The winter holidays are a time for joy, celebration, and gathering with loved ones, but they can also be a source of stress for our furry friends. Between the hustle and bustle of decorating, visitors, travel, and changes to their daily routine, pets often feel overwhelmed during the holiday season. Understanding how the holidays impact your pet and taking steps to keep them calm and comfortable can make the season more enjoyable for everyone, including your four-legged family members.
Understanding Your Pet’s Stress Signals
The key to helping your furry friends through the holidays is to pay attention to the warning signs of their anxiety and discomfort. Dogs and cats that are stressed will often hide excessively, often in a dark space. Dogs may vocalize with excessive whining or unexpected growling when uncomfortable. Your furry friend may pace, tremble and shake, or even engage in destructive behavior. They also might show a change in appetite or in relief habits, creating messes without notice. By being attentive to any of your pet's behavioral changes you can help calm their uneasiness before it escalates.
Preparing Your Pet for Travel
Bringing your pet along for a holiday trip can add to the fun of the experience, but it requires serious planning to avoid stress for both you and your furry friend. First of all, get your pet accustomed to traveling in the car or pet carrier by practicing short trips beforehand. Associating these trips with fun things like playing in the dog park or getting extra treats will help build a positive association. Pack food, water, medications, and comfort items like favorite toys or blankets, and be sure that the pet’s vaccinations and tags are up-to-date. It is also important to research your destination beforehand for pet-friendly lodging, and confirm their rules and regulations in advance. Stick to routine with your pet whenever possible, minimizing anxiety by sticking to regular mealtimes and bathroom breaks.
Creating a Comfortable Environment and Managing Sensory Overload
Whether you are visiting family or hosting your own holiday gathering, there are steps you can take to create a calm pet-friendly environment. Create a quiet area or room with a pet bed or dark kennel space where your animal can retreat if they feel overwhelmed. Stick to the same routine you had at home – same feeding times, bathroom break times, and medication schedule. Be sure to not skip playtimes so that your pet can burn off excess anxious energy. If your pet is meeting new people, do the introductions calmly and allow your pet to say hello at their own pace without anyone pushing too much physical contact too fast.
Introduce CBD into Your Pet’s Routine
CBD, as many of you are familiar with, is the non-psychoactive compound found naturally in hemp plants. CBD works with the endocannabinoid system that is present in all mammals to help regulate mood, inflammation, and appetite. Many people take CBD for issues ranging from pain management, anxiety and stress, and to boost their overall health and wellness.
More studies are showing that CBD can benefit animals in a similar fashion. The Humane Society of the United States says that CBD can be helpful in alleviating pain in animals, including helping dogs with chronic pain like arthritis walk more easily. Research has also suggested that CBD may help with the frequency and intensity of seizures in animals.
A recent 2024 study at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute found that CBD positively influenced various behavioral and physiological indicators of stress in dogs. Dogs that received CBD displayed a calmer emotional state, significantly reduced levels of the stress-hormone cortisol, and fewer anxiety-related behaviors like whining and lip-licking. The study also revealed that the calming effects of CBD were consistent over the six-month study period while also being equally effective after a single dose. That being said, CBD can be a powerful tool to help calm your pet’s anxieties during holiday activities.
Many customers stand behind our Pet Care 10mg Full Spectrum CBD Oil to aid their furry friends. It is a pure, powerful formula made of high-quality organic hemp seed oil, MCT (coconut) oil, full spectrum hemp extract, and quality-tested by a third-party accredited lab. There are no extra unnecessary and unnatural ingredients, so you can feel safe and comfortable giving your furry friend our Pet care tincture. Each full dropper (1mL) contains 10mg of CBD, so you can easily calculate how much is needed for your pet, and give it directly into the mouth or with their food. It is recommended to start with a beginning dose of 1-2mg of CBD per 10 pounds of weight. It is always best to start with a low dose and increase gradually as needed, keeping a detailed log of your pet responds. And of course, these are suggested guidelines based on the current available research, and we recommend customers consult a veterinarian about introducing CBD as an addition or replacement to a pet care treatment plan.
We also offer heavily discounted “Chronic Care” multipacks for the Pet Care tincture that can help provide consistent and long-term support for your pets beyond the holiday season.
Conclusion
The winter holidays can be a joyful time for you and your pets with the right preparation and care. By understanding your pet's stress signals, maintaining routines, creating calm environments, and considering supportive tools like CBD, you can ensure your furry friends feel safe and happy amidst the excitement. Remember, your pet relies on you for comfort and security, so taking proactive steps to address their needs will make the season brighter for all members of your family—both two-legged and four-legged alike.
References:
1) https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/cbd-pets
2) Flint, Hannah E., Alysia B. G. Hunt, Darren W. Logan, and Tammie King. "Daily Dosing of Cannabidiol (CBD) Demonstrates a Positive Effect on Measures of Stress in Dogs During Repeated Exposure to Car Travel." Journal of Animal Science, vol. 102, 2024, skad414, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skad414.
3) Corsato Alvarenga, Isabella et al. “Scientific Validation of Cannabidiol for Management of Dog and Cat Diseases.” Annual review of animal biosciences vol. 11 (2023): 227-246. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-animal-081122-070236
