How to ensure your dog enjoys the big day
Christmas is exciting and something we look forward to all year. However your dog probably thinks Christmas is a bit strange…. a toilet (also known as a christmas tree) comes into the house but we expect our dog not to wee up it! Suddenly everything sparkles, some men dressed in red shout ‘ho ho ho’ and lots of odd things happen!
Spending some time preparing your dog for the festivities will help to ensure that your dog enjoys Christmas as much as you do! Potter Paws' series of Christmas blogs will help you and your dog prepare.
Not only do our homes become extra exciting with trees, decorations, presents – all super interesting to inquisitive dogs and puppies, we undertake lots of social activities which we expect our dog to take in their stride and enjoy. Having lots of guests at home or visiting someone else’s home can be very strange for dogs resulting in them becoming stressed and acting out of character.
Having Guests at home
If you have lots of family or friends descending on you for Christmas, spend some time preparing your dogs and your guests to ensure everyone can relax and enjoy the day.
Remember that Christmas is quite a stressful time of year, not just for us but for your dog too, so give them plenty of opportunity to relax and de-stress. This could be some some quiet time with a chew or stuffed Kong, enjoying a licki-mat, regular trips to spend time sniffing in the garden or a short relaxing walk.
Are you still looking for the perfect gift for your favourite doggy friend or four-legged Fido?
Potter Paws gift vouchers are a fantastic gift for human or dog to enjoy spending some quality time together in the New Year. Available in denominations of £10 and £25
Buy Vouchers
Treat your dog to one of our Pawsome Parcels this Christmas! Treat your favourite four-legged friend to their very own special delivery, our Pawsome Parcel, a box full of yummy chews for them to enjoy! Follow our Pawsome Parcel Facebook page for chew tips and recipes!
Christmas is exciting and something we look forward to all year. However your dog probably thinks Christmas is a bit strange…. a toilet (also known as a christmas tree) comes into the house but we expect our dog not to wee up it! Suddenly everything sparkles, some men dressed in red shout ‘ho ho ho’ and lots of odd things happen!
Spending some time preparing your dog for the festivities will help to ensure that your dog enjoys Christmas as much as you do! Potter Paws' series of Christmas blogs will help you and your dog prepare.
Not only do our homes become extra exciting with trees, decorations, presents – all super interesting to inquisitive dogs and puppies, we undertake lots of social activities which we expect our dog to take in their stride and enjoy. Having lots of guests at home or visiting someone else’s home can be very strange for dogs resulting in them becoming stressed and acting out of character.
Having Guests at home
If you have lots of family or friends descending on you for Christmas, spend some time preparing your dogs and your guests to ensure everyone can relax and enjoy the day.
- If your dog/guests haven’t met before arrange to meet on neutral ground beforehand, or invite them round for a quiet cuppa in the weeks or months in the run up to Christmas.
- Brief your guests on your dog’s individual quirks and tendencies, especially if either your dog or guests are nervous of one another.
- Tell guest what you’d like them to do when interacting with your dog. Everyone uses different language or ‘cues’ so it’s no good if Uncle Bert keeps telling your dog to ‘get down’ if your dog knows ‘off’ means put feet on floor.
- Give your dog a safe place, either a crate or bed, a quiet room they can choose to go to where they won’t be disturbed. My Mum’s dog, Charlie, always takes himself off to lay in the bathroom when my house is too busy.
- Give your dog some activities to keep him busy, a stuffed kong, a new chew (pizzle or cow’s ears are our favourites) or a food dispensing toy. Remember to tell any little guests to leave your dog alone when he is eating.
- If your dog hasn’t been to the other house before, arrange to pop round for one or two short visits in the run up to Christmas. Ideally with only 1 or 2 people there, so he can get used to the new environment.
- If you are visiting somewhere with another dog, ensure the dogs have spent time getting to know one another before the big day, ideally on neutral ground and then progressing into the home when appropriate. This could need a number of attempts to get it right so don’t wait until Christmas eve.
- If your dog hasn’t met the guests before, brief them on your dog’s quirks and tendencies and how you’d like them to interact, as above.
- Take a travel crate or your dog’s bed with them so they have their own safe space to settle down and go to when they need quiet time.
- Take activities, stuffed kongs, chews and games to keep your dog busy. If visiting another dog’s home, make sure you take enough to share and give each dog their own separate space to enjoy chews etc.
Remember that Christmas is quite a stressful time of year, not just for us but for your dog too, so give them plenty of opportunity to relax and de-stress. This could be some some quiet time with a chew or stuffed Kong, enjoying a licki-mat, regular trips to spend time sniffing in the garden or a short relaxing walk.
Are you still looking for the perfect gift for your favourite doggy friend or four-legged Fido?
Potter Paws gift vouchers are a fantastic gift for human or dog to enjoy spending some quality time together in the New Year. Available in denominations of £10 and £25
Buy Vouchers
Treat your dog to one of our Pawsome Parcels this Christmas! Treat your favourite four-legged friend to their very own special delivery, our Pawsome Parcel, a box full of yummy chews for them to enjoy! Follow our Pawsome Parcel Facebook page for chew tips and recipes!