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Each holiday season brings comfort and joy. But more often than none, it can also cause stress for both humans and pets. Visitors and additional food droppings from cooking may excite your dog, while other activities including decorating, changes in feeding schedules and less space can easily cause anxiety.
This Christmas let’s all be mindful of our pets and ensure our holiday does not turn into a nightmare for them. Here is NatuPet’s guide for a calm dog during the Christmas festivities and holiday season.
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Keep the routine going
Try to keep food, exercise, bed and toilet break routines the same as on ordinary days. Just because you are cooking and tasting food more often than usual, does not mean your dog should too. Even if you are busy cooking a dinner for 10, you should not forget to take your dog out for a toilet break at the usual time. Plan ahead to ensure you have enough time to prepare for the festivities and take care of your dog as per usual.
Consistency helps dogs feel more secure.
Tire your dog before the Christmas dinner
Try to tire your dog out before the festivities start. If your dog has less energy, it’ll be less prone to panic during the night and will focus more on resting and minding its own doggy-business. Walking or jogging with your dog an hour before the festivities begin can help it feel more relaxed during the evening.
Reward calm behaviour
Rewarding calm behaviour is more effective than most people think. It reassures the dog that it is doing a good job and it helps reduce any fear or anxiety. If your dog is lying in their bed while you are having dinner with your guests, take a moment to go over and reward them. NatuPet’s CBD Stix can be a great reward. Simply break up a stick into several pieces and give your dog one each time they are calm and quiet.
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Your pet can too benefit from CBD. Because feeling good is not just for humans anymore.
Give your dog a safe retreat from the Christmas noise
Give your dog somewhere cosy and quiet to retreat to if the excitement gets too much. This could even be a separate room where no one will disturbed them. Make sure you leave some toys there to help them associate the area with positive experiences.
Prep your guests
Let your guests know they should be mindful of your dog and not overwhelm it with too much attention and excess food. Make sure you tell me about your dog’s habits so they don’t get surprised or tense around it. If your guests are calm your dog will be too.
Let your dog meet your guests at their own pace. If your dog wants to be in your company, let it join you and don’t ignore it.
Keep an eye on the table
If it smells good to us, it smells even better to our dogs! Unfortunately, most holiday food contains ingredients that can be harmful to dogs. Chocolate and alcohol can be very dangerous for dogs. Nuts, in particular macadamia, can be poisonous, olives are choking hazards, and grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs. Always keep an eye on the food, especially the bits and pieces that fall off the table, and make sure your dog does not have the chance to just eat anything off the floor.
Related articles: Dog Nutrition: which foods are good for dogs?
Above all, make sure all your guests are aware they should not feed your dog any food off the table. A healthier alternative to table scraps are NatuPet’s CBD Oils for dogs with chicken and beef flavouring. As they are specifically designed for your pet’s needs.
Keep a number of an emergency vet on hand in case of accidents or if your pet eats something they shouldn’t.
Make sure the door is closed
When greeting guests at the door, smaller dogs can easily sneak out before anyone notices. Make sure you let your guest in first before you do your festive greetings and keep an eye on your pet in the meantime.
The entire NatuPet team wishes you and your pet a happy holiday season!
