The vacations are an exciting time of 12 months for dogs and humans alike. Nonetheless, it could possibly even be a stressful time. Sadly, some dogs will feel this stress more strongly than others.
Most of getting your dog ready for holiday guests involves you making some alterations to your house. Brushing up on some essential commands may even help make things easier.
Prepare because we might be explaining how you’ll be able to have probably the most stress-free holiday season yet!
Let’s get right into how you’ll be able to prepare your dog for Christmas and Thanksgiving.
6 Suggestions To Prepare Your Dog For Holiday Guests
1. Get Preventative and Veterinary Care Covered in Advance
Unfortunately, the holidays are a really busy time for vet clinics. This could make it difficult to schedule the appointments that you simply want.
It’s at all times best to get preventative veterinary care out of the best way before the vacation season if you happen to can. This may prevent you from having scheduling issues, and it would also leave spots open for emergency care.
Besides, who desires to worry about going to the vet at Christmas time? Getting this stuff taken care of before the vacations will help reduce your stress. Stocking up on flea, tick, and heartworm prevention can be a superb idea.
2. Polish Your Dog’s Skills on Some Essential Basic Obedience Commands
After all, it could never hurt to practice a few of the basic training commands like stay and leave it, etc.
This is very true before Thanksgiving and Christmas. Brushing up on these skills will help keep your pet secure around common holiday foods and treats. It’s going to also keep them secure around open doors, fireplaces, and dangerous items like glassware.
- Stay
- Leave-It
- Drop-It
- Come (Recall)
- A spot command (Go Lay Down, Go to Your Spot, etc.)
A very good place command and reliable recall are life savers in case your dog escapes onto the road. Meanwhile, commands like stay and leave-It’s going to help keep your dog secure inside the home. Drop-it will be incredibly useful in case your dog picks something up without your realizing it.
It’s a superb idea to start out practicing commands like these not less than a number of weeks before the vacation and particularly within the room where your dog(s) might be staying. This may help you have enough time to make some improvements if that you must.
3. Get Your Dog Used to People Coming and Going
Some dogs get really anxious or excited with the arrival of guests. If this feels like your dog, then following this step might be especially helpful.
It’s a superb idea to get your dog used to the doorbell, knocking on the door, and other people coming into the house. This is very true if you happen to plan on having many guests over the vacations.
Over time repeating these experiences will get your dog used to people coming and going. When your dog becomes desensitized to this they are going to develop into less reactive when individuals are on the door.
It’s best to start out this process as early as possible. This is very true if you may have a dog that is especially reactive to the doorbell. Starting early provides you with enough time to desensitize your dog to people arriving.
In case your dog cannot appear to shake their bad habits, then having a spot for them to go and calm down is best. Doing this can prevent your dog from overwhelming or frightening your guests. It’s going to also prevent your dog from becoming overwhelmed as well. Giving your dog a chew or toy may also help get them through this process more easily.
4. Get Crates and Baby Gates Set Up
Having crates and baby gates arrange will help you separate your dog on the last minute. This is very useful when you may have fluffy guests or young children coming into the house.
Having this stuff already arrange before guests arrive will set you and your pet up for a fun holiday.
Having a secure place to place your dog is superb even for those with dogs that may at all times be well-behaved. In any case, sometimes we just can’t trust our four-year-old nephew to not feed our dog snacks at time for supper.
Crates and indoor gates will also be good tools for separating pets when we want to. This is very true if the pets have never met before. Even with none scuffles, separating pets from time to time will help reduce stress and help them loosen up.
5. Arrange a Comfortable Place for Your Dog to Rest
The vacation season can sometimes feel as stressful as they’re exciting.
Our dogs will often feel this stress as well. Having a secure and quiet place arrange in your dog is an important technique to help them loosen up. Particularly after they begin to feel overstimulated or wired.
Finding a spot that isn’t very busy is best. This could possibly be a house office, a spare bedroom, or perhaps a quiet a part of your front room. An important thing is selecting a spot that’s quiet and comfy.
Place a comfy cave dog bed, some blankets, and a few of your dog’s favorite toys in the world you select. This may help your dog feel more comfortable and make them more inclined to go and loosen up there.
Some dog owners may decide to have their dog’s quiet space be a technique to separate them from others. This will be helpful after they begin to develop into reactive. If so, having a separate room in your dog is best.
Your dog will likely calm down more quickly in a separate room. It is because they can not see or hear the overwhelming stimuli anymore. It’s going to also help reduce barking and other behaviors that may develop into stressful.
6. Remember to Have Fun!
The vacations must be a fun experience to spend with our friends, family, and pets. So, it’s at all times necessary to recollect to have a good time!
Following all of the steps above has helped reduce stress in each dogs and their owners. Not only does this make the vacations more enjoyable, however it makes them safer as well.
