It’s the Holidays!
Thanksgiving is this week, then a countdown to Christmas with many folks visiting or hosting loved ones!
Holiday gatherings are a ton of fun, but all this excitement for us can lead to stress, overwhelm and poor decisions made by even the most social dogs.
Ultimately we want our dogs (and the friends & family around us!) to have a safe and positive experience, so here are some things to be aware of.
- Compounding Stressors & Routine Change
Dogs crave predictability, they do best when they can figure out what's happening next and adding a bunch of new people and/or dogs and disrupting their every day environment can create stress and overwhelm and can cause our dogs to act out.
These high arousal situations where your attention is pulled in other directions is not the time for your dog to make friends with every person or dog under the roof.
Look for abnormal behavior and watch your dog’s body language - tense body positioning (tight tail wags included!), wide eyes, a tight mouth OR heavy breathing/ panting and eventually growling or barking indicate your dog is uncomfortable and not handling things well.
Focus on guiding your dog to appropriate behaviors and helping them feel comfortable which may mean giving them a quiet, safe space away from the chaos.
- Context is crucial!
Having met your guests before doesn’t mean there won’t be issues in this situation.
Location and age (maturing from puppy to adolescence to adult) can mean a change in social dynamics that changes how dogs interact with others, especially if there is a time gap between a young age and adulthood.
Excitement, inconsistent boundaries and tense moments (this includes overly aroused greetings) can lead to overwhelm and nervousness or more pushy/ demanding behaviors from your dog.
Kids
Just because your dog likes your kids doesn’t mean they’ll like other kids!
Relationship is everything - like humans, dogs will tolerate more from their family.
Forcing relationships/ interactions can result in a bite - Better a safe, if disappointed kid!
Look out for nervousness and don’t allow anyone to put social pressure on your dog.
Allowing anyone to pressure your dog without you proving you can and will handle it, erodes their trust in you and can lead to your dog feeling they need to step in and handle it along with other challenging behaviors down the road.
- Same for other dogs! Stimulation Overload!
Coming/going into another dog’s territory, social dynamics (insecure dogs may feel defensive with overly pushy dogs constantly in their face), combined with high arousal and competing for all tha resources - food, attention, space! - without structure & rules can be a recipe for disaster!
Also watch for tension between housemates with all the excitement and commotion going on.
Having structured protocols and non negotiable boundaries in place for all dogs, can mitigate conflict and doggy drama.
Role play before the party to help your dog(s) practice calm existence in a predictable and controlled way before the festivities.
Tips to help you set you and your dog up for a safe and happy gathering!
When thinking of integrating your dog into a party, I have found these 3 questions helpful in determining whether to invite your pup or tuck them away in a calmer space during the festivities.
1 - Can your dog handle the scenario appropriately on their own?
Have they proven to you that they are capable of making good, well mannered choices when in busy environments full of high energy and arousal?
2 - Can you guide your dog through that situation?
Do you have clear communication and protocols (training, structure, boundaries) in place (for both your dog AND your guests - 2 and 4 legged) to empower you to help your dog make good choices if needed?
3 - Do you want to?
In most exciting scenarios there is a level of management required - Are you willing to give them repeated guidance during the party?
It is perfectly ok to focus on quality time with friends and family without your dog.
If not, no worries!
Have some sort of structure and rules in place with the expectation that all guests ignore your dog initially.
Some dogs can be successful hanging out using the Place command - remember to advocate for their space! - while others may need help behind a baby gate or feel more comfortable in a quiet space away from the chaos like their crate or a quiet bedroom.
Have a safe and Happy Holidays!
xo
-J