Christmas is just around the corner, and many of us have spent months preparing for an exciting holiday with all the trimmings. In the festive hustle and bustle, how can we make sure our furry friends also have a merry Christmas? Penny, Coast and Country Canines’ newest recruit, shares her top tips.
1. A Merry Christmas Starts with Familiar Comforts
Dogs thrive on familiar routines, and for them, 25 December is simply another day. This gives you the perfect excuse to enjoy some quiet time outdoors, get some fresh air and walk off the turkey and pudding. No matter the excitement and changes at home, our dogs still need their regular walks, the right diet, a safe sleeping spot, and plenty of sniffs.
If you’re lucky enough to have extra time with your dog at Christmas, you could use it to explore new walks together, socialise with other dogs (if that’s something they enjoy), or try out some fun, new games. There are plenty of novel ways to keep your dog busy and happy during the Christmas season – last year’s festive blog shared some of our favourite ideas.
It’s also kind to give our pups regular breaks from any extra noise, heat, smells, and people in their environment. Knowing your dog’s tolerance levels for all the added excitement (and understanding their communication) will help keep the holiday truly magical for everyone. If you would like to brush up on canine communication and stress signals, Dogs Trust have a handy guide on their website.
2. Formal wear is optional!
It can be very tempting to dress up our pets (we’ve all been there).
Some dogs are used to certain clothing and tolerate it without concern – for example, sighthounds with little body fat and thinner fur often need coats or warm pyjamas. Some dogs enjoy the attention and cuddles that come with wearing clothes. And who doesn’t love a dog in a snood or antlers – but do they love it too?
Beyond the obvious safety and comfort checks, reading and respecting your dog’s body language is essential whenever you add something new to their life, even if it’s a Christmas jumper. This is especially important for experiences that involve excited humans getting close, touching, laughing loudly, or taking photos.
Some dogs will enjoy the extra attention and will show happy body language signals like a calm, mid-height wagging tail, relaxed face and ears.
If, however, they try to get out of the clothing, rub along the ground, hide, shake, or show tension in their face and ears, it’s best to retire the fancy dress and go ‘au naturel’. Which, of course, is just as gorgeous!
3. Involve your dog on their terms
What does your dog truly enjoy? Is it walking, sniffing, playing with their toys, chasing a friend, digging, sleeping, or exploring new places?
Can you pick out the parts of your festive plans that will suit your best friend, and which are better to leave out? The trick is to always think from a dog’s point of view and base your choices on your own dog’s preferences.
For example, you may love the idea of a busy Christmas market with exciting displays, bright lights, friends, music, and delicious food. But how will your dog experience this? Would those few hours be better spent snoozing in a cosy bed after a nice walk with friends in the morning? Your dog’s personality, age, and health will play a big role in deciding which activities to include them in.
Our dogs are part of the family, so let’s share the festive celebrations kindly and make sure that Christmas is magical for them too.
If supervised children are involved in shared activities with the family dog, you may like to check out some top tips to help things go smoothly. You can find plenty of expert advice and resources on the Kids Around Dogs website, as well as in our guest blog from Kids Around Dogs founder, Debbie Lucken.
