Anxiety tends to rise around the holidays, but for dog owners, this is especially true. Perhaps you’ve caught yourself muttering the below to yourself on your way to a family gathering:
“What if my dog doesn’t get along with my Aunt’s dog?”
“What if there’s a dog fight?”
“I’ll be so embarrassed if I have to separate my dog from the others.”
“I really hope my dog doesn’t snap at my Grandpa again.”
The good news is that there are steps that you can take proactively to keep both your dog, the other dogs, and members of your family safe during holiday gatherings. Here’s how:
Set Up The Environment for Success:
Gates & Crates!
Yes, this means adding more to your packing list, but managing your dog’s space is KEY to them feeling protected, and not instigated by other dogs. A dog that feels vulnerable, especially in an unfamiliar environment, will be more likely to be triggered and react negatively to high levels of energy, often present around the holidays. A gate to separate incompatible dogs from each other can still allow you to have your dog enjoy the company of family members, and a crate can help your dog decompress if they are feeling overwhelmed.
2. Communication is Key
Communicating with your family members prior to a holiday gathering about how you want them to behave around your dog is an important step in helping your dog feel heard and advocated for. If your dog doesn’t like hands in their face, or if there’s a dog they’ve had an issue with in the past that will be present, make sure that you’re having those conversations before arriving about how to handle things better this time around. Having everyone on the same page will help you keep your dog from feeling like they need to defend themselves in moments of uncertainty.
3. The Leash is Your Friend
Keeping a leash on your dog will allow you to redirect them if they’re looking anxious, fearful, or overwhelmed. Of course, you want to be careful about adding tension unnecessarily which may trigger a reaction in itself, so be aware of your own movements and use the leash purposefully to communicate that you’d like your dog to focus on you, instead of fixating on the environment around them.
Commands to Teach Your Dog Prior to a Holiday Gathering:
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1. “Place”
A raised cot can help you keep your eye on your dog when you’re helping your family members cook, or when you need your dog to settle, especially if there’s a lot of noise, or activity happening.
2. “Down”
Should you not have a raised cot with you, you can also use “Down” as an alternative to “Place”, which has the same effect of being able to manage your dog’s energy and keep them from acting out when visitors arrive or are entering the home.
3. “House”
If you cannot enforce the above commands, then placing your dog in a crate until you can keep a closer eye on them is recommended. This will help to prevent bad habits from forming. For example, a family member, or family member’s dog accidentally triggering your dog to react when you’re not around to advocate on their behalf.
In Closing:
Holidays can often be overwhelming events for our dogs and bring a lot of uncertainty. Being proactive by packing items you may need to keep them safe, occupied, and calm, and communicating with your family members leading up to the day are recommended to mitigate negative experiences from occurring.
Nicolas Angione is the founder and head dog trainer at Hope Gables Canine, based in Fairfield County, CT. Inspired by his own dog's reactive journey and rehabilitation, he left his career behind to become a dog trainer. After years of shadowing other dog trainers in the industry, he started his own practice, which has successfully helped hundreds of dog owners, both domestic and abroad, regain peace and harmony with their dogs. Many of these success stories, dog training tips, and more can be found on their Instagram and YouTube pages.
