Holiday Prep for Your Pup!
Planning on having a party or family gathering this holiday season? These tips can help you get a game plan for your pup.
Management
Management is essential to keep both your dog safe and you from having to constantly be on the lookout for your dog getting into something. Using the following management tools can really help:
Baby gates - Use baby gates either to block off certain areas so your dog can’t get to them or to keep your dog in one area and away from guests. Your dog can still see the festivities but won’t be jumping on people or bothering them for some bites of food.
Crate - If your dog is one that tries to jump gates or doesn’t enjoy seeing lots of guests in their home, but loves their crate, this is a great option. Put your dog in his crate with a treat filled Kong or other safe chew toy. You might even want to play some calming music to help drown out the sounds of the party if that tends to bother your dog.
Leash up - If your dog loves having guests over, but can sometimes jump when they first come in or try to dash out of a door, keeping him on leash and even tethered to you with a hands free leash is an easy way to keep tabs on him. He can be with you and amongst the guests but not able to just run about and jump on people. If he is able to calm down once everyone gets in then you can let him off leash to mingle with the guests.
Keep food away from counter edges - No matter how good your dog is usually around food, all the holiday dishes can be super tempting. Keep the food away from counter edges or on low tables where your dog can reach. Remind guests to do the same and ask them to please not feed the dogs anything. If you don’t think you can trust the guests, then keeping your dog behind the baby gate or in his crate might be a better option.
Talk with your dog’s veterinarian about medications
If your pet does get stressed with guests coming over, whether they become really anxious and bark or hide, or they get so excited it’s hard to get them to calm down, you can talk to your vet about possibly trying some medication for your dog. These medications can help many dogs to relax a bit better. NOW is the time to talk with your dog’s veterinarian. Don’t wait until the last minute. As with people, every dog’s reaction to medications can be different so you want to make sure that the dosage and the time you give it work well for your dog.
If all of this seems like a lot of work, it can be! So know that, if it is easier for you, it is ok for your dog not to be at any parties or family gatherings. Boarding them or having them staying with a friend or pet sitter are perfectly acceptable things. Why put your dog through the stress of lots of guests in the home if it can be avoided altogether? For many dogs, they would rather spend a relaxing evening elsewhere than have a lot of chaos in their home.
I hope these tips have been helpful for you. Need some more help coming up with a holiday plan for your pup? Fill out the form on the Contact page and I can help you and your pup have a successful holiday season!
