This is often the time of year when us behaviourists get urgent calls for help with a dog’s aggression towards visitors, children, other dogs, or even their owners. Often unexpected, a complete surprise & sad that a happy time has turned bad, with guilt, concern over the dog’s behaviour, concern over any injury inflicted to another being & concern for the dog’s future are usually the story.
Vets also get many emergency calls from owners who discover too late that their pet has eaten something dangerous & is at serious risk of intestinal blockage, or severe illness or death, by eating foodstuffs toxic to them.
Being your dog’s advocate…..to ensure their health, safety & those of other people is paramount & also to ensure they can enjoy the festive season too. E.g. if my elderly, arthritic dog who doesn’t like close contact with other people in general anyway wants her own space, then other people will be under strict observation to leave her alone & not keep trying to go to her private area to try & make friends with her…… if they don’t listen & refuse to respect this………they can go home!
Vets also get many emergency calls from owners who discover too late that their pet has eaten something dangerous & is at serious risk of intestinal blockage, or severe illness or death, by eating foodstuffs toxic to them.
Being your dog’s advocate…..to ensure their health, safety & those of other people is paramount & also to ensure they can enjoy the festive season too. E.g. if my elderly, arthritic dog who doesn’t like close contact with other people in general anyway wants her own space, then other people will be under strict observation to leave her alone & not keep trying to go to her private area to try & make friends with her…… if they don’t listen & refuse to respect this………they can go home!
- Keep all Christmas food out of dogs’ reach – mince pies, Christmas pudding, chocolate, turkey bones / turkey skin, salty hams, blue cheeses etc. – ensure other people aren’t giving your dogs such things as sneaky titbits – it’s not to be brushed off, these things can have serious health implications for a dog, so a vet visit will be necessary.
- Ensure gifts under the tree can’t be accessed by dogs – especially if they may be containing food or chocolate. Avoid also, those awful dog stockings full of brightly coloured raw-hide chews.
- Make a ‘quiet’ area for your dog, so they can go to get away from all the noise & excitement – ensure children do not disturb dogs who are resting or eating, nor put their faces up to dogs, especially those they do not know well.
- Make use of baby gates, playpens & ‘do not disturb’ signs – ensure your dog gets peace & quiet & adequate sleep, but without completely banishing them away.
- Provide your dog with safe things to chew & lick regularly, especially when you’re at the dinner table – e.g. Kongs, or Lickimats stuffed with their own food, and / or lovely treats, so your dog is occupied & to help them feel relaxed & stress-free as possible, amidst all the excitement & temptation.
- Ensure dogs can eat slowly & without feeling under pressure from an ‘audience’ of other dogs or visitors – feed dogs separately in different rooms / areas, in a multi-dog situation.
- If visiting other people’s houses, take your dog’s bedding, so they have a familiar place to rest when they need to.
- Take your dog out for regular walks, to allow some relaxing time away from all the Christmas fuss indoors – if visiting a new area, only let them off the lead, if they have a good, trustworthy recall, otherwise use a longer lead attached to a harness.
- Allow your dog to take their time sniffing – this is a good activity to de-stress, or to search out food treats you can place out for them to find with their nose. Can be done on a walk, or around the house.
- Make use of your lead, to keep your dog settled next to you. Plus, to prevent any jumping up on visitors, or grabbing things from other people such as food, gifts as they are being unwrapped, squabbles with other dogs in the house, & any other potential chaos!
- Observe the body language of your dog & any other dogs in your company – if they are looking stressed, fearful, tail down, avoiding (close) contact, turning head away, stiffened body, lifting lips & showing teeth, growling, barking etc. ….these are all serious clues that the dog is getting pushed too far & a bite could be on its way, if these signs go ignored!
- Please note!!!.....In the above context, a stressed dog who can’t get away from a situation, can still roll over, lifting a leg & looking like it wants a ‘belly-rub’……..mistakenly, the misled human often gets bitten! Please be aware of context & preceding signs.
- If lots of barking is happening, even if the dog is not barking at anything in particular……please take heed & help the dog out – they may be overwhelmed & struggling to cope with the situation – let them go somewhere to de-stress & give them a Kong to help things calm down.
- Please don’t scold, nor punish your dog – they are just trying to cope with all the Christmas chaos we are imposing upon them…..e.g. lots more (perhaps unfamiliar) people in a household, excitement, extra noise, smells of new food, exciting-looking wrapped up gifts, decorations, being too hot, possible pain, tummy ache etc. not getting the regular attention, exercise as usual…… etc. etc.
- Beware of potential trigger-stacking - this is a cumulative build-up of different, sometimes unnoticed, stressors which can then lead to sudden over-reaction / behaviour explosion / behaviour shut-down - or similar detrimental effect on emotional state & behaviour.
- All-in all, have a safe & Happy Christmas!