With the holidays coming up fast, it is likely you will be experiencing more activity and guests through your home. Depending on your dog’s personality and habits this can be a stressful time for many dogs. Planning ahead and consistency will help make your dog’s experience more pleasant for everyone.
Training BEFORE the Holidays
Even if your dog knows basic commands or behaviors this is a great time to refresh them or start from the beginning depending on the dog. Even with limited time you can easily work in short training sessions a few times a day (5-15 minute sessions) to see results quickly. Work the training into daily life so as to not make it a chore or to alert your dog of change and make it a normalcy in their life. Some behaviors I would recommend working on and strengthening:
Sit/Stay – Sit (and stay) is an extremely versatile behavior. You can use it to teach the dog not to jump on visitors at the door, to sit and allow people to greet him, to stay in one place comfortably while you move about the house, and much more. Train your dog to sit and stay in the places he’s most likely to jump up, such as just inside and outside of the front door, in and out of the car, by your kitchen, living room area, or by the back door.
Go to your place – This is also a wonderful command for dogs that are more boisterous or bother guests at the dinner table or in the living room. Give your dog a place that is “his.” Usually we use a dog bed or mat, or you can use crates as I do with my dogs. Bring your dog to the mat, bed or crate and reward him for being there and laying down/going inside; pair it with a word such as “place” or “crate.” As with the sit/stay, move up to practicing this one with friends and neighbors so the dog has the behavior solid by the time guests will be arriving. Since you want this to be a good experience for your dog, you can give him a nice treat to chew on while he lies on the bed or in their crate. Examples might include a food stuffed toy, a chew stick or something else that your dog loves and can quietly enjoy.
Leave it – Leave it is an indispensable behavior during the holidays. Not only can you use it if the dog decides to go for a delectable human treat on the dining room table, you can also use it on things that dogs are attracted to, such as shiny holiday decorations, holiday plants, and wrapped gifts. Leave it can be generalized to anything once you’ve taught it with food and can help you to tell the dog to move away from something even if you’re at a distance. Another behavior that is often paired with leave it is “drop it” which basically tells the dog to drop an item in their mouths, which is helpful if the dog has grabbed something before you had a chance to use it.
Tricks – Okay, while this may not seem like an important behavior, tricks can be a great thing to teach your dog because it gives him something to do. If you have guests coming over who may be a bit nervous about your dog, even if he is friendly, tricks can be a great way to “break the ice.” A dog seems less intimidating when he can shake, high five, spin, roll over or do something equally adorable. If your guests include children, they will most likely be delighted by these behaviors and may even want to teach the dog some themselves, which can be a fun holiday activity (with adult supervision, of course!)
Management during the holidays
The second part of an effective set up for your dog during the holidays is good management.
Keep your dog comfortable— If you know your dog doesn’t care for guests, have a crate ready for him in a quiet spot, such as bedroom with a closed door. Alternatively, keep him in a place where he can feel comfortable and not interact with guests, such as a bedroom, laundry room or other area that is closed off with a door or baby gate. Never allow people to interact with your dog if the dog isn’t comfortable, as this can increase the anxiety he is feeling.
Provide distractions— Have a variety of items ready for your dog, to occupy his time, while you visit with your guests. This can include food stuffed toys or puzzles, bones, chews, chew sticks and toys. Always give your dog an item such as this in a safe place and supervise any interaction if children will be visiting.
Exercise, exercise, exercise— You cannot exercise your dog enough during these busy times. As the saying goes, “A good dog is a tired dog.” The more physical exercise your dog gets, the less rambunctious when people come to visit, and there’s a good chance after greeting guests he’ll be more than happy to crawl up on his bed or crate and take a nap.
