Relaxed Christmas with a dog? It works with these tips

Chocolate , burning candles, ribbon – at Christmas there are dangers for your dog everywhere. And even if visits to or from the family in the Corona year 2020 will probably not be as extensive as in previous years: Many people are always exciting for dogs. So how do you manage to make the holidays relaxed – for you and your dog? Your animal world dog expert Riccarda Kreickmann gives tips.

“We dog people in particular want our dog, who is a family member, with us for Christmas. After all, he is one of them, ”says the dog trainer in the new episode of“ Pet-Talks: Hund ”, the dog podcast from myawesomedoggy.

And so that it works smoothly, you should first think about how you want to celebrate Christmas: In a very small group only with your partner or with the extended family, i.e. with grandparents, uncles and aunts.

Guests at Christmas: Stress for your dog?

For many dogs, the following applies: the more guests, the more exciting and therefore more exhausting it will be for them. Dogs are always the focus, regardless of whether they are intentional or not. “At this point we have to question ourselves very honestly and consider whether you are doing your dog a favor by exposing it to this stress,” says Riccarda Kreickmann. Because how well a dog treats a lot of people who want to stroke them and play with them depends on their character.

The expert advises that a reversal of perspectives can help: “Even if I, as a person, would like to have my dog ​​with me – a dog doesn’t know that it’s Christmas. He doesn’t care about Christmas. ”

So you don’t have to have a guilty conscience to spare a dog who has problems with foreign guests the hustle and bustle. But very important: Of course, your dog also needs his food and his dog walks on Christmas Eve.

Create retreats

But even dogs that get along well with their relatives need their time off with all the mess that the holidays tend to drift into. Dogs can treat themselves to a retreat, for example.

“If your dog is used to a box, it can be such a place of retreat, or simply its blanket,” says Riccarda. “Children in particular can be made clear that a blanket, for example, is the dog’s area and that he wants to be left alone there.”