Celebrating The Holidays Safely With Your Pets

Susan Marie on Pet Life Radio

Kim Gaebelein, Pawbassador at Bil-Jac, offers timely and valuable advice for pet parents to keep in mind for safe and healthy holiday celebrations with your pets. 

Listen to Episode #171 Now:

Transcript:


00:00:02.120 --> 00:00:03.940
Announcer: This is Pet Life Radio.

00:00:03.940 --> 00:00:06.480
Announcer: Let's talk pets.

00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:16.560
Announcer: The views conveyed by the guests on this program do not necessarily represent the views of the host or owners of The Doggy Diva Show, and do not necessarily constitute endorsement of products.

00:00:16.560 --> 00:00:22.440
Announcer: Medical information shared by the guests on this program are those of the guests and are for informational purposes only.

00:00:22.440 --> 00:00:26.220
Announcer: They should not replace the medical advice of your veterinarian.

00:00:26.220 --> 00:00:28.500
Susan Marie: Hi, this is Susan Marie from The Doggy Diva Show.

00:00:28.960 --> 00:00:38.940
Susan Marie: This episode features Kim Gaebelein, Paw Ambassador of Bil-Jac Foods, sharing helpful ways that pet parents can celebrate the holidays safely with their pets.

00:00:38.940 --> 00:00:42.760
Susan Marie: That's what's on our show, so let's get started.

00:00:42.760 --> 00:00:44.200
Susan Marie: Come here, babies.

00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:46.920
Announcer: It's time for a treat, The Doggy Diva Show.

00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:52.800
Announcer: Here's national award-winning author and animal advocate, Susan Marie.

00:00:52.800 --> 00:00:56.100
Susan Marie: Hi, welcome to The Doggy Diva Show, the show for animal lovers.

00:00:56.100 --> 00:01:02.280
Susan Marie: I'm your host, Susan Marie, and as always, I'm joined by my canine co-hosts, The Doggy Divas themselves.

00:01:02.280 --> 00:01:07.640
Susan Marie: Thank you for joining us today as we bring you the experts in the pet and animal world right to you.

00:01:07.640 --> 00:01:10.380
Susan Marie: Contact us at the doggydiva.com.

00:01:10.380 --> 00:01:12.340
Susan Marie: That's the doggydiva.com.

00:01:14.900 --> 00:01:20.960
Susan Marie: We love hearing from you, so go grab a cup of coffee and your pet's favorite treat, and we'll be back in just a moment.

00:01:51.260 --> 00:01:56.320
Announcer: Visit comfortdiva.com today because every cat lover deserves a little comfort.

00:01:56.320 --> 00:02:00.000
Announcer: comfortdiva.com, where comfort means catitude.

00:02:02.080 --> 00:02:04.580
Announcer: Let's Talk Pets on petliferadio.com.

00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:12.560
Susan Marie: Welcome back, everyone, to the Doggy Diva Show.

00:02:12.580 --> 00:02:30.760
Susan Marie: As a pet parent, I know the importance of celebrating the holidays with our beloved fur kid family members safely, and while enjoying our yummy holiday meals, to ensure that our pets can enjoy their holiday meals, too, ones that are healthy and safe for our pets.

00:02:30.760 --> 00:02:49.060
Susan Marie: With some helpful advice on how pet parents can celebrate safely and have a healthy holiday with our pets, we have Kim Gaebelein, former Chief Marketing Officer at Bil-Jac, and now the official Paw-Basseter, very important.

00:02:49.060 --> 00:02:51.200
Susan Marie: So we would like to welcome back Kim to the show.

00:02:51.200 --> 00:02:53.020
Susan Marie: Hey, Kim, welcome back.

00:02:53.020 --> 00:02:55.000
Kim Gaebelein: Hey, thank you so much for having me.

00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:57.200
Susan Marie: This is such a fun thing to talk about.

00:02:57.200 --> 00:03:04.400
Susan Marie: The holidays are such a special time of year and celebrating them with our pets makes them even more special.

00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:09.640
Kim Gaebelein: Yeah, you know, there's so much excitement going on, right, with our humans and our furry family members.

00:03:09.640 --> 00:03:14.620
Kim Gaebelein: There's so much hustle and bustle, like so much exciting things going on, like decorating and possible guests.

00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:19.460
Kim Gaebelein: But that does mean that there are maybe a few more hazards around than usual.

00:03:19.460 --> 00:03:23.920
Kim Gaebelein: And so it's a good time to kind of think about what kind of holiday hazards are around.

