How To Safely Include Your Dog In Your Holiday Festivities
Can you believe the holidays are here already? It seems like it was just summer, and now we’re getting out our scarves and boots, cementing our holiday plans, and marking our calendars.
We’re also trying to figure out how we can accommodate our furbaby. Do we take them with us, or leave them at home? What if we’re the host for the family feast? It can all get a little crazy.
Our canines can tell that we start acting weird this time of year. Our stress rubs off on them which can create an anxious dog… which ultimately only adds to our stress.
Let’s vow to make this holiday season stress-free! We have helpful tips for how to safely include your dog in your holiday festivities. With these tips, you can plan to have a worry-free holiday season.
Tips For Entertaining With Pets At Home
If you love having guests over but you worry about your dog, make a checklist of all of the things you need to do to keep your dog safe and happy. You have so many other things to worry about when hosting, so a list will help you clear some brain space. Here are some important things you want to keep in mind:
- But first, a pro tip: If you’re worried it’s all still a little too much, have a friend or family member on dog duty.
- Before your guests arrive, take your dog out for a long walk or a play session in the park to get the wiggles out. With the excess energy out, you’ll have a happy dog who is too tired to cause shenanigans. If you don’t have enough time, consider having a dog walker take your dog out.
- Have your dog near you while you answer the door. You may want to keep them on a leash depending on their manners. This gives your dog a chance to greet everyone as they come in. This will also help your dog be less stressed over new people in the house since he has had a chance to sniff everyone as they enter. Do not allow your dog to jump on people, and be sure to reward him for good behavior. This is also a good practice because you will know exactly where your dog is while the door is being opened.
- Have a doggie decompression zone set up. Put your dog’s bed and a few toys in a room he can go to if he gets overwhelmed.
- Keep your dog calm with some soothing essential oils. The Zen Puppy diffuser clips to your dog’s collar. Place a drop of oil in the diffuser, and the calming scent will help your dog stay in a relaxed state of mind no matter where in the house he goes.
- While all the people enjoy a meal or appetizers, give your dog a treat or toy to keep him occupied. This will keep him out from underfoot and also stop any well-intentioned guests who may try to offer your dog forbidden table food. Make it exciting for your dog and stuff the toy with a holiday-themed treat like plain sweet potatoes, carrots, or plain, unseasoned ground turkey.
- Block off your trash cans to keep your pup from going after that tempting post-meal garbage. Cooked bones can splinter and cause an injury, and high-fat, sugary holiday foods can cause stomach upset or worse, pancreatitis.
Tips For Out Of Town Trips With Your Dog
If you plan on heading out to visit extended family, or maybe you’re renting a holiday cabin for you and yours, planning ahead is crucial if you want to bring your pet. Prevent holiday chaos with just a little bit of forethought!
- Make sure your dog’s tags and/or microchip are up to date. If the worst happens and your dog gets out at a rest stop or in an unfamiliar town, you want the best chance of getting your dog back.
- Bring more dog food than you think you’ll need. If you somehow run out and no store has your dog’s brand, you don’t want an tummy incident in your car or hotel room.
- If you are on a road trip, make sure you have your essential oil keychain diffuser. It will help keep you, your dog, and any other passengers in a relaxed state of mind.
- Have your hotel booked in advance. Call your hotel ahead of time to make sure they have your reservation. Many hotels limit the number of pet-friendly hotel rooms available during the holiday season, and lost hotel reservations are unfortunately common.
- Keep your dog on a schedule. This helps things feel more familiar to your dog and helps prevent anxiety.
Tips For Anywhere
- Kick off your get-together with a relaxing bath for your dog. Toss in a Zen Puppy bath bomb and let the lavender essential oil do its work and calm your dog. Your dog will smell amazing, feel relaxed, and look her best for the festivities.
- No matter where you are, have a crate handy if your dog is crate trained. If you are at home and your dog is crate trained, they may want to retreat to their crate to relax. If you are at a hotel or a relative’s house, your dog may be safer in a crate. It will prevent accidents in the hotel room overnight and protect your dog from any dangerous plants or decorations in your relative’s home.
- Make sure you take your dog out for exercise and attention at regular intervals, and don’t just leave them in a crate all day. This is especially important if you are on a multi-day trip and not just overnighting it.
Don’t let the stress of the holiday season get to you. Plan carefully and use helpful tools like essential oils to help promote a chill, relaxing environment for you and your dog.
It’s a no brainer! Check out our shop and learn more about the range of Fido Fizzies bath products and essential oils!