The tree is set up, the stockings have been hung, and the countdown to Christmas has begun. The holidays are a fun time of year not just for us, but also for our dogs. Is there anything cuter than a puppy’s first Christmas?
There are more people, more food, more interesting things to play with—more of everything. There are also several ways for things to go horribly wrong! Fortunately, a little forethought may go a long way toward keeping your puppy out of mischief.
Our tips on how to welcome guests, deal with treats, and give gifts will help ensure that your puppy’s first Christmas is memorable in a nice way.
Meeting Guests
Whether your dog loves them or despises them, they can add to your stress over keeping your pet on their best behavior during the holidays.
How To Assist A Friendly Puppy Welcome Visitors
- Inform your guests that you will be leaving the door open and that they must wait until they hear you say “Come in!” before entering.
- Before guests come, keep your pet on a leash.
- Tuck the leash end beneath their harness or collar to prevent it from dragging on the floor.
- Untuck the leash and hang on when the doorbell rings.
- While your guest enters, stand away from the door but with a clear view of it.
- If your puppy pulls too hard or hops about, back up a few steps, wait until they are comfortable, and then again.
- Repeat until your puppy arrives peacefully at your guest’s feet.
- Once your dog has welcomed your visitor and they have had a chance to settle down, tuck their leash again and release them.
How To Help An Anxious Puppy With Guests
If your puppy is frightened around new visitors, interacting with them as soon as they walk through the door is unlikely to be considered a reward.
Indeed, a frightened dog may bark and rush at a visitor if they feel threatened. Making a nervous dog feel safe and secure is the key to helping them be comfortable with guests.
Keeping your nervous pet on a leash when guests come may aggravate the problem. Instead, make your anxious puppy feel at ease by doing the following:
- Create a pleasant, dog-friendly area in another room.
- Incorporate white noise or classical music.
- Provide a well-stuffed puzzle toy or chewy.
Some dogs will perform better if they can see humans approaching from a safe distance (for example, through a baby gate closing off another portion of the home). You can choose which is a better fit for you.
Allow your visitors to join you once all of your guests have come and your dog is calm. Never coerce your anxious dog into attending a party!
Instruct visitors to remain seated and not make eye contact or reach out to your dog, at least at first. When your dog has had a chance to inspect your visitors, have them toss treats to your pup.
Giving Your Pup Treats
An emergency trip to the vet is one of the surest ways to ruin your Christmas holiday. Onions and garlic, as well as chocolate, raisins and grapes, macadamia nuts, avocados, chicken and fish bones, alcohol, and caffeine, are poisonous to dogs and can cause everything from stomach discomfort to burst red blood cells to organ damage.
Bloating
Another typical Christmas doggie disease caused by overindulgence is bloat. Bloat, a condition in which the stomach twists and fills with gas, can lead to breathing difficulties or the rupture of the stomach or spleen.
It is particularly prevalent when a dog has consumed excessive amounts of alcohol or food and then engaged in a high-energy activity. Bloat is most common in large-breed adult dogs, although it can afflict puppies of any size or age.
Stick to your routine
While it’s challenging not to give your puppy a little something extra during the holidays, sticking to their normal meal routine is the best way to keep them safe.
If you can’t say no, stick to small pieces of boneless meat and simply cooked potatoes or green vegetables, as long as they have not been prepared with garlic or onions.
With delicious Christmas gifts for cherished friends and family members, including delicacies catered to each pet’s specific likes and needs, Vitakraft is celebrating the relationship between families and dogs this season.
Vitakfraft makes the ideal stocking stuffer or holiday present, catering to all animal lovers, from the cutest hamster to the most chatty of birds, and from lively kittens to devoted dogs.
Tell your guests that your dog isn’t permitted to eat human food since they will be unable to resist their wide-eyed pleading. (Providing your dog with Vitakraft treats should make everyone feel good about the interaction.)
Gifts Sharing Around Your Puppy
Gifts are an essential part of the festive season and in the presence of all of those nicely wrapped boxes; it’s a question of whether your puppy’s instincts call for them to be naughty or nice.
Opening presents, especially if there are kids in your house, poses the biggest challenge. Expensive, thoughtfully chosen presents—especially if they have small pieces—are like kryptonite for pups who are likely to think that anything placed on the floor belongs to them.
Most of the stuff left in the center of the floor certainly actually belongs to them (toys, chewies, balls, and so on). Things left on the floor during present unwrapping may not only constitute a choking hazard this month, but they may also result in some significant tears!
And it’s not only the gifts themselves that might be problematic—wrapping, which can range from sparkling paper to ribbons and bows, can be hazardous if your dog tries to eat it.
