Christmas Day Tips & Tricks

It’s only days away – Christmas! Whatever your tradition, Christmas Eve presents, a Christmas morning breakfast bonanza with cozy jammies, an extravagant dinner, or Chinese takeout, it’s your tradition. But one thing we’re pretty sure of is that having an excitable dog making a mess isn’t really a part of any of those visions.

That’s where we come in. It’s time to put your Off-leash K-9 Training to use. Our favorite for Christmastime festivities? “Place” and “Extended Place.” Just to refresh you, this command is used when you want your dog to go to, and stay at, a specific location.

Why Place?

“Place” and “Extended Place” keep your dog out of the more dangerous areas of your Christmas celebration. While “Off” or “Down” are also great tools for keeping your dog calm around the party, “Place” directly tells your dog to be in what could arguably be a safer area for them.

What do we mean by safer? Lots of pieces to the traditional Christmas celebration – decorations, meals, and/or gifts – are liable to be dangerous to a pup left unattended. Tinsel, ribbon, chocolate, etc. are all hazardous, and while we don’t want to put a damper on your celebration, we want to make sure that you are fully able to celebrate your style in a safe way for your pup, without an emergency trip to your 24-hour vet.

So, while you’re in the kitchen cooking, unwrapping a box of chocolates, or playing with the tinsel on the tree, use “Place” to make sure your pup stays in their safest spot in your home.

Other Friendly Reminders

Kennels are OK. In fact, kennels are a wonderful option to combine with “Place” and “Extended Place” as you try and maintain some sanity over your holiday festivities.  Kennels are a place where dogs feel safe. As the AKC says: “enclosed spaces create a shelter for your dog to rest and relax. In fact, dogs instinctively seek small spaces to create protective shelters for themselves.” So we encourage you to take advantage of your dog’s natural instinct and your desire for a bit of calm on your Christmas.

“Off,” “Sit,” and “Extended Sit” are all great for doorbell manners, ensuring there’s no jumping on guests or excessive kisses to those who might not feel quite as friendly. They are also good for more temporary measures of getting your dog to listen and calm down, in whatever situation might arise. “Off” works well to end an unwanted behavior of some sort (this could include chewing on a gift), and use “Sit” and “Extended Sit” to command a brief period of quiet (which may lead into “Place” depending on the situation).

There are also lots of ways to get your dog more involved in your Christmas traditions. If you want to share dinner, small bits of white meat turkey, raw carrots, or other steamed, green vegetables can be a good option. Avoid potatoes, dark meat turkey, and nuts. Give them their own stocking with a gift to help them stay entertained while you share gifts with your family. And don’t forget those festive holiday photos!

Creating your own traditions with your dog, while incorporating your Off-leash K9 Training, is sure to help you create beautiful memories for years to come. Thank you for letting us be a part of your holidays and cheers to many more!

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