With the holidays comes celebrations and parties, and since the warm weather is gone for many of us, that means these celebrations happen indoors. Some pets may not be used to crowded spaces and unfamiliar faces, but there are many ways to prepare both your pets and your guests for the soirée so that everyone enjoys themselves. Read on to learn how to be a good pet-loving host.

1. Firstly, make your guests aware that you have a pet. That way, you can prepare by doing some extra cleaning and vacuuming if they have allergies.


2. Don’t let pets sit on your guest's lap (unless it is welcomed). It can be very uncomfortable for a guest if your pet climbs onto their lap and they are not sure what to do with it. 


3. No licking! Kisses are nice—when they are welcome, but nobody likes a big wet one to the face. Save your guest from having to wipe off pet saliva, don’t let your pet lick them.


4. Down. Train your pet to keep four-on-the-floor (no jumping up). While it’s great to be greeted when we arrive somewhere, not everyone likes animal friends climbing up their legs.


5. No bark! Keep your pets quiet as barking can be very loud and obnoxious and make someone uncomfortable in your home.


6. Sniffing: while it’s alright to let your dog sniff your guest’s removed shoes, it may make your guest very uncomfortable to be sniffed all over.


7. Make sure your pet is freshly bathed. As a guest, we might give your furry friend a pat on the head out of courtesy, but no one likes that grime left on their hands from an unwashed pet.


8. Feed your pet before having company over. Some people can be easily sickened by the smell of fresh pet food.


9. Guests must behave too! It is inappropriate for guests to feed your pet any food or snacks unless approved by you.


10. Be sure that guests aren’t crowding your pet’s space, especially younger children as this can cause stress to your pet.