Stage Success
     Establish an eating place that is safe and out of the way.  Establish mealtimes and stick to them.  Make sure you meet your pet's usual routines for exercise, food and time with you.  Put tags on pets in case windows or doors are left open.  Ask your guests not to feed your pets scraps.
     Create a space for your pets to hide out when things get too hectic.  Anticipate crazy times and put your pets in their room ahead of time.
     It's important to teach dogs tricks they can perform to earn attention.  Otherwise, they will earn attention by misbehaving.  First teach the basics of sit and down, then, as a sequence, sit, down, sit, down - and voila you have a canine push-up.  Make sure they get more attention for behavior you like than behavior you don't like.

Season's Greetings
     Greeting friends and family can be a disaster with an untrained dog bouncing about.  To avoid spilled parcels and muddy paw prints, teach your dog to sit for all greetings.  Practice with a family member in messy clothes pretending to be a visitor until you get it right.
     Put your dog on a leash.  Every time your dog jumps up, use the leash to keep him off the "visitor".  Command, sit and enforce.  If he maintains the sit position without fuss, praise him and have the visitor step forward and pet the dog.  If your dog jumps up, have the visitor step back.  Your dog will learn that he must sit to enjoy greetings.  If your dog insists on jumping up and down, escort him to his room.  Bring him out later to try again.

Good Manners
     Guests are coming and that means new people for your dog or cat to pester.  Teach good manners before guests arrive.
     For cats that means out of guest rooms and off guests' clothes, kitchen tables and counters.
     For dogs that means out of the guests rooms and go lie down.  This command should be used often, enforced and rewarded every time.  Tie you dog or kennel him until he learns he must do what you say.  Remember to release him later or he'll learn to release himself.

Travel Tips

Car:
Take short trips with great rewards.  Drive to the beach and the forest so your dog will think the car leasd to good places.  Stop every few hours for bathroom breaks, fetch throws and a sip of water.

Plane:
Consider all other (safer) options like having a friend come visit your cat, or checking your dog into a petsitting or kennel service.  If your pet must travel by plane, consult your vet to determine if your pet should receive a mild sedative.  Buy a Vari kennel, certified for air travel, that fits your pet snugly, with just enough space to sit, lie down and turn around.  Feed your pet all meals in there ahead of time, with the door closed.  Make the kennel a positive place so it will be a source of comfort in the scary airplane cargo hold.

Christmas for your Pets

Snoop around.  If you are shopping fore someone else's pet, do your research first.  Pets have allergies just like people, and pet owners have their favourite treats and toys.  Check out their cupboards before you go shipping.  Otherwise your special present may end up in the trash.

Purrfect Presents
Catnip bundles in festive colours and shapes ($2 - $5)
Stocking filled with cat stuff (different sizes and prices)
Motor Mouse (my domino's favourite) battery-powered ring toy ($26.99)
Any combination of cat treats and toys, wrapped in a festive way
Assemble your own stocking with home-made touches.
Wrap up any combination of toys and decorate like a cat face.

Four Paws Up
Stocking filled with dog stuff (different sizes and prices)
Charcoal dog biscuits (black) help absorb fatty foods.
Treats packaged to look like reindeers and Santas.
For small dogs, squeaky toy snowmen and candy canes
Assemble your own stocking with a name label.
Wrap up any combination of toys and decorate like a dog face.
Take any healthy dog treat and wrap in festive colours.
Red and green rawhide chews (fruit and veggie dye)
Cedar beds last for years and are flea repellent. ($30 - $65)

Where to Go

• For the best prices on food, treats and presents, try Tisol at 6-2949 Main Street
• Other large pet stores like Bosley's at 4635 Arbutus Street have the largest collection.
• For adorable Christmas items, check out K&K Pets at 4595 Dunbar Street.
• Pet Food 'N More at 3669 W. 10th  Avenue at Alma has great cedar beds.

Safety Tips

• Avoid high-fat dog treats such as pig's ears.
• Never put dog foods and edible treats in dangerous places.
• Never stuff and hang stockings with tempting food treats inside.
• Always dispose of all wrappings immediately.
• Keep your veterinarian's telephone number handy, and if your regular clinic is closed over the holidays, make a note of the closest emergency facility.
• Atlas Animal Hospital at 41st and Fraser will be open 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. throughout the holidays and 9 a.m - 5 p.m. on December 25.