Holidays…Avoid Making Them Dreadful for Your Dog
In the United States, we are officially rearing up for the holiday season to begin. Thanksgiving is in a few days, followed by Christmas and then New Years…the next few months are bound to be a bustle of activity.
Not to mention a complete and total disruption of your dog's routine.
We as humans find the holidays to be stressful for a whole slew of reasons, but what about our poor dogs?! The whirlwind of activity, from crazed house cleaning, to copious amount of shopping (which may even result in a tree being brought inside the house!), to having new and strange people coming and going, to tons of social pressure and so much more. The holiday season can cause your dog's head to hurt…and potentially push them to either shutdown, become terribly afraid or make a more consequential mistake.
"NO! Santos, you will NOT ruin the holidays for me! My dog will be fine!"
Trust me, I am not here to be the Grinch or Scrooge of your holidays. Rather, my goal is to provide you some tips on how you can make this holiday season a bit more manageable and, dare I say, enjoyable for you and your pup.
"Sigh…fine, what suggestions do you have?"
See, that wasn't so hard.
Maintain as many routines and norms as you can. Our dogs are creatures of habit. They crave predictability and seek out patterns. Remember: our dogs are not people! They are an alien species desperately trying to survive among strange naked bipedal ape-like creatures who do none of the things a normal dog would do! So, for any dog to get by, identifying and following the routines, patterns and predictability that make up human life is crucially important. Look at your own day-to-day life and identify some constants: when your dog is fed their meals, what you do to get them ready if you have to leave to go to work, school or otherwise leave the house, when you train or play with them, how often you walk them or do other dog-activities with them, etc. Try to maintain these routines as much as you can throughout the holiday season. It can make all the difference in the world.
See what drastic changes the holidays will cause. This is going to require some honest assessments on how you normally live your life. What is your schedule usually like? Will the amount of time you are home with your dog change around the holidays? Are people constantly coming and going day-to-day, or is the idea of someone coming over to your house normally laughable?
Exercise your dog before company comes over. Imagine a 1-year old Labrador Retriever, full of energy, excitement and joy. They are sociable, love all people and want to play, play, play! Now, imagine that bundle of buzzing happiness tackling each and every one of your holiday guests as they come into your home. Not cool. Best way to avoid this? Exercise your pup a half hour or so before company arrives. Not just physical exercise, mental exercise too. Things such as shaping, scent work, hide and seek and the like. Take the edge off without exhausting them. Then, when company are coming over, have a routine in place. Ideally, the dog will not be right at the door as this can be really difficult for many dogs. Maybe they are behind a gate where company can ask them to sit and toss them a treat. Once everyone is in, give the dog a big soft plush toy that fills their whole mouth to hold as they are then allowed to greet your guests. Keep the energy level low. Reward your dog for being appropriate. With some planning, no one will have their holiday-specific fashion choices torn to pieces by frantic jumping up or leaping puppy paws.
Give your dog puppy-only time. Realize the holidays are a human celebration, not a canine one. Therefore, if you are planning to have an enormous family reunion at your house, put a plan in place so your dog can have a safe place to retreat to if they need it. This is especially true if you have children of any age coming over to the house! Children and dogs should always be supervised. Now, imagine this scenario where there are 5 or more children of different ages at a bustling holiday party that you are hosting…those children are attached to two parents, so there are 10 adults you are trying to entertain and socialize with. Who is ensuring these kids are not climbing all over the dog? Or that they are not running up and down the hallway with your dog's favorite toy? These are only two examples of where kids interacting with dogs can have serious negative consequences. Instead, have a dog-only zone. A room with your dog's bed and/or crate that no one can inadvertently get into. A safe space your dog can relax in with a stuffed Kong or bone, as the holiday festivities continue.
Be thankful for having your dog. Holidays can be a strain on us humans for so many reasons. Take the time to sit back and really take in how awesome your dog truly is. Their sense of humor. How they can lighten up a room. The way they live in the moment and can find joy in the smallest things. Then, smile to yourself that they will love you no matter how you fare throughout this holiday season. Even if you burn your special dinner, your dog would still love to have a piece.
If we are thoughtful this holiday season, we can ensure it is enjoyable for both ourselves and our dogs.
What can you do to help your dog be more successful, and better enjoy, the upcoming holidays?
Dianna L. Santos has been professionally training dogs since 2011. Having specialized in working with fearful, reactive and aggressive dogs, Dianna's main goal is to help dogs learn how to be successful in a human world. She does this by outlining ways dog owners can better understand their dogs while designing fun and effective training programs and games both ends of the leash will enjoy. Dianna is also particularly passionate about Scent Work is on a mission to promote the idea that ALL dogs should be playing the sniffing game!