00:03:24.120 --> 00:03:27.580
Kim Gaebelein: And I think about them kind of in three ways, so three F's, right?

00:03:27.580 --> 00:03:31.360
Kim Gaebelein: So festive decorations, food, and feelings.

00:03:31.420 --> 00:03:33.140
Susan Marie: Oh, I love that.

00:03:33.140 --> 00:03:33.900
Susan Marie: I love that.

00:03:33.900 --> 00:03:43.540
Susan Marie: So what are some things for pet parents to keep in mind to have a safe and happy holiday with their pets, keeping these three holiday hazards in mind?

00:03:43.540 --> 00:03:57.880
Kim Gaebelein: Yeah, I think as we think about this first one, festive decorations, I mean, and really as we're starting from Thanksgiving, through Hanukkah and Christmas and Diwali, through all of it, and even through New Year's, all these decorations are kind of around and all these things are happening.

00:03:57.880 --> 00:04:02.360
Kim Gaebelein: So first of all, it's really important to be careful around the tree, right?

00:04:02.360 --> 00:04:06.360
Kim Gaebelein: There's a lot of times we're putting up a tree, and there's a lot of proper precautions we can take.

00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:08.640
Kim Gaebelein: So certainly there's electric cords out there.

00:04:09.200 --> 00:04:14.700
Kim Gaebelein: We want to make sure that they're kind of hidden if we can to prevent chewing or tripping or any kind of electrical hazard.

00:04:14.700 --> 00:04:29.820
Kim Gaebelein: Keeping those light strings and breakable ornaments off the lower branches, you know, particularly if you have a bigger dog, you might want to keep it up a little higher and kind of keep that temptation out of their way, you know, because a lot of times our pets like to grab things or maybe knock them off the tree.

00:04:29.820 --> 00:04:32.720
Kim Gaebelein: They're kind of sharp, you know, twinkly and pretty.

00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:36.580
Kim Gaebelein: And certainly tinsel is one of those things that is a little bit more dangerous, right?

00:04:36.680 --> 00:04:40.520
Kim Gaebelein: That if they get into the tinsel and they swallow it, that's kind of a bad thing.

00:04:40.520 --> 00:04:46.180
Kim Gaebelein: So you want to make sure that maybe you think about doing a garland instead, and that would be a little bit safer on the tree.

00:04:46.180 --> 00:04:48.800
Kim Gaebelein: And even the tree water can be a problem, right?

00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:52.340
Kim Gaebelein: There might be additives in the water or sap that leaks from the tree into the water.

00:04:52.340 --> 00:04:54.340
Kim Gaebelein: So drinking that can make your pets sick.

00:04:54.340 --> 00:04:59.680
Kim Gaebelein: So make sure you're covering that bowl with a plastic bag or a tree skirt or something else that kind of keeps them out of it.

00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:03.140
Kim Gaebelein: You know, and another way to be safe around that is to just go faux, right?

00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:04.500
Kim Gaebelein: To have a fake tree.

00:05:04.500 --> 00:05:09.460
Kim Gaebelein: That's another way to kind of keep your pets a little safer from getting into those needles and into that water.

00:05:09.460 --> 00:05:13.000
Kim Gaebelein: We also, of course, if you think about other things that are around the house, right?

00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:15.640
Kim Gaebelein: So candles, it's a big candle holiday.

00:05:15.640 --> 00:05:18.940
Kim Gaebelein: So you want to be able to kind of avoid tempting your fur babies with candles.

00:05:18.940 --> 00:05:22.020
Kim Gaebelein: Sometimes scented candles can also attract them a little bit more.

00:05:22.020 --> 00:05:27.080
Kim Gaebelein: It could be that a tail wagging with a candle on the table can be very dangerous.

00:05:27.080 --> 00:05:32.820
Kim Gaebelein: So it's important to kind of think about where you're putting those or, again, use faux candles where possible.

00:05:33.220 --> 00:05:45.960
Kim Gaebelein: Certainly, there's lots of plants that we have out, like mistletoe and holly and poinsettias, and they can potentially cause vomiting or maybe gastrointestinal issues or even cardiovascular problems like with mistletoe.

00:05:45.960 --> 00:05:49.160
Kim Gaebelein: So you're going to want to kind of keep those out of reach.

00:05:49.160 --> 00:05:56.620
Kim Gaebelein: And don't forget, sometimes they may lose a leaf or something may die, and that may fall off, and then your dog may be able to get into it that way as well.

00:05:56.620 --> 00:05:59.420
Kim Gaebelein: So again, kind of keep them out of harm's way.

