명절 축제 기간 동안 반려견의 스트레스 줄이기 #128

So, crate games will give your dog an opportunity to know, this is my home. I'll be chillaxing. This is cool. And you're going to have your dog play all the different levels of crate games. And so, if by chance on the day of the big celebration, you decide, you know what? I think my dog's had enough of all these people. I'm just going to have my dog go and chill in a back room. They're going to go, Oh, thank you. We'll get more to what that looks like in a minute. So, preparation is going to be crate games. Preparation number two will be taking a deep dive into some of the many games I have here on my podcast. I'm going to leave you a link to several different episodes where I teach you how to teach your dog different behaviors. Why would this be a preparation? Because it would be a great opportunity to share with your family, maybe three or four behaviors that can show that, Hey, dogs are brilliant. Dogs are, this is why I spend so much time training my dog. Look at how much joy this brings to the dog and how much joy it brings to all of you watching these behaviors that my dog can do. So, brush them up and yeah, we might be showing off a little bit at Christmas or, or Easter or Valentine's day, whenever we're having our big celebration, but that's okay because that helps everybody learn what dogs are capable of. So, we've got crate games. We've got digging into a few of the behaviors that I'm going to share with you here in previous episodes of the podcast. Then you're going to do things like stuff, some topples or some Kongs to have something that your dog, when you want to put them away by themselves, that they can have some interactive games. Start playing things like hiding cookies around a certain room, like a quiet, the furthest bedroom away from all the action. So, you might hide some cookies around there and tell the dog search and have a search party. You might walk in and out of that room. So, we've got a game that the dog can do, and then they're just going to relax and go to sleep with all the craziness going on in your house. I would make sure that your exercise is on point prior to people coming over. So, you're walking the dog regularly. You have a routine that takes the edge off the dog emotionally and physically before you have all these people coming in on their home. Because let's face it, this is different. You know, it might just be one or two people coming over and one or two may be enough to, if you go to episode number 112 here on Shaped by Dog, I talk about something called trigger

stacking. Now it could be, oh, you've been doing a lot of baking and you're a little bit more stressed and you're, you know, it's Christmas or you're wrapping presents and you're doing all sorts of weird things. So, your dog may have been noticing things are different. And then we have a couple of people coming into the house. And now in the other room, there's kids squealing, trigger stacking. I want you to be aware of that so we can be prepared and not have the dog get overwhelmed. So, preparations is going to be increasing the confinement time, playing a lot of crate games, teaching your dog and brushing your dog up on those tricks and having him get used to being alone in a bedroom. Now it could be in an X-pen, it could be in a crate in that back bedroom. Also, make sure you brush up on your hot zone. You might do hot zone with a leash on to prevent your dog from jumping on the guest. You might say, Hey, Susan, my dog's a rock star at hot zone. They know how to stay up on their dog bed when guests come in. It's not a problem. All right. The other thing I'd suggest you do, I put together a little cartoon that you can download and it's an educational coloring piece. If you have young children around your home during the holidays, this will give them an opportunity to do something with some crayons. And you can explain some of the times it's good to approach and not approach a dog based on this little cartoon episode. Now you can also add little events that you know your dog would prefer. Like for example, do not ever pat my dog's ears or do not ever pat Rover's ears or whatever is specific to your dog. You can just add it to this cartoon. All right. So, preparation, we've got it. And now we're going to go to day of. You're going, you know, you've got a lot of things to do. So, make sure you make a checklist. Set up the X-pen where you want it to be. Set up the hot zone. Get that back bedroom prepared. Fill up a few of those really cool enrichment games so that you can throw the dog in the back bedroom and give them some enrichment game for him to play with. That's after you've taken the time, if you have the time, to have him appropriately visit with the people. Now, day of, I want you to remember this one rule. We can't expect all of your guests to have watched Shaped by Dog and learn about temp and learn when your dog is a little overwhelmed. And we can't expect, but you might want to revisit episode number 22, learn about the invisible bubble of pressure that our dogs feel. But we can't expect all of our family and friends to be that dog savvy.

