Keeping Your Dog Safe on Valentine’s Day: A Dog Lover’s Guide

For many of us, Valentine’s Day is a time to show affection, not just to our partners, but to the special animals in our lives. After all, no doubt your dog has been your best teacher when it comes to showing unconditional love.

Whether you buy into the Hallmark approach to Valentine’s - splurging on beautiful bouquets and gifts - or going for something more simple, it’s worth taking a moment to consider: could these tokens of affection be putting your dog in danger?

Chocolate

A common treat during many of the holidays celebrated throughout the year, chocolate is a commonly gifted present on Valentine’s Day. But sadly for our dogs, it’s not a treat we can share with them.

Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine, an alkaloid of the cacao bean. While theobromine can offer some health benefits for humans, it’s a poison for dogs. Even small amounts can lead to symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures. In some cases, chocolate consumption could even be fatal for your dog.

How toxic the chocolate is for your dog depends on the type of chocolate (dark chocolate being the most poisonous), the size of your dog, and the amount they have consumed. Filled chocolates, especially those with alcohol content, bring extra danger. Unfortunately, some chocolate can smell tempting to dogs due to the fat and sugar content - and the dangerous smell of cocoa is often masked by flavourings.

Keep all chocolate hidden out of reach of your dog. Make sure any unopened gifts are also placed up high, if you’re not sure what’s inside the parcel yet.

Flowers

Flowers are traditionally gifted on Valentine's Day, but some varieties of plants can be harmful to the animals we live with. Lilies, for instance, are highly toxic to cats (less so to dogs). Ingesting even a small part of the plant, including the pollen, can cause severe kidney damage.

Other common flowers like tulips, daffodils, and chrysanthemums can also pose risks. If you’d like a more comprehensive list of poisonous plants for dogs, download our free guide. Symptoms of poisoning from plants include drooling, vomiting, and lethargy.

If you receive a bouquet, try to identify all the flowers within it and ensure any toxic ones are placed well out of your dog’s reach or, better yet, in a separate room.

Alcohol

You might be toasting the special (human) love in your life with something celebratory to drink. Just be mindful that alcohol is extremely harmful for dogs. Keep drinks away from low tables to avoid any enthusiastic tails knocking them off and clear up any spillages immediately. Don’t allow your dog to sip from your drink - whether it be a glass of fizz or a cup of tea (as caffeine is also a poison).

Candles

While candles can create a nice atmosphere on a special occasion such as this, please never leave a lit candle unattended in a room with your dog. There’s risk or burns if your dog gets too close - or if they’re a more energetic kind of dog, then a chance they could knock them over leading to a fire within your home.

When to Call Your Vet

It's really important to be able to recognise any signs that your dog may have ingested something harmful. Symptoms will vary depending on the substance but can include vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, loss of appetite, and changes in behaviour. If in any doubt - call your vet immediately. Make sure you have the emergency out-of-hours vet clinic number somewhere easy to find.

Want to Treat Your Dog?

You might be looking to spoil your dog (more than usual) and wondering what to get your dog for Valentine's Day. And while their tails will definitely be set wagging with some yummy steak or special new treats to try - remember the most important thing in your dog’s life is you. Time spent, consciously connecting with your dog is the best gift you can give - be that through some training time, a new outdoor adventure, or snuggles on the sofa.

Looking for Love?

If you follow our ‘Friday Findings’ emails - where I share a few little facts, nerdy science, and things that have interested me from the world of living and working with dogs - then you’ll have already seen me share this. But I thought this (fairly old) study was worth a share as it is the season of love!

The study found that having a dog with you makes people more likely to help or interact with a stranger. Those interactions can include: giving money, picking up dropped coins, or even sharing their phone number. So, if we believe the science - then your dog can help you when it comes to building some new loving social connections!

♥

Here’s wishing you a safe and joy-filled Valentine’s Day - be that with dog or human companions - where every shared moment is as sweet as can be, free of hazardous treats!