Hosting for the holidays? While you are preparing for your guests, don't forget your dog might need a little help too! While a room full of family and friends can be fun for us, they can be a source of stress for our dogs. Crowded spaces, loud noises, and changes in routine can lead to anxiety or unwanted behaviors. But don't worry - a little preparation goes a long way in ensuring your dog feels safe and comfortable. Here’s how to set them up for success during holiday gatherings.
Create an airlock around the door
Even if your dog normally isn’t a door dasher, the excitement of the day or a guest forgetting to close the front door can pose a safety risk. Use an expen or babygate to create a second barrier around the front door to prevent your pup from slipping out.
Create a safe space for your dog
If you need breaks from talking to your crazy uncle Larry, I can guarantee your dog does too. Set aside a part of the house that is off limits to guests where your dog can retreat to and fully decompress. Pick a part of the home where your dog is already comfortable (like a bedroom or office they already spend time in) and load it up with enrichment items, a cozy bed, and maybe even a pink or brown noise machine.
Be prepared to advocate for your furry family member
Keep an eye out to make sure less pet-savvy family members do not chase, grab, or tease your dog. Also think about your dog’s specific sensitivities - do they not like being touched on certain parts of their body? Intense eye contact? Do they prefer to be ignored? Speak up for your dog so they don’t feel like they need to defend their space. If you have guests that are not great at following instructions, then make sure you help your dog utilize their safe space or lean into your backup plan (see “create a back up plan”).
Meet your dogs exercise/enrichment needs earlier in the day
I know there’s a lot to do the morning of the big day, but don’t skip your dog’s usual exercise routine. If your dog has any pent up energy, that is bound to get used on your guests or getting into trouble. Take a nice long sniffy walk, go for a jog, or play some tug. If you are engaging in high arousal enrichment activities, don’t forget to cool your dog down before your guests arrive by giving them a lower arousal transition activity (think, chewing a bone, licking a licki mat, or using a snuffle mat).
Load up on enrichment activities
Giving your dog something to do other than fixate on guests or circle the table for scraps can help keep them out of trouble. Prepping several frozen licki mats, pupcicles, kongs, snuffle mats, and chewies can help them decompress, stay entertained, and/or distracted during festivities. Please note that if your dog has any history of resource guarding, enrichment items should only be given in a confinement area, away from guests.
Create a backup plan
If your dog looks overwhelmed, guests aren’t following instructions, or there’s a safety or behavioral concern, having a confinement option ready to go and out of the way can help everyone stay safe and relaxed. Make sure to post a “private area/ no not enter” sign for your guests, and leave your dog plenty of enrichment items to keep them relaxed and entertained. If your dog is not used to being confined, this is a great thing to prep for in the week(s) leading up to the holidays. Set aside 15-30 minutes a day to work on confinement training - if this is too difficult for your dog, reach out to your trainer to come up with a training plan.
Does your dog have a history of stranger danger, aggression, or has a hard time being confined?
Be sure to reach out to your trainer to come up with an individualized training and safety plan to make sure you and your dog know how to handle the holidays. The holiday season can be stressful for human and canine alike - we can help!
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