After New Year's Day, the next biggest holiday on the calendar is Valentine's Day, which is quite possibly the most dangerous time of the year for dog owners. With the copious amounts of chocolates, decorations and other small items that are strewn about your home during this time of year, your canine could get curious and decide to investigate. Since many of these materials can cause a range of health problems, it's best that you take a few dog wellness preventative steps to eliminate any risk that can be cause by objects that are left out. Keep the following tips in mind to protect your pooch when Valentine's Day rolls around.

2. Store chocolate in a safe place. Chocolates are a common sight around Valentine's Day, and ingesting even a few of these tasty treats can cause severe digestive pain and side effects and can even lead to nervous system damage, according to PetEducation.com. If you receive candy or if you're planning on giving it to a loved one, be sure to keep it in a high cabinet or anywhere outside the prying eyes of your canine.

2. Be mindful of sugar-free sweets. Even if you're going the healthy route for the holiday, foods with artificial sweeteners could be even worse for your canine. Xylitol is an sweetener that is found in many gums and candies, and it could cause your dog's blood sugar to drop drastically as well as cause myriad digestive symptoms. In high enough doses, it can even cause liver failure, so these items should never be left out where your companion can get to them.

3. Glue and paper products. If you're going to be making some homemade Valentine's cards for your friends and family, be sure to clean up everything afterwards to ensure that nothing is potentially ingested by your furry friend. Dogs won't think twice about chowing down on a piece of construction paper or chewing on a glue stick, so be sure to thoroughly clean up and give him an uncooked bone to work on while you're making holiday preparations.

Valentine's Day should be a time of spending time with your significant other, not worrying about your dog. Taking these steps will ensure that your pooch is happy and healthy throughout the holiday.

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