There are heart-warming stories to heart breaking tales of people and pets. As I contemplated what I would say about the subject of Christmas and pets, I had mixed emotions about this whole great big mess (we as people) have created with animals. Bottom line is that there are way too many human beings (and I use that word lightly), who treat animals as though they are toys... an amusement for the moment... something disposable. So my goal is to attempt to get you to think about the risks, dangers, responsibilities and commitment in owning animals.

In the classic children’s story, Peter Pan, the Darling’s darling Nana was sent to her dog house as punishment. Oh, if only dog’s today could be punished so. Dog houses are unlike those from days of old. Sure, you can still whip together a basic dog house of old boards and leftover nails with the kids. But why not give old Fido or Fifi a home that is on a par with your own?

We’ve all seen it…the big, brown, imploring puppy eyes. Or, as most people say, the eyes of a begging pup. It’s dinnertime again at your house, and as you prepare the family dinner, your dog diligently stands nearby, hoping to get a morsel of food that has dropped to the floor…a chopped carrot, a tidbit of barbeque roasted chicken, or maybe even a chocolate chip from those cookies you made in the afternoon. Your dog doesn’t care what it is…as long as it is “people” food, they are happy. Either when you are cooking or dining at the dinner table, your dog begs, and it truly doesn’t matter what time of day it is .

One of the keys to successfully bathing your dog is to make sure that you are in a safe environment. If you are putting your dog in a tub or sink while you bathe them make sure that he is not going to slip. Placing a rubber mat in the tub or sink will give your dog a sense of security, rubber door mats work well for this purpose. Also make sure that you are not going to slip if water gets splashed on the floor. If you are using a hose to bathe your dog outside, make sure you are in an area where they feel secure.

We all know that brushing and flossing is a must if we want to keep all our teeth in our old age. Of course we want to take good care of our teeth and mouths because we desire pearly white teeth that are aesthetically appealing. However, we realize the importance of dental hygiene; we need to take care of our teeth so we don’t succumb to disease that could have been prevented by simply brushing and flossing multiple times each day. So, what about our dogs. They have teeth too, and they need dental care just like us .