Christmas is a magical time for everyone in the family, including your pets. With the mix of excitable and relaxed atmosphere, it’s obvious to your dog that something is a little bit different, not to mention the presents that they (may have) got to open.
Why Christmas can be stressful
Christmas can be a stressful time for our pets; there’s decorations, a Christmas tree, other family members popping by, all topped off with a change in routine. Our pets are part of the family, and their welfare is paramount, consider taking down any decorations and Christmas lights that seem to affect your pet or they seem upset by; this will help calm them and make them feel safe.
After the holidays are over
One of the biggest ways to re-settle your dog after the Christmas festivities is to go back to the ‘normal’ routine. With everything that Christmas entails the regular routine, your dog would have been used to would have stopped, so re-introducing it lets them know that everything is going back to normal, and slowly they will begin to settle themselves.
Diet
We all tend to eat a little more over Christmas, and most of us wouldn’t have been able to resist giving our four-legged family members a little extra over the festive period, putting a stop to this and keeping to normal meal times helps to reinforce the message that everything is returning to normal.
Exercise
If you have a scheduled time when you take your dog for a walk, keep up to this time, it helps your pet feel at ease as they know what to expect. You can also take your pet for extra walks or other forms of exercise, this helps to reduce stress and keeps your pup physically and mentally stimulated.
New year (and Chinese new year to come)
Christmas indicates that we are coming to the end of the year, meaning fireworks are just around the corner to welcome in the New Year and also Chinese new year which is often celebrated in the UK too with fireworks and Chinese lanterns
. Fireworks are scary for animals and with the prospect of them going off at the start of January the best thing you can do is be prepared for an upset dog. Don’t leave your pet alone during the evening when fireworks are likely to go off and keep them company; they will feel safe with you. You could also invest in an air diffuser that releases pheromones to help keep your pet stress free, which is also an excellent way to help your dog settle back into its normal routine after Christmas.
Read our article on a year in the life of a dog