00:05:59.860 --> 00:06:00.780
Kim Gaebelein: And even gift wrap.

00:06:00.960 --> 00:06:04.800
Kim Gaebelein: You know, I always say no bows for the bow-wows.

00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:08.000
Kim Gaebelein: So, you know, what are you going to give your dog this holiday season?

00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:14.680
Kim Gaebelein: If you're thinking about wrapping it up and doing something special for them, make sure that there's no ribbon or decorations on there that they could get into.

00:06:14.680 --> 00:06:17.180
Kim Gaebelein: And then be sure to throw away all that wrapping paper.

00:06:17.180 --> 00:06:21.520
Kim Gaebelein: You know, a lot of times, I don't know, do the girls get into the gifts at your house?

00:06:21.520 --> 00:06:22.460
Kim Gaebelein: Yes.

00:06:22.460 --> 00:06:24.480
Kim Gaebelein: Yes.

00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:26.820
Kim Gaebelein: So that can also be a little bit of a risk, right?

00:06:26.820 --> 00:06:34.500
Kim Gaebelein: So, you know, making sure that you're only putting out what you need to put out, or, you know, maybe you're only putting the clothes out so that if they do get into a box, that's not a big deal.

00:06:34.500 --> 00:06:38.900
Kim Gaebelein: But, you know, sometimes we give chocolate for the holidays or things that smell.

00:06:38.900 --> 00:06:47.040
Kim Gaebelein: So we don't want to be putting those out and risking again, tempting our best friends to be able to open those up and kind of get into them when we weren't planning on that.

00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:47.840
Kim Gaebelein: Absolutely.

00:06:47.840 --> 00:06:55.140
Susan Marie: And getting into the foods, is it safe, do you think, for pet parents to celebrate the holidays by sharing human foods from the table?

00:06:55.140 --> 00:07:02.820
Susan Marie: I know we all want to kind of lean in, or maybe Aunt Mellie might lean in and say, here's a little piece of turkey or here's a little potato.

00:07:03.400 --> 00:07:04.940
Susan Marie: What are your feelings on this?

00:07:04.940 --> 00:07:06.660
Susan Marie: Or what's your advice on this?

00:07:06.660 --> 00:07:13.020
Kim Gaebelein: Yeah, certainly when we think about it, it seems like, oh, it would be a great idea to share our holiday meal with our pets.

00:07:13.020 --> 00:07:19.980
Kim Gaebelein: But it may seem kind of innocent, but you have to be careful not to ruin the holiday with a sick dog or an emergency trip to the vet.

00:07:19.980 --> 00:07:29.220
Kim Gaebelein: So many of the things that we eat or drink, or even like snacks we have out for people to eat over the holidays can be anywhere from nauseating to your pet to dangerous to toxic.

00:07:29.220 --> 00:07:32.300
Kim Gaebelein: And so, you know, a lot of us have heard of some of these, right?

00:07:32.300 --> 00:07:34.640
Kim Gaebelein: So it's alcoholic beverages are not good for them.

00:07:34.640 --> 00:07:36.640
Kim Gaebelein: They cannot metabolize those very easily.

00:07:36.640 --> 00:07:42.760
Kim Gaebelein: Your chocolate, caffeine and coffee, you know, grapes and raisins, onions are not good for your pet.

00:07:42.760 --> 00:07:44.980
Kim Gaebelein: Avocados and macadamia nuts.

00:07:44.980 --> 00:07:56.460
Kim Gaebelein: Candy and gum, or now even I'm seeing a lot, I'm hearing a lot of peanut butter containing xylitol, which is an artificial sweetener that I have personal experience with, that I would not recommend, right, that your dog get into.

00:07:56.740 --> 00:08:02.360
Kim Gaebelein: And then even our turkey and sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes, I mean, we think, oh, that sounds great, we'll just give them some of them.

00:08:02.360 --> 00:08:08.760
Kim Gaebelein: But there's fat, there's fat in the skin of the turkey and the butter and the seasoning and the sugar.

00:08:08.760 --> 00:08:11.920
Kim Gaebelein: That can all kind of wreak havoc with your dog's digestive system.

00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:15.320
Kim Gaebelein: It could even, in extreme cases, cause pancreatitis.

00:08:15.320 --> 00:08:20.860
Kim Gaebelein: And so it seems like it's a great idea to be able to give them some of that food off the table, but you don't want to do that.

00:08:20.860 --> 00:08:21.980
Kim Gaebelein: You don't want to do that.

00:08:21.980 --> 00:08:30.840
Susan Marie: And I totally agree because I have to tell you, on Christmas or on any holiday, I certainly don't want to spend it in animal ER.

