​
​CHECKLIST: 

• Gates: Gates offer protection for all the following:
• Candy: Sugar-Free candy is extremely poisonous for dogs and quick acting especially if it contains Xylitol.
• Xylitol is a very fast poison for dogs
• Food: Share the joy not the food. Many holiday fares have spices, etc., that range from upsetting a dog's stomach to poison.
• Lights: Chewing cords. Puppies love their chew toys and that includes cords.
• Ornaments: Broken ornaments are choking hazards.
• Presents: Bows and ribbons are choking hazards.
• Trees: Trees, artificial or not, pose two problems. Both a fresh tree and an artificial are sprayed with anti-inflammatory material to lessen the chance of a fire. The anti-inflammatory tastes sweet to the dog so they may chew or gnaw on the tree.
• Christmas Tree Pine Needles: which are poisonous in quantity for dogs. The gum/oil on the needle will irritate the mouth and throat. Both of these things can be a serious threat to your pup.
• Quantity: One of our people lost their puppy to pine needle consumption.
• Tape Dispensers: Plastic tape dispensers can crunch, splinter, and become a choking hazard.
• Tree Water: The preservative to add to water. If the dog gets thirsty and drinks from the tree bowl, this is not a good thing for doggies. Use plain water.
• Tinsel: Tinsel is a wonderful, crinkly, sounds fun to play with but it is a choking hazard.
• Wreaths: Can be a chewing hazard the same as trees.​

We hope that all of you have a wonderful Christmas, holiday, or break! May your days be merry, bright, and above all, warm the heart. 

Starting: 
You need a grooming table and an overhead arm if you do not have one. Grooming overhead arms come in two lengths so be sure to get the one that fits your grooming table. Lay the hammock on the table and help your dog step into the hammock, then gather the loops up and hook them onto the overhead arm. Viola! You are ready to begin!

How dogs are good for us: 
For better mental and physical health a dog gives us many things. Dogs are great listeners. No matter what your age is a dog can patiently listen to anything we say without judgment. Nor do they offer criticism. They offer simple, supportive listening. When we feel all alone a dog offers us companionship.

Stress and anxiety were lessened for dog owners. A Washington State University study revealed cortisol was greatly reduced just by petting a dog for only 10 minutes. Cortisol is called the “stress hormone” by increasing blood flow by increasing the heart rate and blood sugar rate and more when under stress. Veterans showed lesser signs of PTSD and showed better coping skills when they owned a dog.

Today there are more and more ways of measuring the physical benefits of having a dog. A comprehensive overview of studies spanning 69 years found that dog owners lived longer because of handling stress better, exercise and having lower overall blood pressure than non-dog owners. Repetition of heart problems lessened with having a dog and improved the cardiovascular system.

Petting a dog for a short time measurably reduces the cortisol level. Dog owners walked 4X more than non-dog owners walking more than an hour and a half a week longer than non-dog owners. There was a sleep study done which deduced people slept sounder with a dog in their room because they felt safer. People with sleep disorders found service animals improved their problems. Nightmares? Sleep with a dog!

For our seniors, pet therapies show improved cognition, better social skills, and lowered agitated behaviors. There are a wide variety of studies about how dogs affect our lives, and it is mostly in positive, healthier ways. There is no doubt during this COVID period with the skyrocketing number of dogs people have acquired, dogs have become a necessary comfort many people's lives. Several have remarked how they could not have done so well without their dog(s). It is obvious that at a minimum dogs improve the quality of our lives.

REFERENCES: 
Admin. “Cortisol Hormone - Functions, Synthesis and Hormonal Level.” BYJUS, BYJU'S, 13 July 2020, https://byjus.com/biology/cortisol-hormone/.


Arford, Kaitlyn. “10 Science-Based Benefits of Having a Dog.” American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, 11 Nov. 2021, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/10-science-based-benefits-dog/.


Livingston, Cydney. “Man's Best Friend, Our Relationship to Dogs.” Research Blog, 5 Mar. 2020, https://researchblog.duke.edu/2020/02/15/mans-best-friend-our-relationship-to-dogs/.


Mailonline, Lucy Laing For. “Havanese Is Best Dog for Reducing Stress.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 20 Oct. 2017, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4998614/Havanese-best-dog-reducing-stress.html. 


Roy, Sree. “Dogs and Their Promising Roles in Sleep Disorders Therapy.” Sleep Review, Sleep Review, 1 June 2020, https://sleepreviewmag.com/sleep-treatments/dogs-promising-roles-sleep-disorders-therapy/.