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The holidays are often a time when we get together with friends and family, we may be having more guests over than we normally do and there is often a buzz of excitement in the home. If you have a dog that may be reactive, this can become a tad stressful. After many years of working with dogs and their humans, the holidays often result in situations that are not fun, such as a dog bite or stressful behaviour. Dog reactivity during the holidays is not fun. In this post, I thought I'd share what I can to hopefully make the holidays less stressful for you and your dog.
Guests In Your Home Or Visiting Friends/Family
Having a plan is vital if you want to make sure that things go smooth during the holidays. If your dog has reactivity towards people or has anxiety in social situations, here are some things to keep in mind.
Assess whether your dog can handle the situation you are putting them in. If you think it will be too overwhelming reconsider OR have a plan for your dog to not partake. Can they stay with a friend or family member, a pet sitter you have pre-vetted or a boarding facility? No, this is not ideal however, if it will be more stressful for your dog, and you, is it really worth it?
Meet outside first and go for a little walk first. This can often result in our dogs being less defensive vs a stranger or someone they don't know well entering their safe space or entering a home they are not familiar with. It gives them time to assess the person as well and feel more at ease.
Discuss with the vet.
Many dogs will benefit from having something on board that reduces anxiety for stressful situations. This can set your dog, and you, up for success ahead of time.
What if things take a turn for the worse?
Always have a Plan B. Have some place your dog can go whether it's a bedroom or you have a back up plan such as your partner taking your dog to your family members house. Just make sure you aren't stuck in a situation that is stressful and possibly dangerous for you, your dog or your guests
Give your dog breaks from the excitement.
Going for short walks to break up visits, utilizing a bedroom or quiet area in the home and giving your dog a bully stick or a snuffle mat will help them regulate their stress levels. Just don't wait until they are stressed, be proactive.
Use a white noise machine.
Your dog will likely be more on edge if you are not staying in your own home or if you are staying somewhere else and a white noise machine can block out any sounds of movement in the home while you are trying to sleep.
Be realistic with what you're expecting from your dog. If you don't normally have guests over and all of a sudden you're having a Christmas party with several guests, food, and festivities, is it fair to expect your dog to be mellow and accommodating if we have not prepared them? If your dog is not a great traveller and we are planning to do this for the holidays, have we prepared them to the best of our ability?
I'm hoping some of these tips help you in some way over the holidays and you enjoy your time with your dog, friends and family.