Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve or Fourth of July, any time there are large gatherings and disruptions in our normal routines, there is a potential for a recipe for disaster.
More dogs are lost, injured or end up in the hospital when things get a bit chaotic in our lives. To avoid these potential challenges, I’ve put together a list to help keep your dog safe during even the craziest gathering!
Staying Off the Naughty List
Getting into Things They Shouldn’t
The halls are decked and your puppy thinks your garland and ornaments are for his entertainment. Best solution for a puppy’s first Christmas? Start early and train an incompatible behavior such as Leave It. Click the link here: Leave It! If you’re one of those who leave the training (and the shopping!) until the last possible moment, use management instead. J Put an expen with the panels open in front of the tree to form a barrier so he doesn’t have access to all those exciting baubles! Find one here: Exercise Pen for Dogs
Jumping up on Grandma
The relatives are arriving en masse. Skippy is getting a LOT of practice jumping up on your visitors. What to do? First, make sure Skippy is on a leash before letting visitors. Reinforce Skippy with a high value treat such as chicken or steak, if he keeps his feet on the floor. Check out this video for more tips! Stop Puppy Jumping
I’m bored!
With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it’s easy to find the day has flown by without spending quality time with Daisy. This is the time of year to up the enrichment possibilities for your dog. Food puzzles and chewies such as bully sticks or marrow bones will keep your pup occupied while you finish that last-minute wrapping. Check out our favorite food-stuffing toy! Toppl Food Toy Stuff with kibble mixed with cream cheese or canned pumpkin, mashed banana and chopped apples and freeze to make it last even longer. And for the crafty crowd, check out this list of DIY Food Puzzles for Dogs Note: If your dog is a resource guarder, make sure they have a safe place to enjoy their treat without feeling threatened.
I don’t feel good!
The holidays are filled with lots of novel food and décor, some of which can be highly toxic to your dog. Be aware of what you have in the house and check out this list of Christmas Dangers for Your Dog
Hey! Ralph stole my new Barbie!
Leave It is great as a cue BEFORE Ralph stole the new Barbie. But, if Ralph is streaking down the hallway with somebody else’s new toy, the best option is to have already trained the cue for “Drop It.” Check out the link here Drop It If your dog doesn’t yet have that behavior in their repertoire, the next best thing is to TRADE. Grab a handful of high value treats (not Milk Bones!) and trade the dog for whatever he has in his mouth. If your dog is guarding the item, scatter a trail of treats and pick up the item when he has walked away from it and is concentrating on finding all the goodies that you’ve just sprinkled.
But I’m Not Tired!
All of a sudden, you’ve noticed that Sassy has the zoomies. It’s easy with the hectic holiday schedule to forget how much time we actually exercise and play with our dogs on a daily basis. Setting aside some time in our schedules, even on the busiest days, will ensure that at the end of the day, after all the pie has been eaten, that Uncle Bob won’t be the only one snoozing on the couch at the end of the day. Check out this list of great games you can play with your dog! Beyond Fetch