Get Your Dog Ready for the Holidays
The holidays can be a stressful time. Family coming into town, gifts to buy, events to attend, rearranging your schedule— your dog is bound to feel the stress, too! However, dogs and holidays don’t always have to mean stress.
Read our expert tips to help prepare and protect your furry friends and human visitors this holiday season.
Teach Your Dog to Not Jump on Guests
It can be frustrating or embarrassing to have your dog jumping on your holiday guests. Some visitors may be okay with it, but it’s important to teach your dog to have manners and politely greet everyone who comes into your home.
There are several different ways you can teach your dog to stop jumping on people, but if you feel overwhelmed about where to start, try contacting a professional dog trainer in Fort Myers and the surrounding area!
Properly Introduce Your Dog to Your Guests
If your dog is going to be around new people for an extended amount of time, make sure you introduce them properly. For some dogs, such as a fearful dog, meeting new people can be incredibly stressful.
Confine Your Dog to Their Safe Space at First
While everyone is coming through the door, taking off coats, saying their greetings, have your dog in a space they consider safe. This could be their crate, a special room, anywhere they like to go when they feel scared or overwhelmed to calm down.
Let Your Dog Make the First Move
Some people, especially children, will want to rush your dog the second they see him or her. Ask your visitors to remain seated and continuing your regular conversation until your dog has made the first move.
Keep an eye on your dog’s body language, as well, to get a read on their feelings.
Use Treats
Your visitors can give your dog treats. Without making eye contact with your dog, have your visitor hold out the treats or drop them on the floor nearby.
Don’t Rush the Process
Especially nervous dogs might take time to warm up to strangers. Just remain patient and allow your dog to feel more confident in approaching your visitors.
Stop the Begging
Your dog enjoys a tasty meal just like you do. However, most pet parents and their visitors don’t want to sit down at the table and have their dog staring, scratching, and demanding food. There are two ways you can change your dog’s begging behavior:
- Prevent the behavior to begin with.
- Teaching your dog to do something else while you’re eating.
If you have time before the holidays, option two is great for the long-term. If the holidays have already arrived and you need a solution right now, option one is the simplest.
Preventing the Problem
It’s easy to prevent the problem. You can confine your dog to a separate room during your meal using a baby gate or an exercise pen. Or, if your dog has been properly crate trained, you can put them in their crate while you eat.
If you would like, you can give them treats like a Konk toy stuffed with peanut butter (remembering to choose a xylitol-free brand) or their dinner to keep them busy and quiet.
Teaching a New Behavior
If your dog knows the command “place” or something similar, this is a great time to expand on that. While you’re eating, as your dog to go to their place. When you’ve finished your meal, you can release them.
For help teaching your dog commands, contact the professional dog trainers in Fort Myers at Sit Means Sit.
Holiday Foods to Watch Out For
While you may want to sneak your furry friend a snack or let them partake in your holiday meal with your family, many ingredients are unsafe for dogs to consume. Some holiday foods to steer clear of include:
- Alcohol– a little can cause a lot of damage to a dog’s brain and liver.
- Candy– the sweetener xylitol is used in a lot of candy nowadays and can actually lead to liver failure.
- Chocolate– chocolate contains theobromine, which can be poisonous when ingested by dogs.
- Dairy– dairy can cause digestive issues for your furry friend. It’s best to just leave dairy-laden foods off your dog’s plate.
- Garlic and onions– these can lead to damaged blood cells and anemia.
- Raisins and grapes– even in small amounts, these can cause rapid kidney failure.
- Tukey bones– cooked bones can perforate intestines, sometimes requiring expensive surgery.
For a complete list or to see how a particular ingredient fits into your dog’s diet, please contact your veterinarian.