COLUMN: Christmas – Our fur babies also get excited
Christmas is a celebration for humans and dogs alike so have a very merry Christmas this year and don’t forget to ask Santa for something for you puppy.
• Nadine Whittal, dog trainer writes:
It's time for the holidays and Christmas celebrations are afoot. As our excitement for this time of family, leave and joy ramps up, it appears that our fur babies also get excited. So, do they love Christmas as much as we do? In short, yes, but not for the reasons you think. The meaning of Christmas is most likely completely lost on them but there are a few things that do get them happy.
Firstly, most dogs love attention, the more the better. Family coming over to visit during the holidays only means more attention for them. Adding to that, we are usually taking time off from work during this time which also means we are home more and get to spend more time with them.
Secondly, the holidays equal food. It's probably one of the main things we all look forward to over Christmas. Everyone is gorging on food they wouldn’t usually make and more of it than usual. This just means that our precious little ones have more opportunity to snack on scraps and filch a couple of mistakenly dropped titbits. Whilst this is great fun, please make sure to monitor what food does go into your dogs’ mouth. Chocolate, garlic, onions and a number of other foods can prove to be toxic for our pets.
Thirdly, presents! Children, adults and animals love presents.
So, if you want to get your dog a little something for Christmas there are a few options. Toys are always great fun, the squeakier the better. Dog-safe chews and treats are also great. But far more simple, dogs love to play with cardboard boxes or the cardboard rolls left over once our wrapping paper is finished. As long as you monitor the play and remove the bits and pieces once play is over, there is no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy some fun with your dog.
Now there are a few dogs that reach threshold when there is too much excitement around. Make sure you have a quiet place set aside for them where they can get a bit of rest and they should be fine. All in all, Christmas is a celebration for humans and dogs alike so have a very merry Christmas this year and don’t forget to ask Santa for something for you puppy.
