Thanksgiving and the Hairy Family Member! Helping your dog survive the family get togethers!
We all look forward to enjoying a wonderful meal with our family on this special Holiday. There usually is one family member that is either noticed and enjoyed or noticed and dreaded. You know the type; they greet you at the door with total love and enthusiasm! They can not wait to grab the goodies you brought for the host and guests. They always force themselves between people demanding attention and sticking their nose EVERYWHERE! And every time the door bell rings it begins all over again! The greeting, the food snatching and then the nosiness! Oh, and the thing that usually tops it all off is the way they give each guest a whole hearted slobbery kiss while putting their paws on the perfect outfit that particular guest picked just for that special day! YUCK!
If this rings a bell or sounds like your past Holiday then here are some tips that you may find helpful!
Keep your dog?s ability and tolerance levels in mind. If he normally goes crazy whenever the doorbell rings then maybe finding a way to occupy him while guests arrive is a good idea. Dogs do what works for them. Holidays really offer great opportunities to practice doorbell behavior we all get frustrated by. Consider these options for your enthusiastic furry family member!
Ideas for entertaining your furry friend for the Holiday:
1. Stuff a Kong with yummy stuff and freeze ahead of time.
http://www.kongcompany.com/how2use.html has great information.
2. Consider a good exercise session in the morning prior to the
arrival of guests.
3. Respect your dog’s boundaries! If they are showing signs of
stress allow them a quiet spot to indulge in a frozen stuffed Kong or other goodie alone away from the crowd. (Adding white noise or a radio can also help them.)
4. Give your dog a time out if they are being overly barky, jumpy
or out of control. Time outs are most effective when done in a calm and consistent manner.
5. NEVER LEAVE ANY CHILDREN WITH YOUR DOG OR ANY OTHER WITHOUT
SUPERVISION! It takes a second for an accident to happen. Prevent it!
6. Utilize a crate or locked room if your dog is not the partying
type. Respect who your dog is and do not force a situation.
7. Always keep in mind that not all dogs tolerate all foods. Changes in diet may result in unwanted carpet decorating later!
Most of all! Have a safe and fun Thanksgiving with your entire Family!
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jen@familypaws.com
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