A: The holidays are a busy time for most of us. Friends and family come and go, delicious aromas waft through the kitchen, deliveries are made to the door, and a general happy hubbub means that something special is going on. Your dog has no idea why this is happening, but he does know that he is VERY excited!
Some dogs may love the change of pace. Other dogs find this to be a confusing and stressful time. Your normally placid dog may suddenly begin to exhibit unusual behaviors, such as stealing food, jumping up on people, or growling or snapping at visitors. You need to communicate to your dog that while his world may be different, you will continue to keep him safe and secure.
If your dog is already well-socialized dog, he is comfortable meeting and being with others. Insecure dogs, on the other hand, may lash out when they are in situations that make them uncomfortable. Here are some suggestions to help calm your dog and keep everyone in the home safe during the active holiday season:
1. In a household with no children, dogs may not be happy when kids come to visit. The chaos created by grandchildren, for example, will raise the energy level in the house, causing the dog to stress out. Always supervise kids (especially very young children) and dogs when they are alone together. This is when most dog bites to children occur.
2. Dogs need to have their own safe place where they feel secure and calm. If your dog doesn’t already have a place of his own, create one for him, such as a crate, pet carrier, or a room with the door closed. Direct your dog to go there when you need to set boundaries, especially if he is getting underfoot or begging for food.
3. Older dogs may not enjoy the extra hustle and bustle of the holiday season. They usually don’t like their routine to be disrupted. Remind children to leave him alone. If your elderly dog gets cranky around guests, take him to his special quiet place.
4. A knock on the door can be a stimulating event for a dog. If he explodes with excitement at the sound of the doorbell, or sometimes dashes out the door and runs into harm’s way, help him be calmer by exercising him prior to the arrival of guests. For everyone’s safety, have him in a secure place or keep him on a leash when answering the door. Teach him to Sit and Stay on command, and don’t open the door until he does so.
By anticipating how your dog might react to new activities and visitors, you can help ensure that everyone has a fun and safe holiday season.
Rachel, what do you think about as a boost to calmness, getting your dog some extra outside time? It seems that there are at least two common scenarios over the winter holidays along the exercise theme. 1 Too busy to take dogs out per normal schedule getting big dinners ready and tending to company. And 2, we’re frequently not home over the big week, parties and tree trimming etc.. Possible solutions: (if humanly possible) get your nephew off of the Xbox 360 for twenty minutes and have him take the dog around the block. As for being out and about, grab a neighbor for a favor to take the dog out once or twice extra. Or make a special gift to your dog, check out a local dog walking service.
Wonderful advice, Shannon. I especially love the idea of persuading the nephew to brave the great outdoors and take the dog for a walk. Everyone benefits, especially the dog!