Is your dog on Santa’s nice list? Teaching dogs good manners at parties

With the holiday season upon us, many pet parents are planning to get together with friends and family for fun holiday parties. Note that while you may be ‘Deck the Halls’ ready, your four-legged friend may not be. Jingle Bells, Figgy Pudding, and Tannenbaum create the perfect recipe for bad behavior. The family dog ​​is probably not used to having a lot of guests and cheer, so he might be tempted to take action, if you are not prepared. So, if you’re stressed about how to handle Fido from stealing from the table, take out the trash, beg, jump, and whine, then ‘Rest up, happy gentlemen (and ladies)’; Santa isn’t the only one with a list this year.

Check out the following simple ways to help ensure your dog is behaving his best and is the perfect host this holiday season.

  1. Tire him out
    A tired dog is a good dog. In all the preparation for your holiday party, it’s easy to forget how important it is to exercise your dog. Remember, a bored and restless dog can become ‘bad to the bone’. Make it a high priority to take your dog for a long walk or run around the yard with him. With all the preparation and attention to detail that you’re doing to make your party perfect, having an injured dog with pent-up energy could spoil all the work. On the day of your party (before the guests arrive) exercise your dog so he can get everything out of his system. Dogs that are taken for regular walks, runs, or hikes will not need to release pent-up energy by chewing, begging, or barking. This means that they will behave better and be more relaxed, so you can be too.
  2. Keep him busy
    Make sure you have plenty of your dogs’ favorite toys, treats, or bones, which you KNOW will keep him busy. Toys that mentally stimulate your dog will not only keep him busy, but mental stimulation will help tire him out. If your dog is a Kong lover, try stuffing a Kong or two with peanut butter and putting them in the freezer, this will keep your dog busy for a while! Food dispenser toys are also great options.
  3. Practice good behaviors
    It is never too late to reinforce and practice good behaviors. Get your dog started today with a refresher course on basic commands (sit, lie down, stay, wait, let him, etc.)! As always, make sure you have high-reward treats on hand. Also, be prepared on the day of your party or gathering with a good supply of those high-reward treats so that you can continue to reward your dog for good behavior.
  4. Have a backup plan
    Even the most well-mannered dogs can forget their manners with all the excitement and distractions of the Christmas holidays, so having a plan B is important. If your dog can’t curb his enthusiasm, put him in his crate, behind a baby gate. , or maybe we have a tie. If you have to separate your dog, give him something really special to keep him busy. If your dog normally eats hard biscuits in a Kong, filling them with a mix of high-quality dog ​​food and mashed sweet potatoes will be especially exciting.
  5. Assign doggy duty
    In the hustle and bustle of the day, it is important that your dog is properly cared for on vacation. Recruit and assign a family member or friend to help you keep an eye on your little four-legged host. They can help keep you in line, restrict guests giving overly generous food, and take your dog for potty trips and short walks.

So do not worry. With a little preparation, practice, and lots of consistency, your dog’s good manners will impress your guests (and Santa, too) so much that both of you are sure to earn your spot on the “GOOD LIST” this holiday season.

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