Holidays mean family time. I remember going to my Grandmother’s house and looking forward to seeing her dogs. My Grandmother had female Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and I loved visiting! I remember being so excited to walk them, throw the ball and just share time with them. Did I ever consider how they felt having their peaceful home invaded by a crowd of people? Of course not. I assumed they were as excited as I was to be together and for the most part I think they did enjoy our hectic visits. Looking back now though I think of many things we could all have done to help my Grandmother’s dogs feel more comfortable while we visited their home. Here are some tips that come to mind.
- Respect the dog’s comfy spot, bed, hide-a-way. Leave them alone! When a dog retreats to these places they should be praised and not coaxed to come out for the kids.
- Bring a yummy treat for the dog that will give them something to do and enjoy. (clear the treat with owner first before offering!)
- Have a designated adult supervising interaction with the dog and guests. Ideally with dog on a leash.
- If there are visiting dogs in the home along with the visiting family then even more supervision is needed!
Keep in mind that family gatherings can be stressful even when the stress is good. New smells, sounds and actions can be overstimulating for dogs that are used to a quiet environment. Allow your dog breaks from the action.
These tips and so much more are offered in our 1 hour long Grandparent webinar….Grandkids and dogs. We invite you to join us for this interactive webinar so that we can answer your questions and help increase safety and fun for all family members over the Holiday season.
Webinar for Grandparents with a Dog
Are you a Grandparent with a dog? Do you have Grandkids that visit your home? Everyday life for your dog may be peaceful and predictable until the Grandkids arrive. Changes in schedules, energy and dynamics can cause even the most wonderful family dogs stress. As the holidays near and families begin to plan their family celebrations we offer tips to help everyone succeed.
Join Family Paws Parent Education for this informative hour-long webinar where we will help you and your dog truly enjoy the holiday celebrations!
Some of the important topics we will cover: Management, Observation of comfort, Activities for success and so much more!
Don’t miss this great opportunity to learn positive and practical tips you can begin right away to help make family visits more enjoyable for all!
This is a live interactive webinar!
December 18th 1pm ET $10.00
Click here for more information or to register
