Have a festive Christmas with family and dogs. Here are a few tips!

Christmas time

The festive period is upon us again, and what a fantastic time of year to be with your family and dog, who is part of the family. Like bonfire night, starting planning for your dog is a good idea.

Management

Inevitably, everyday routines tend to be disrupted during the festive season; however, dogs still need consistency and can be overwhelmed by too much change, so getting your dog exercised can help, especially before visitors arrive. Start crate training your dog months before Christmas Day. (Don’t just put your dog in a crate if they are not crate trained); crates can be very useful, especially for nervous, anxious dogs, having lots of visitors coming and going, and noise can be extremely overwhelming for some dogs, so the crate can be somewhere your dog can decompress. Baby gates put in place can be helpful if you don’t want to use a crate for your dog. Baby gates can also keep your dog safe, especially if someone accidentally leaves a door open. Accidents can happen if visitors are coming and going. You may have children visiting, and you can’t supervise everyone; the baby gate in place or crate will keep your dog and your children safe.

We all like a little drink at Christmas but remember the dog. People can look different, act differently, and smell different, so some dogs could get anxious in this situation, especially nervous dogs. Another good reason for your dog to be in a safe place where your dog feels comfortable and happy.



How will I know if my dog is stressed?

Lip licking
Yawning
Panting
Pacing
Whites of eyes showing
Lowered posture
Ears and tail tucked
Stillness/stiff
Shaking
Avoiding

Keeping my dog occupied.

What can I give my dog to keep him occupied when visitors are here? Invest in some enrichment food puzzles, food-stuffed Kongs, and lick mats. You can also try freezing your dog's food-stuffed Kong, so it lasts longer.

Food

We all know at this time of year, some dogs can end up at the vet because they have had food that is toxic to them, or they have had too much leftover Christmas food or awful dog stocking treats, or maybe your dog has counter surfed all the foods your dog wouldn’t usually get, and this can lead to your dog being sick, this is where your dog being behind a baby gate or crate can be a lifesaver. Try to ensure your food is out of reach so your dog can’t get access to it. I recommend sticking to your dog’s regular diet over the Christmas period, and if you are giving treats, try giving natural treats only. It is a clever idea to have a Probiotic Paste supplement for diarrhoea handy in case your dog gets it over the holidays. JP’s Natural Pet Supplements Probiotic Paste contains probiotics, prebiotics, and toxin-absorbing bentonite clay.

Calming
Some dogs may benefit from a natural calming supplement because you will have visitors arriving in the home. If you are going to use a calming supplement, start at least three weeks before Christmas. See JP’s Natural Calming Supplements.

What can owners do to help anxious dogs?

Every dog is different, so dogs can react differently to different situations.

Some products that may be useful

Thunder shirts or anxiety raps, which for some dogs reduce anxiety.
Organic lavender spray
CD classical music
A safe place where your dog is happy and comfortable. This could be a crate, behind a baby gate, or a room your dog likes to go.
Adaptil calming diffuser
Food enrichments and puzzles.

Merry Christmas 🎄 🐾🐾🩷

 Justine Shone