What we can help them to know is how a dog will say, no, thank you. If my dog moves away when you're trying to pat, he's saying, no, thank you. If my dog turns his head, he's saying, no, thank you. If he licks his lip, just make sure your guests know, don't chase my dog. He is allowed to say, I don't feel comfortable with what's going on. Listen to the dog. That's all. And of course, if you have a dog that you are unsure of because he's too young and you don't have a history, or he's a little old and he might be getting a little bit cranky, which he's allowed to, then you're going to be those dogs' best advocates and you are not going to have unsupervised time with anyone. Now, my rule of thumb, my dogs all love kids, but I still do not allow the kids with my dogs during holiday celebrations. There's just too much trigger stacking. There's too much opportunity for somebody to say something in the wrong way. I won't take the risk with any of my nieces and nephews. So, when the kids want to visit the dogs, it's a special time and we all go down there together. All right. So, don't be afraid to make very clear criteria for your family. It could just be one rule. You can post it all around the house. It could be as simple as don't touch the dog. Or if you want to talk to the dog, make sure I'm around. Whatever it is that is, you are your dog's best advocate. All right. Day of. Now, people are coming in. You might want to have your dog on a leash so that they're not jumping on your guests. You might have them on a hot zone. You might want to have them as I do. I just have my dogs away from the front door while everybody's coming in and then they can come out one at a time or depending on who's here, all right, go and visit. And they all have at it all at once. But it's your decision. Just be intentional about it in the way that's going to set you and your dogs up for success. Don't forget to play some rounds of it's your choice. If you can get some turkey or whatever you're going to be feeding that day, put it on the counter to see if your dog wants to put their paws up or give it a sniff because turkey bones are not good for dogs. So, we don't want any accidents. And let's face it, there's going to be a lot going on on that during that big holiday celebration. You won't have time to be really on point. So, brush up it's your choice early and often leading up to that holiday celebration. All right. So, that's if family's coming over. What about if you are going to visit the family? Well, I would still do the same preparing,

print out that cartoon for the kids, bring some crayons along. You're going to practice all of those games, crate games, it's your choice, hot zone, sit to greet people, practice all the things that are going to be pertinent to your particular dog. And when you're going to go, make sure that you make this list ahead of time. You want to put all these things in a bag. So, first of all, you're going to be eating supper. Your dog should be allowed to eat supper. Pack up your dog's supper and take it with you. Of course, you're going to need a dog bowl, a water bowl for your dog while you're away. Now I'm assuming that it's just going to be a dinner and not like dinner in a movie in an overnight. So, if it is, you're going to have to pack more things. But water bowl, your dog's food and their food bowl. Of course, you're going to need some cleanup bags because we're going to be walking our dogs once we're there. You're going to need a leash and a collar or a head halter or a harness, depending on what is your choice. And a way for your dog to have time away. That could be an X-pen or it could be a crate. I don't like to just rely on hot zones when I'm visiting somebody else because even my dogs who are super well-behaved, if they have another dog or if they have a lot of activity, they don't have a place that they know is their spot in the house that they can go and chillax. So, make sure that you bring something with you. I personally, when I'm traveling, I love soft-sided crates. But again, if you're going to use a soft-sided crate, make sure your dog has a history of it at home because if they're anxious, that trigger stacking has happened when you're in somebody else's home, they might actually chew through that soft-sided crate. Something that I've never had happen because I prepare for it in advance. Now, just because you're visiting somebody else, it doesn't mean you're not going to bring things that are going to enrich your dogs during the day. So, it could be topple or Kong stuffed with things, treats or their food. And I would bring their training treats and I would bring a toy to play with them to take a break. You know, you probably want a little bit of a break away from all the hubbub of the activity. Take your dog outside, do a little bit, a few recaller games or homeschool the dog games. Or if you're in one of our program, just have some time with you and your dog and then you can go back in. Have it all ready. And of course, you're going to have your dog relieve themselves outside before you go in the house.

And when you do go in the house, I'm assuming that you've asked ahead and you've cleared this so that nobody goes, you've brought your dog. So, your dog is invited. I've made that assumption. Make sure your dog's a little bit cleaned up. I mean, it's a holiday, right? Maybe take them to the groomers, get them a little bouffant. And then you're going to have your dog on a leash. So, they can't go in, jump all over people they may or may not know, go and see what's on the counter. Because even though your dog may have great, it's your choice on the counters at home, they may surprise you with the fact that that doesn't transfer super well in a new environment. But if you go in on a leash, it's a great opportunity to see if it does. The final thing that I would bring when we're going to somebody else's house is a blanket that you can put on your crate. All right. So, your dog may not settle as well in somebody else's home. So, you put them in the crate, you might give them their topples or an enrichment game, and then you're going to put the cover over the crate so that they can finish their topple and then they can just chill because they don't have to be looking at where am I, this is different. Now, I would recommend that you practice this ahead of time, especially if you have a wire crate, because dogs can pull in the blankets into their crates. That would be a new form of enrichment for them. And if you have a dog that does that, just put a piece of board on top or cardboard on top of your crate that make, that is bigger than the top of your crate so that the dogs can't get to the crate blanket. So, we've got the crate or X-pen. So, we've got their water bowls, their food bowls, their dinner, their training treats, crate or X-pen, a cover for it, some stuffed topples, a training toy, of course, a leash harness or head halter. Put all that in a bag and you're good to go. Holiday time, let's face it, it's an amazing time to be with people you love and care for. And it can be an amazing time to show them what good dog ownership is like. Inspire them to say, Hey, I wish I had a dog as well-trained as yours. That's what I wish for you. And it can come true if you prepare ahead. I'll see you next time here on Shaped by Dog.