00:08:30.840 --> 00:08:31.740
Kim Gaebelein: Yeah, absolutely.

00:08:32.040 --> 00:08:33.500
Kim Gaebelein: And it's really important.

00:08:33.500 --> 00:08:41.120
Kim Gaebelein: It's great to take some precautions, too, to make sure that if something does happen, or if your dog does get into something, that you've got that kind of together, right?

00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:45.880
Kim Gaebelein: So be sure you have your veterinarian and your nearest emergency vet in your cell phone.

00:08:45.880 --> 00:08:46.880
Kim Gaebelein: So I always recommend that.

00:08:46.880 --> 00:08:48.060
Kim Gaebelein: You and I have talked about that before.

00:08:48.060 --> 00:08:49.220
Susan Marie: We've talked about this, yeah.

00:08:49.220 --> 00:08:50.960
Kim Gaebelein: It's not just for the holiday season, right?

00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:53.740
Kim Gaebelein: But it can really help you be prepared if you need them quickly.

00:08:53.960 --> 00:08:58.660
Kim Gaebelein: And you know, I know the name of my vet, but I don't always know the name of the nearest emergency vet near you.

00:08:58.660 --> 00:09:07.160
Kim Gaebelein: So being able to put them in there, put them in there as you're in case of emergency person, your ICE vet, that's a really fast way for you to find them without knowing their name.

00:09:07.160 --> 00:09:08.600
Kim Gaebelein: So that's a really great way to do that.

00:09:08.600 --> 00:09:18.060
Kim Gaebelein: You know, and snacking, you know, I know sometimes unintentionally your guests have good intentions, but they want to give your pet something, you know, kind of fun to chew on and, oh, let's treat the dog.

00:09:18.060 --> 00:09:19.060
Kim Gaebelein: She's so cute.

00:09:19.060 --> 00:09:21.600
Kim Gaebelein: You know, I always suggest putting out a bowl of treats.

00:09:21.600 --> 00:09:23.060
Kim Gaebelein: And maybe you could put out a little note, right?

00:09:23.260 --> 00:09:25.580
Kim Gaebelein: I like to put out a little note because this way, it does two things, right?

00:09:25.580 --> 00:09:28.060
Kim Gaebelein: It lets your guests know, here's something you can give them that's safe.

00:09:28.060 --> 00:09:33.620
Kim Gaebelein: And oh, by the way, this is all they're going to get because we don't want to overfeed them or make them sick by giving them too many things.

00:09:33.620 --> 00:09:43.680
Kim Gaebelein: So you can give them like a little, you know, put a little note on there like Sassy's holiday snack bowl, you know, and let people know, don't share human treats with her, but instead give her one of these treats.

00:09:43.680 --> 00:09:45.300
Kim Gaebelein: And once they're gone, her feast is over.

00:09:45.300 --> 00:09:47.680
Kim Gaebelein: Thanks for keeping her jolly, you know, so there's a great way to...

00:09:47.760 --> 00:09:49.060
Susan Marie: I love that.

00:09:49.060 --> 00:09:50.960
Susan Marie: What a great idea.

00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:55.680
Kim Gaebelein: You know, it's a fun way that everybody can at least feel like they can give something to your sweet pets, right?

00:09:55.680 --> 00:09:59.040
Kim Gaebelein: So, but at least you can be safe and have some fun with it.

00:09:59.040 --> 00:10:13.960
Susan Marie: I do, I like it because you know what, when people come to your house and they see, you know, your pets and I have very friendly pets, so they'll go wandering around and everyone wants to like give them a little something because they also know how to look the right way so people want to give them something.

00:10:14.060 --> 00:10:30.760
Susan Marie: That's such a great idea Kim, because then the people don't feel guilty because they're giving your pet something and you don't feel guilty because you know, okay, well, they can give them like a little Bil-Jac treat or whatever the treat may be, and you know it's safe and you know that the dog, you know your dog or cat doesn't get sick.

00:10:30.760 --> 00:10:33.660
Kim Gaebelein: So that's a great idea.

00:10:33.660 --> 00:10:35.340
Kim Gaebelein: And the same thing can happen with dinner, right?

00:10:35.340 --> 00:10:44.520
Kim Gaebelein: So if you do want to give them something special, something easy, something that you know is going to be okay for them, then I would really recommend find a tasty canned dog food for the occasion.

