Helpful Hints to Get Your Dog Through the Holidays Unscathed

For many of us, the holidays are a time for gatherings, decorations, celebrating and imbibing.  These same things that make the holidays fun (albeit sometimes stressful) for us, however, can become easily overwhelming to our dogs.  To make the season merry and bright for all, follow these tips and you’ll soon be skiing smoothly right into the New Year…

Santa:

Many of us like to get our pup’s photo taken with Santa – but if your dog isn’t used to public places, being in close quarters to other dogs while waiting for their turn, or jolly people with beards and a chuckle, visiting Santa Claus can be a lot of work for that one little picture!  Be sure to give your dog some space to acclimate and to decide if he wants to sit on Santa’s lap (or not).  If your dog is stressed, see if Santa would be willing to get down on your dog’s level for the photo.

​Guests:

Hosting parties and having people over can be overstimulating for some dogs, especially if you are not a frequent entertainer and your dog is not used to so many people being in his home. To keep the crazy from coming out of your dog (whether due to excitement or stress), follow these tips to make holiday gatherings at your house a success for all.

If possible, have your dog meet guests outside where it’s less cramped than in a doorway.  If your dog tends to get uncomfortable or overexcited with new people coming into his space, you might try going for a brief walk with your dog and your guests in the yard or down the street.  If your dog is nervous, give your guests plenty of tasty treats to give to your dog so he can think they’re actually quite awesome!  If your dog is overexcited, give your dog plenty of praise and reinforcement (including high value treats) for being with you rather than trying to jump on your guests.

If it’s not possible for your dog to meet guests outside, keep him separated in another room away from the door when guests arrive so he cannot jump or mouth at them.  You may give him something else fun to do, like a frozen stuffed Kong or a special bone to enjoy.  After a while of seeing and hearing the guests at a distance, you can take your dog out of the room (perhaps on leash at first) and gradually introduce him to guests one at a time.

If there’s a lot of activity going on in your home, it may become too much for your dog to handle.  Be sure your dog has a safe space to retreat to for peace and quiet if he chooses.  Or, you may give him the break he needs by putting him in another room with a nice chew or special toy so he can decompress and calm down.   Return to him occasionally to check on him and let him know he’s being a good dog.  Give him some fun treats when you leave again so he feels comfortable not being part of the party.

Gifts:

It’s tradition – many of us wrap gifts and stick them beneath the tree for our loved ones to open on Christmas Day.  When it comes to children’s toys, there are all sorts of novelties out there - some that are quite confusing or stimulating for a dog.  Animated toys that dance and sing, model cars and Legos that come with small parts, and video games that make loud noises or have kids jumping around.  Any household with kids will have these occurrences on a regular basis, but during holiday time it tends to be more intense.  Add in more guests in the same small space, children squealing with delight, wrapping paper strewn across the floor, trying to play with multiple toys at once, and more children than normal in your home (that your dog may not be used to even if they are fully comfortable with your own children), and gift-opening time could be a recipe for disaster.

If you have a busy household during gift-opening time, it’s best to have your dog relax in another room.  He’ll be less likely to get stepped on or pushed aside and he won’t be right there to feed into the frenzy if children are anxious or squealing with joy about the gifts they receive.  He also won’t have to deal with the frequent flashes that come along with taking photos and the chaos of multiple things happening at once.  Once gift-opening time is over, your dog can be reintroduced to the party.

Holiday Food Items:

The holidays bring all sorts of goodies!  There are some gifts that may not be appropriate to put under the tree when we have dogs in the house – such as chocolate and gift baskets containing food items or gingerbread houses on display.  We may think our dogs won’t touch them or that they are wrapped securely, but time and time again dogs show us that they can find their way through some major obstacles (windows, crate doors, cabinets, etc) to get to the object of their affection.  So even if your food gift is secured like Fort Knox, it may be in your best interest to keep these items out of your dog’s reach if you want to ensure they will make it to the holiday exchange (and keep you out of the vet hospital and your dog in good health).

Many of us do a lot of cooking and baking during the holidays, making kitchen counters more tempting and meal-time more intense.  If you do your famous holiday baking, keep items out of reach of your dog by storing them in the fridge or in cabinets rather than on counters, and do not keep candy dishes full of goodies on coffee tables or endcaps for your dog to ravage when nobody is watching.  If alcohol is part of your celebration, be sure not to leave cups unattended at your dog’s level and please (I hope this goes without saying), do not give your dog any celebratory alcoholic beverages!  Beer, wine and especially hard liquor can wreak havoc on your dog’s digestive system and could even be fatal, as their kidneys and liver were not designed to process these substances!

If you have a lot of children around the dinner table, it may be in your best interest to keep the dog in another room while you eat.  This way he cannot succeed by eating dropped food off the floor or getting snarly when a child (or adult) tries to stop him from getting to it.  Even if your dog does not usually resource guard against food, with the added stimulation and stress of the holidays, the pressure is on.  More pressure means more agitation and a higher chance that a miscommunication can occur.  It’s best to avoid these situations by keeping your dog separate from holiday meal time.  He won’t practice bad behaviors and you will be able to eat your holiday meal in peace! (hopefully)  A win-win for all!

New Places - Visiting Family:

If you are traveling to visit friends or family during the holidays and taking your dog with you, set him up for success by bringing his “doggy bag” of items, including: his crate, a blanket or towel, food, special treats that he doesn’t get often (higher value), his favorite toys, some chews (like bully sticks or bones) or frozen stuffed Kongs to keep him occupied, a long line, his regular leash, and his food and water bowls.  These will enable you to have everything you may need to ease him into this new experience and make him feel more at home.

When you first arrive, give your dog a chance to scope out the yard and house with you there to help him understand (in a positive way) the boundaries and rules.  Make sure he has a safe space to go to as he needs to relax (this is where having his crate and familiar items in a quiet room will help him acclimate).  If there’s a crowd, introduce him to people a little at a time rather than all at once.  For some dogs, it will help them feel more secure to be with you, so having them on leash or gated into the room you’re in may help.  If you notice signs that your dog needs a break, take a few minutes to play with him in another room or take him for a short walk.  Sometimes we get so wrapped up in family that we forget the needs of our fur-family too!

If he will be meeting another dog, introduce them outside of the house to give both dogs a chance to accept one another without territoriality playing a part.  I recommend going for a brief walk together up and down the street, then in the yard, then gradually working your way into the home.  Give both dogs a chance to have separate spaces inside the home as well so one doesn’t ever feel threatened by the other.  For more tips on introducing dogs in a way that is pressure-free, see my article “Introducing Fido to Rufus: Dog-to-Dog Greetings, Pressure-Free!”.

Taking these things into consideration will help your dog have an easier time this holiday, which will hopefully allow you to enjoy it more as well.  The holidays are a time for togetherness and for many of us, our dogs deserve to be part of that – they are our family, after all!  Best wishes for a delightful holiday and a bright new year ahead!