Mikaya Thurmond: Decking the Halls with a scared pup
Are your pets scared of holiday decorations?
There isn’t a holiday that I love more than Christmas. I’m that weird woman who typically puts their Christmas decorations up around Halloween and takes them down around Valentine’s Day. But this year, I’m facing a major speed bump: my Yorkie is terrified of my Christmas decorations.
Tinkerbell Thurmond has had a fit since I began trying to deck the halls to celebrate the joy of St. Nick. 2021 is her first Christmas and I can only imagine what a shock it is for her.
From the moment I brought in the Christmas tree, Tinkerbell ran for protection. First, to the top of the stairs, then the sofa and finally her crate. Even after I got the tree up, the Christmas bulbs became her enemy. She stood at attention barking at every glittering chandelier.
If you have had a scared pet, I’m sure you can understand my challenge. We want to protect our babies from discomfort, but we have to find a way to address their fears.
Here’s some recommendations that worked for Tinkerbell:
- Start slow. That means bringing in the décor in stages. Don’t overwhelm our pets with setting up in one day
- Include them in the process. Maybe try purchasing Christmas toys to help them get in on the excitement of the moment
- Be patient. Some pieces of decoration may not make the cut with our pets around and those are perfect items to donate to our local shelters