00:10:44.520 --> 00:10:55.020
Kim Gaebelein: You know, like, you know, Bil-Jac makes a variety of canned dog foods and chunks and pate, but like, you know, for example, we have Harvest Feast turkey and sweet potatoes, or we've got, you know, pate platters, duck and pumpkin pate.

00:10:55.020 --> 00:10:56.780
Kim Gaebelein: So you can use it as a topper.

00:10:56.780 --> 00:11:00.360
Kim Gaebelein: So you're not going to get a little bit of that isn't going to upset the meal.

00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:02.660
Kim Gaebelein: And that'll really kind of give them something special.

00:11:02.840 --> 00:11:05.600
Kim Gaebelein: And you know, and then at least they'll feel like they're participating, right?

00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:07.520
Kim Gaebelein: That they got a little bit of turkey too.

00:11:07.520 --> 00:11:14.140
Kim Gaebelein: Maybe not the same as your turkey, but just something special that you can do that they can have a little bit of holiday fun as well.

00:11:14.140 --> 00:11:14.960
Susan Marie: I like that.

00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:19.260
Susan Marie: And I don't know if you remember, we kind of talked about when you talked about the gift bags.

00:11:19.260 --> 00:11:23.860
Susan Marie: My sister always gives the girls Bil-Jac treats for Christmas.

00:11:23.880 --> 00:11:25.920
Susan Marie: So we put, we don't put the bags out.

00:11:25.920 --> 00:11:30.420
Susan Marie: We have these, they're like, they're Christmas boxes, but there really is nothing in them.

00:11:30.420 --> 00:11:33.360
Susan Marie: They're big, you know, decorative boxes that we put under the tree.

00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:35.640
Susan Marie: So it looks like we have things under there.

00:11:35.640 --> 00:11:38.220
Susan Marie: So we had put the gifts out Christmas Eve.

00:11:38.420 --> 00:11:41.240
Susan Marie: And I think I sent you the picture of when we had Olive.

00:11:41.240 --> 00:11:43.440
Susan Marie: And her head and her little body.

00:11:45.060 --> 00:11:50.340
Kim Gaebelein: AIt was just three quarters of the way in the bag, trying to pull the Bil-Jac treats out, and we're going, no.

00:11:51.380 --> 00:11:54.160
Susan Marie: But that's cute because they do, they love that type of stuff.

00:11:54.160 --> 00:12:00.000
Susan Marie: So you can always have a little bit special stuff for your pups so that they could feel like they're a part of the celebration.

00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:01.440
Susan Marie: That's a great idea.

00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:01.940
Kim Gaebelein: Absolutely.

00:12:01.940 --> 00:12:03.200
Kim Gaebelein: And then, you know, don't forget dessert.

00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:04.760
Kim Gaebelein: You can always do some treats for dessert.

00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:08.380
Kim Gaebelein: So there's some great ways, right, whether it's Bil-Jac or whether it's another brand.

00:12:08.380 --> 00:12:17.100
Kim Gaebelein: I mean, it's important for you to kind of feed them something that is for your dog, that is made for your dog, that is not going to kind of drive that intestinal upset.

00:12:17.100 --> 00:12:18.760
Susan Marie: So those are great tips.

00:12:18.760 --> 00:12:21.020
Susan Marie: And let's take a quick break here.

00:12:21.020 --> 00:12:27.480
Susan Marie: When we return, let's continue talking with Kim about some pet safe holiday tips.

00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:28.900
Susan Marie: We'll be right back.

00:12:31.560 --> 00:12:32.580
Susan Marie: Hello, everyone.

00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:39.700
Susan Marie: Susan Marie here to tell you about the award-winning three-book series, The Doggy Diva Diaries.

00:12:39.700 --> 00:12:43.900
Susan Marie: It is a trilogy of heartwarming and inspirational stories about Ms.

00:12:43.900 --> 00:12:51.480
Susan Marie: Olive, a lonely little rescue pup hoping to find her forever family and friends and a life filled with love.

00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:52.700
Susan Marie: In this series, Ms.

00:12:52.700 --> 00:12:59.280
Susan Marie: Olive learns that it doesn't matter what you look like on the outside, it's the kindness and love you have on the inside that counts.

00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:05.060
Susan Marie: Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other online booksellers.

00:13:05.060 --> 00:13:09.000
Susan Marie: And please visit us at the doggydiva.com for more information.

00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:10.420
Susan Marie: Thank you, everyone.

00:13:13.700 --> 00:13:16.160
Announcer: Take a bite out of your competition.

00:13:16.160 --> 00:13:20.980
Announcer: Advertise your business with an ad in PetLife Radio podcasts and radio shows.

