Hey Woofa’s,

There’s 5 days until Christmas Day!

Ideally people have an idea by now what they’re doing for Christmas Day!

If you’re hosting Christmas Day, you really need to consider your dog’s needs as well.

I’ve put together a check-list of things to consider regarding your dog.

Christmas Day Safety Check-list for your Dog!

a) If you’re hosting Christmas Day & your Dog is not social!

• Make sure your dog has somewhere safe to stay for the day, away from guests.  It needs to be in a well ventilated area or room with someone checking on them.  With food and water also available to them.  If possible, you could send them to someone else’s place for the day.

• The importance here is that your dog feels safe.  Your dog may want to get patted for a while and then take off to it’s safe area away from people.

• Guests tend to ignore that the dog isn’t social and still may try to pat them!!  If your dog doesn’t want this but people insist on patting them, then unfortunate incidents could occur!  Your goal is to avoid this.

• If your dog isn’t use to being around screaming yelling kids, or kids hitting them, pulling tails etc then your dog could react in a way to get them to stop.  To avoid this, separate the kids from the dog by putting the dog in a safe place away from the chaos.

• The most important thing is to know your dog, read their body language and stay vigilant.

b) If you’re hosting Christmas Day & your Dog is overly social !

•  If your dog is overly social and your guests don’t really like that, then have somewhere your fur baby can retreat to.

• Bring your dog out on a lead to say hello to everyone, and give them a sniff.  Then put them in an area so people can eat and be merry not worrying about your dog jumping all over them.

• It’s also a good way for guests not to overfeed your dog while they’re eating.

• Being a responsible dog owner means knowing your dog’s body language, and watching them interact with kids.  As well as, making sure kids are not tormenting your dog either.

• Your dog might be fine with your kids, but other kids are a different story.  Your dog doesn’t know them as well.  Other kids don’t know your dog either, and this is where things can go wrong if people aren’t watching them both interact.

c) If you’re hosting Christmas Day & Your Dog is fine!

• The next thing on the list is, if your dog is wandering around your guests looking all cute, that they don’t over feed them.

• Your dog could end up sick, so make it clear to everyone not to over feed your fur baby, no matter how cute they look.

•  If your dog is in a no child home and people are coming over with kids, stay on the look out, always have someone in charge of watching the kids and the dog.

• Read the dog’s body language and make sure the kids aren’t tormenting the dog.

• Again, make sure the dog can escape the noise and people, by giving them somewhere safe to go.

d) If you’re hosting and someone else wants to bring their Dog!

• If the dogs already know each other and have interacted before and are fine, then by all means!

• However, if they haven’t met before, throwing them together amongst a party is not the best way to introduce them.

• It’d be better to have had an introduction before Christmas day.  Take them for a walk together first, then try them at the house Christmas Day will be held in.  If your dog isn’t use to another dog coming into their territory it could get ugly if not handled properly.  This is the last thing you want to be dealing with on Christmas Day.

• If you’re asked this question, make sure measures can be put in place so EVERYONE can have a good and safe day.  Is there somewhere seperate each dog can go so they’re not in each others face all day?  Are they food aggressive, you don’t want to be feeding dogs around each other if they are.

• Before YOU do the asking, make sure you’re aware of the situation you’re putting both dogs in.  Discuss it with the owner of the other dog before just turning up with your dog.

e) If you’re leaving your fur baby at home!

• This goes without saying, make sure they are safe, have plenty of food, water and shelter from harsh weather.

• Don’t leave new toys, wrapping paper, ribbon, presents, food/ chocolate etc laying around that your dog might decide to snack on or destroy.

• If there’s local fireworks going off in the evening, and you know you won’t be back, make sure your dog has a safe haven to retreat to.

• If you know your dog doesn’t handle fireworks well or being left alone, then you may have to make it back to be with them, or arrange someone to check on them.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Whether your dog is social or not, don’t set them up for failure this Christmas Day.

Refrain from putting them in situations or environments they aren’t familiar with.

Take note of any changes in your dog’s behaviour.  This is the first indicator that something isn’t right for them!

Is it too many people, too much food, have they been bitten, are they over heated, are kids tormenting them, or are they too loud?

WATCH BOTH KIDS AND DOGS AT PARTIES.

Hopefully this Christmas Day Safety Check-List for dogs (and kids) will help you and your family have a relaxing and fun Christmas Day.

IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – BILLY WOULD LOVE TO KNOW – WHERE YOUR DOG WILL BE SPENDING Christmas Day?