The holidays are a wild time for all of us, regardless if you are traveling or hosting. Your typical routines are gone, and when your routines change, your dog’s routines do as well.
Luckily, there are a number of ways that you can prepare your dog(s) and set them up for success this holiday season.
HOLIDAY TIPS AND TRAINING FOR YOUR DOG
TRAINING
Not only does training help your dog’s behavior overall, but it also helps to keep them safe.
Some of the most important cues to teach your dog include:
- Stay
- Come
- Leave It
- Place
Related: Best Dog Gifts & Gifts for Dog Lovers + Dog Moms & Dads
STAY
With packages coming to the door, neighbors stopping by, and friends and family in your home, the door is open a lot! Having your dog stay can prevent door bolting, jumping on guests, and more (leave it is also super helpful with these things, but we will cover that later).
Here is a clip from the FREE training program, 30 Day Perfect Pup with Zak George for some tips.
For more information on getting your dog to stay, including getting them to stay with distance, duration, distractions, and all three combined (this is the last step) download the free dog training app here.
COME WHEN CALLED
Teaching your dog to come when called is another really important skill your dog should learn. But it can be frustrating when it seems like your dog is only listening to you at times.
Some reasons your dog may not come when called include:
- They are distracted by their surroundings
- Your tone suggests that they may be in trouble
- The thing they are doing seems more rewarding to them
- They are having fun and they don’t want it to end
- They don’t understand what come means - this is most often the case!
Here are some tips from Zak George for teaching your dog to come.
For more tips from Zak on coming when called, go here.
LEAVE IT
When it comes to safety, this is super important! It communicates with your dog(s) what things they can or cannot engage with. This may include dropped food, food on the counter, or even your holiday decorations.
To teach your dog to leave it, especially when it comes to holiday decorations, watch this video.
PLACE
If you are cleaning, eating, greeting guests, or unwrapping presents, with practice and consistency, the place becomes a place of calmness and self relaxation regardless of what is going on around them. Teach your dog to go to their place here.
Related Reading: How to Greet a Dog
GIVE YOUR DOG TIME TO DECOMPRESS
One thing that is often forgotten over the holidays, is giving your dog time to decompress. This may just be putting them in their crate or putting them in a separate room. If you have guests over, this can be especially helpful. Check out these tips on preparing your dog for holiday guests.
During this time (and throughout the day), giving your dog mental enrichment is also super important. It will work their brain, help improve calmness and their behavior, and keep them engaged.
For more training help, the Pupford App gives you free and premium content to help guide you through your journey as a pup parent.
"This dog training has been a life saver. Charlie and I both love our training time every morning. As a human mom with zero puppy training experience, they do a great job equipping me to train and build a strong relationship with my new puppy. Thanks so much!" - Britt S
Related Reading: Dog Holidays Calendar
