) can lead to symptoms such as excessive vomiting, diarrhoea and even seizures in our furry friends. 

It is fundamental that chocolate is completely out of the reach of your dog during the festive period. We would advise anyone NOT to hang chocolate decorations on their tree as even in higher places, your dog may still be able to reach them. 

Although not directly fatal if consumed in small amounts, if you believe your dog has eaten chocolate, we would always recommend speaking to your pet veterinarian asap as they will be able to advise a course of treatment. Like everything, prevention is better than cure so keep it away to ensure worries are at bay this Christmas. 

Nuts

Despite our dog's adoration of all things peanutty, there are some nuts that can be highly toxic to our furry friends. 

Walnuts, Cashews and Brazil nuts are not specifically classed as toxic to your dog but can often contain large amounts of fat that can lead to digestive issues such as vomiting, loose stools etc. Under no circumstances should you ever leave macadamia nuts in the presence of a dog. These nuts are highly, highly toxic to your pet and can leave them needing urgent veterinary treatment. We advise keeping all nuts completely away from your dog at Christmas and in a location where they are unlikely to be able to get to. 

Onions

Often used as flavourings in our gravies, spreads and stuffing at Christmas, this ingredient can leave your dog feeling the least merriest member of the family during the festive season. 

Fresh, frozen, powdered or cooked, onions in every shape and form are dangerous to your dog's digestive system and should be avoided at all costs.

If you are looking for a treat that is safe and scrumptious for your furry friend, then look no further than Soopa Christmas Selection Box. Packed with pawfuls of your dog’s festive favourite, be guaranteed to treat them to something healthy and wholesome this December.