00:13:20.980 --> 00:13:27.680
Announcer: There is no other pet-related media that is as large and reaches more pet parents and pet lovers than Pet Life Radio.

00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:35.080
Announcer: With over 7 million monthly listeners, Pet Life Radio podcasts are available on all major podcast platforms.

00:13:35.080 --> 00:13:44.520
Announcer: And our live radio stream goes out to over 250 million subscribers on iHeartRadio, Audacy, TuneIn, and other streaming apps.

00:13:44.520 --> 00:13:51.360
Announcer: For more information on how you can advertise on the number one pet podcast and radio network, visit petliferadio.com/advertise today.

00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:13.957
Susan Marie: PetLifeRadio.com Welcome back, everyone, I'm here with Kim Gaebelein.

00:14:14.017 --> 00:14:17.857
Susan Marie: She is the Faw Ambassador at Bil-Jac Foods.

00:14:17.857 --> 00:14:24.317
Susan Marie: And Kim, let's continue our talk about the things that, you know, our holiday hazard list will call it.

00:14:24.317 --> 00:14:27.497
Susan Marie: The third item that you had mentioned was feelings.

00:14:27.497 --> 00:14:32.517
Susan Marie: What do we need to be thinking about regarding feelings during the season?

00:14:32.517 --> 00:14:40.557
Kim Gaebelein: Yeah, you know, I know this might not be something that you've got top of mind, but you know, with all the hustle and bustle going on, your dog may feel a little more stressed, right?

00:14:40.637 --> 00:14:43.957
Kim Gaebelein: A little more left out, and certainly all unintentionally.

00:14:43.957 --> 00:14:52.977
Kim Gaebelein: But when the holidays is happening, you know, we're decorating, we're cooking, we're baking, we're entertaining guests, we're leaving the house and going to parties and shopping and stuff.

00:14:52.977 --> 00:15:03.277
Kim Gaebelein: So there might be a certain someone around the house who maybe misses hanging out with you with some peace and quiet on the sofa, or maybe taking a long walk, you know, or maybe it's starting to get chilly outside for some of us, right?

00:15:03.277 --> 00:15:05.937
Kim Gaebelein: So maybe you're not taking those long walks like you used to.

00:15:05.937 --> 00:15:11.717
Kim Gaebelein: So really, the thing to think about for feelings for your dog is really to be intentional about your time together.

00:15:11.717 --> 00:15:15.717
Kim Gaebelein: Maybe you don't take a long walk like you were, but don't skip a walk, right?

00:15:15.717 --> 00:15:19.417
Kim Gaebelein: Try to get out there and have them be able to get out there and be active.

00:15:19.417 --> 00:15:31.397
Kim Gaebelein: Maybe have the kids or your significant other or friend, give them a little extra love and attention while you're managing tasks, maybe while you're baking or cooking, if the kids are chatting with you, maybe they can give a little extra special attention to your dogs.

00:15:31.397 --> 00:15:33.397
Kim Gaebelein: And certainly, watch your baby, right?

00:15:33.397 --> 00:15:34.577
Kim Gaebelein: Watch your fur baby.

00:15:34.577 --> 00:15:48.417
Kim Gaebelein: If you're seeing that they're stressed by what's going on, maybe there's a bunch of people over and you're not really sure, they're not really sure, they're feeling kind of uncomfortable, or they feel like there's too much noise, the kids are over, they're running around and kind of discourse playing like they normally do.

00:15:48.417 --> 00:15:56.597
Kim Gaebelein: Maybe they'd be better off in a quieter place, like maybe in the bedroom or maybe in their crate, with the radio or the TV playing during a party.

00:15:56.597 --> 00:16:02.937
Kim Gaebelein: Or if it really stresses them out, maybe they're better off over a friend's house and maybe be able to make that happen.

00:16:02.937 --> 00:16:07.317
Kim Gaebelein: So it's one of those things where you don't always notice because you're so busy getting everything else ready.

00:16:07.417 --> 00:16:11.497
Kim Gaebelein: But if you know that your dog is a little more stressed when people come over, that could be a good thing.

00:16:11.717 --> 00:16:19.317
Kim Gaebelein: And certainly when people come over, take a few minutes and properly introduce the guest that's either maybe staying with you or coming over for a party.

00:16:19.317 --> 00:16:21.917
Kim Gaebelein: And that kind of helps everybody feel a little more comfortable, right?

00:16:22.077 --> 00:16:23.737
Kim Gaebelein: Not everybody is a dog person.

