While you’re trimming the tree, lighting the menorah, or engaging in other festive traditions, your best bud will be by your side and just as excited for the celebrations.

In case you don’t have your own list of pet-friendly ways to whoop it up this season, we’ve created a list of our favorite festive fun, plus some helpful tips for planning a happy (and safe) holiday.

Get Creative & BFF It Up

Holiday Photoshoot: Include your BFF in your photos this season, whether it's a holiday party photo booth or your yearly holiday greeting cards. Get creative and set the scene! The folks over at Brit & Co rounded up some very merry photo inspiration.

Tip: Need help getting the perfect selfie of you and your dog? We highly recommend the Pooch Selfie for $9.99.

Homemade Treats: While you’re baking that batch of sugar cookies, whip up a pet-friendly treat for your furball. Including sweet potatoes on your menu? There’s plenty of recipes featuring the classic winter spud that are perfect for your dog. 

Handmade Ornaments: Polaroids are a fun and unique memento, and they make for a personal way to spruce up your tree. A quick search for "polaroid ornament" on Pinterest and you'll be on your way to DIY inspiration. Plus, these handmade keepsakes can live on past New Year's as everyday decorations. Cue the awwws.

Tip: Handy with a needle and thread? Here’s a great DIY pet portrait on fabric ornament idea.

Ugly Sweater Contest: Wrangle your pet into festive apparel and host an ugly sweater contest on Instagram or Facebook. Your pet will never know you’ve splashed the corny photos across cyberspace—most of which they’d veto . . . for sure.

Tip: Our friends over at Chewy have a pretty sweet collection of holiday sweaters for your pet. Check them out here. 

Ensuring the holidays are pawsome includes keeping your best bud safe. Whistle 3 is definitely the smartest way to track their holiday outings and activity 😉 but here are some extracurricular steps for added success. 

Pet-Proof the Party

Edibles to Avoid: No doubt your BFF will be circling the dinner table while flashing their most irresistible “but what about me” face. Before you (or your guests) succumb to the cuteness, keep in mind that many of our holiday favorites are prepared with non-pet-friendly ingredients like nutmeg, cinnamon, onion, and garlic. Here’s an excellent resource for identifying foods that are dangerous for our pets.

Pet Accessible Hideaway: Holidays can be overwhelming even for the jolliest of celebrators. And our four-legged friends can be affected too. Be sure to create a space your bud can sneak off too when they’ve had their fill of fun, like a cozy crate or closed-off bedroom. Not every pet is comfortable with strangers, just like not every stranger is comfortable around your pet. This list from Pet Health Network will help prep your pet for guests.

Not-so-friendly Plants: We know, holiday decorations just don’t feel complete without our favorite greenery. But holly, mistletoe, poinsettias, and amaryllis are all potentially poisonous to animals. So be sure to place them out of paws reach. Pursue Paw Culture’s comprehensive list to avoid other holiday-inspired booby-traps, and sail through the holidays like a pro.

If you and your BFF are taking to the sky or even crossing the border to celebrate, there are a few things you’ll definitely want to line up in advance.

Tips for Smooth Travels

‍Holiday Abroad: Maybe you’re that adventurer who flees the holiday hoopla or the gypsy who visits family overseas, wherever you go your pet is in tow. If traveling abroad, be sure you check the country’s policy—some require mandatory quarantine for pets as well as very specific documentation from a vet.

Riding Cargo for Christmas: If your bud is traveling in cargo, you’ll need a regulation carrier. Also, be sure to let the pilot know. They’ll adjust the temperature and might offer other courtesies to keep your pet comfortable and safe.

Tip: Looking for more tips to make travels safe and merry? Here’s another great resource from the Travel Channel.
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We’d love to see how you and your pet celebrate the holidays. Tag us on social media @WhistleLabs and use #PetsLoveWhistle for a chance to be featured!