How to prepare for the holidays with your four-legged friend

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 12. 31. 11:46

🎧 Hallgasd a cikket: Nyelv: Sebesség: 1.05×

The holiday season is not only exciting for us, but also for our special four-legged companions. The hustle and bustle of Christmas, the crowds of guests, the trips, and the inevitable noise of New Year’s Eve can be stressful for them. Although the capital has tightened the use of fireworks this year, thereby reducing the noise pollution of the holiday season, conscious preparation by owners remains key. Yettel and the Take Home Foundation have collected the most important information to ensure that the holidays are safe for our pets.

More and more owners consider their furry pets to be full-fledged family members and would like them to be part of the celebration: with an Advent calendar, a Christmas gift or even by having the dog accompany them to family gatherings. According to the Take Your Dog Home Foundation, however, it is worth consciously preparing for this period and taking into account the dog’s considerations.

During Christmas visits, pets can easily be overstimulated, so it is worth designating a peaceful corner for them in advance where they can retreat at any time. If you take them with you to visit, familiar objects – such as a blanket, crib, favorite toy or treat – help them feel safe. Traveling can also be a shared, stress-free experience if we pay attention to proper recording, regularly stop for a short walk, and let them explore the new environment at their own pace.

Why is the last day of the year so difficult for dogs?

As New Year’s Eve approaches, the issue of fireworks and firecrackers always comes to the fore, and often causes tension between dog owners and non-dog owners. It is important to know that dogs’ hearing is much more sensitive than humans’, so loud noises seem unpredictable and threatening to them. In such cases, they often panic, hide, or, most dangerously, try to escape. According to the experience of the Take Home Foundation, the number of stray animals increases dramatically on the last day of the year.

“On New Year’s Eve, it is especially important that our pets are safe, so we ask owners to allow them into the house or apartment during this period, if possible, between 6 pm and 6 am, even if they are dogs that live outside. It is important to create a predictable and safe environment, and it is worth creating a quiet nook where they can retreat. It also helps a lot if we tire them out with a longer walk during the day, on a leash of course, so that they react less nervously to noises later on. We always check that there is a ticket on the collar with contact information, and that the microchip data is up to date, which can be easily done at the vet”

– emphasizes András Óvári, founder of the Take Home Foundation.

“During fireworks, closed curtains, a little music or TV volume can also help to dampen external noises, and if anxiety is strong, it is worth seeking professional advice”

– he added.

Extra security with the help of technology

The basis of security is the microchip, but it is at least as important that it can be read quickly. The Take Home Foundation already operates free microchip readers with partners in more than 430 locations across the country. The foundation’s 12 volunteer veterinarians help with every incoming case, identifying and notifying the owner based on the chip number, so that the dogs can get home quickly and safely.