00:16:23.737 --> 00:16:29.557
Kim Gaebelein: Everybody might have a different level of comfort with a dog, or some people are more comfortable around big dogs than little dogs and vice versa.

00:16:29.557 --> 00:16:49.137
Kim Gaebelein: So being able to have your dog just spend a minute with them and the guest and let them know, you know, and make sure that your dog is not jumping or, you know, kind of that you're keeping doors closed, making sure that maybe things like purses are put somewhere where the dog can't get to them or put up high medications, you know, those kinds of things, right?

00:16:49.137 --> 00:16:50.597
Kim Gaebelein: No gum in the jacket pockets.

00:16:50.597 --> 00:16:53.837
Kim Gaebelein: So those kinds of things that dogs can get into can cause problems.

00:16:53.837 --> 00:16:55.997
Kim Gaebelein: So that's a really important thing to do.

00:16:55.997 --> 00:16:58.957
Kim Gaebelein: And, you know, maybe even take some time and practice meeting people.

00:16:58.957 --> 00:17:06.217
Kim Gaebelein: You know, maybe you need to ring the doorbell, have the kids go outside, ring the doorbell, and then, you know, have the dog just practice like what it's like to have people come over.

00:17:06.217 --> 00:17:16.137
Kim Gaebelein: Because, you know, if they're not used to doing that and you don't have people over too often, that's a great way to be able to kind of think about them and have them feel a little more comfortable when all of this stuff is going on.

00:17:16.137 --> 00:17:23.497
Kim Gaebelein: And when you're thinking about their feelings, you might want to just spend a little bit of time at the end of a long day, right?

00:17:23.497 --> 00:17:29.197
Kim Gaebelein: Spend that time, get in a comfortable place, you know, give them that kind of petting and scratching that they enjoy.

00:17:29.997 --> 00:17:33.417
Kim Gaebelein: Let them know how much, you know, you really love and appreciate them at this time.

00:17:33.417 --> 00:17:35.657
Kim Gaebelein: And just, you know, spend a little time with them, right?

00:17:35.657 --> 00:17:40.597
Kim Gaebelein: And you'll be surprised at how much better, not just they will feel, but I think you'll feel that better as well, right?

00:17:40.597 --> 00:17:47.877
Kim Gaebelein: It kind of helps both of you to spend a little bit of that time together at the end of all this kind of hustle and bustle and make sure that they're feeling comfortable and happy.

00:17:47.877 --> 00:18:01.077
Susan Marie: And I can't agree with you more, you know, and I think one of the things that we all may be guilty of as we're in this hustle and bustle of the holidays, whether it be that we're shopping, cooking, visiting with relatives, visiting with friends.

00:18:01.077 --> 00:18:06.377
Susan Marie: Sometimes our little fur kids are the ones that kind of like go, hey, wait a minute, what happened?

00:18:06.377 --> 00:18:09.657
Susan Marie: You know, you usually come home and do this and our minds are elsewhere.

00:18:09.657 --> 00:18:14.637
Susan Marie: So I think that this is a really, really, really important point that you brought out.

00:18:14.637 --> 00:18:31.177
Susan Marie: And I think that pet parents out there are going, I'm going to take a little extra time to make sure that, you know, I sit with my pup, I take a little extra walk, or I make sure that I have enough toys to keep them occupied when people are over.

00:18:31.197 --> 00:18:35.597
Susan Marie: And there's just like a little extra scratch under the neck and behind the ears, you're right.

00:18:35.597 --> 00:18:36.897
Susan Marie: That goes a long way.

00:18:36.897 --> 00:18:39.737
Susan Marie: So those, and those were great, great tips.

00:18:39.737 --> 00:18:44.377
Susan Marie: The three tips are absolutely timely and timeless at the same time.

00:18:44.377 --> 00:18:45.817
Kim Gaebelein: And it doesn't have to take a lot of time, right?

00:18:45.817 --> 00:18:48.097
Kim Gaebelein: It's an extra five minutes here, an extra five minutes there.

00:18:48.097 --> 00:18:54.477
Kim Gaebelein: So like, you know, again, I don't want it to be adding more stress to everyone's kind of day, but that last couple of minutes can really make a big difference.

00:18:54.857 --> 00:19:16.897
Susan Marie: It is, and it's something that kind of like, we don't think about it, and it's something we could just sit on the couch, and they'll come, I know that mine do, they come jumping up, everyone comes up, and because we have all very pet friendly, for sure, and they come jumping up, so everybody gets like, and once they get, each one gets acknowledged, they're okay, they go away, they go to the little bed, or they go, you know, with their toy or something.

