Top tips for surviving Christmas with your dog

If you asked people what happens at Christmas many would tell you that they eat too much and they get stressed out by visiting family.

That’s a good starting point for what to consider for your dog.

Food

We tend to overeat at Christmas and also eat lots of rich food.  Giving your dog a few extra treats will not do him any harm but obviously don’t go crazy. He may be a canine dustbin and therefore be okay with most foods or may be a little more sensitive. Remember what goes in must come out so don’t forget to give him lots of toilet breaks.

Some food is positively dangerous for your dog.  Most people now know chocolate is poisonous but dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is particularly toxic.  You may think about sharing a little Christmas pudding or mince pies but did you know that grapes in the form of currents, raisins and sultanas are also poisonous to dogs?

You may enjoy working your way through your turkey but don’t be tempted to give your dog the bones since cooked bones can easily splinter inside of his digestive system.

Be careful of what the kids may be feeding your dog and of what may be just within his reach.

Visitors

Your dog may be the life and soul of the party or a little more sensitive. Either way there is a good chance he will want the option to get away from the action and retire to his bed or crate. Let your visitors know that they should leave him alone when he goes to his bed. This is especially important for children who may not read the signs that he has had enough and so need adult supervision to keep everyone safe and happy.

Gifts for your dog

There is no reason for your dog to miss out on all the fun.  You may choose to give him a new bone, chew, or toy but don’t expect it to still be under the tree if you leave it there or for the tree to still be standing!  

Perhaps you could buy small gift for a local rescue dog so he can also enjoy a Christmas treat. Check out these Wish Lists:

Behaviour problems

Your dog may have specific problems around people, food, or toys in which case it may be best to just let him chill out and have a quite Christmas at home. Your new year’s resolution could be to consult qualified and experienced behaviourist to help you both work through these problems.

Buying a puppy

Are you thinking of buying a puppy as a Christmas present? Giving a home to a puppy should be a planned and well-informed decision with thought given to the next 15+ years of the puppy’s life. This might be the right decision for you in which case wait until the commotion of Christmas is over and give him the best start in life.

Merry Christmas from Mike Garner of Rainbow Dogs, Brighton!

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Top house training tips

A common question people ask is how do I house train my puppy or new rescue dog?

The answer is simple:

  • Set your puppy or new dog up for success.  Take him outside often.
  • Reward the behaviour you want.  When he is in the middle of “going” give him gentle praise “good boy, good boy”; when he has finished give him lavish praise and a treat.

What about the rest of the tips?!? No honest it really is that simple!

It comes down to the simple fact that your dog should naturally want to keep the area that he sleep and eats in clean. But… and there is always a but, if he needs to go then he needs to go. If you don’t give him enough chances to go outside then you will force him to go inside.

Don’t I need to show him that I’m in charge and punish him when he does it wrong? No! Punishment will never help with house training but is very likely to make the problem worse. Your dog only goes to the toilet in the house because you have not trained him to go outside yet.

Everyone knows you should tell a puppy off by rubbing his nose in it if he goes to the toilet inside, don’t they? Would you follow this advice with a young child that has not learnt “potty training” yet. Do you realise how ridiculous that old wives tale sounds now?

What about training pads? Why oh why would you want to train your dog to go to the toilet inside your home? Throw the training pads away and take your dog outside.

What if your dog pees when he is nervous or when someone comes to visit? This is not a housetraining issue; you need professional advice from an experienced behaviourist.

What if your dog goes to the toilet when left alone? This is also not a housetraining issue but a separation anxiety issues; again you need advice from a qualified behaviourist.

Should I use a create? Yes and no! It may be helpful for some dogs if used in the correct way but if used badly can make the problem worse.

So the simple advice is follow our two top tips; if your situation is more complicated then please contact us and we will be please to help.

Our regular dog training tips can be found on Facebook.

Mike Garner is a dog trainer and behaviourist at Rainbow Dogs in Brighton & Hove, Sussex.