00:19:16.897 --> 00:19:28.737
Susan Marie: So it's just that psychological, like a little hug saying, hey, I'm home, or hey, I know I'm cooking, but let's stop and do this together, and just like things like that, so very, very important.

00:19:28.737 --> 00:19:37.657
Susan Marie: So Kim, where can the listeners go to find out more information about holiday safety, healthy holidays, and of course, Bil-Jac?

00:19:37.657 --> 00:19:40.837
Kim Gaebelein: Yeah, I always say start at our website, biljac.com.

00:19:40.837 --> 00:19:42.077
Kim Gaebelein: It's biljac.com.

00:19:43.877 --> 00:19:51.117
Kim Gaebelein: That's a great place you can type in holiday safety, and they'll get lots of tips to be able to kind of talk about some of the things that we talked about today.

00:19:51.117 --> 00:19:59.577
Kim Gaebelein: And then there's also information there about where to find Bil-Jac at your stores, places like Petsmart and Pets Supermarket and Tractor Supply on chewy.com.

00:19:59.577 --> 00:20:01.977
Kim Gaebelein: And then you can also come out and interact with us.

00:20:01.977 --> 00:20:08.377
Kim Gaebelein: We'd love to see you out on social media and hear about how's your holiday safety been and what tips did you learn about?

00:20:08.377 --> 00:20:11.897
Kim Gaebelein: Come tell us about it out on Facebook or TikTok or Instagram.

00:20:11.897 --> 00:20:16.337
Kim Gaebelein: We're out across that whole group of social media, and we love to interact with folks.

00:20:16.877 --> 00:20:20.877
Kim Gaebelein: And again, we all learn and hear how to take better care of our pets.

00:20:20.877 --> 00:20:21.857
Susan Marie: Exactly.

00:20:21.857 --> 00:20:22.957
Kim Gaebelein: That's very helpful.

00:20:22.957 --> 00:20:31.657
Susan Marie: And Kim, as always, I want to thank you for sharing such helpful advice on ways pet parents can celebrate the holidays safely together with their beloved fur kids.

00:20:31.657 --> 00:20:39.577
Susan Marie: And all of us at The Doggy Diva Show are wishing you, your family, and the Bil-Jac team a very safe and happy holiday season.

00:20:39.577 --> 00:20:43.137
Susan Marie: And to all of you pet parents out there, happy holidays, everyone.

00:20:43.397 --> 00:20:46.717
Susan Marie: Enjoy them safely with your beloved fur kids.

00:20:46.717 --> 00:20:48.617
Kim Gaebelein: Happy Holidays!

00:20:48.617 --> 00:20:49.837
Susan Marie: We'll be back in just a moment.

00:20:56.865 --> 00:20:59.405
Announcer: Begging to hear more of your favorite show.

00:20:59.405 --> 00:21:02.645
Announcer: Full episodes of all our shows are available on demand.

00:21:02.645 --> 00:21:07.865
Announcer: Go to petliferadio.com to fetch our entire lineup of possum pet podcasts.

00:21:07.865 --> 00:21:11.065
Announcer: Also dig us up in iHeart Radio and iTunes.

00:21:11.065 --> 00:21:12.925
Announcer: Let's talk pets.

00:21:12.925 --> 00:21:16.305
Announcer: Live and on demand only from PetLife Radio.

00:21:20.225 --> 00:21:29.405
Susan Marie: We would like to thank our guests this week, and also, as our doggy divas always say, please love your pets because they love you unconditionally.

00:21:29.405 --> 00:21:36.425
Susan Marie: And please remember to adopt, foster, spay, neuter, and microchip.

00:21:36.425 --> 00:21:39.905
Susan Marie: And as always, please have a great Diva Week, everyone.

00:21:41.625 --> 00:21:45.365
Announcer: Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Doggy Diva Show.

00:21:45.365 --> 00:21:53.785
Announcer: To find out more about Susan Marie and the doggy divas, visit them at their website, thedoggydiva.com, and on Facebook at the Doggy Diva Show.

00:21:54.345 --> 00:21:56.145
Announcer: Tell your fellow pet parents about it.

00:21:56.145 --> 00:21:59.605
Announcer: We look forward to having you join us again for the next episode.

00:21:59.605 --> 00:22:00.605
Announcer: See you soon.

00:22:00.605 --> 00:22:01.945
Announcer: Let's Talk Pets.

00:22:01.965 --> 00:22:03.965
Announcer: Every week on demand.

00:22:03.965 --> 00:22:06.645
Announcer: Only on petliferadio.com.