This Thanksgiving as you make your plans, remember to include your dog. Thanksgiving can be stressful for dogs because of all the new people in their space. With a little Thanksgiving training and prep, your dog will be a well-behaved host.
Communicate About Your Dog In Advance
If your dog struggles with visitors, communicate about your dog’s needs with your guests in advance. While it’s your responsibility to supervise and support your dog, sharing your dog’s preferences and sensitivities can help guests support you and your dog. For example, you may ask your guests to completely ignore your dog when they come into the house. Or, ask guests to text when they arrive instead of ringing the doorbell to help your dog stay calm.
Brush Up On Training
A couple weeks before your guests arrive, do some pre-Thanksgiving training. Brush up on your dog’s training skills so they’re ready for the big day. Bring out the treats and toys to reward your dog as you practice basic obedience skills that might have gotten rusty. On Thanksgiving day, you can also invite your guests to ask for basic commands for your dog and get them involved, too!
Reward The Behavior You Want
Keep treats on hand during Thanksgiving gatherings to help your dog stay on their best behavior. Treats kept in a pocket or easily accessible enables easy rewards for your dog’s good behavior. Treat and praise your dog for any behavior that you like; for example: not jumping up, politely greeting visitors, and settling quietly. Reinforcing good behaviors with treats means the behavior is more likely to be repeated in the future. Essentially, rewarding good behavior communicates to a dog that it’s behavior that we want. The more that we reward our dog by focusing on us, or being calm around visitors, the more likely they are to offer that desired behavior again.
Supervise or Confine
When preparing for Thanksgiving, one of the most effective training approaches is to prevent any unwanted behaviors. You can do this by supervising your dog closely or confining them to a designated space. To do this, you can tether your dog to you with a leash. Or, when the festivities get busy, safely confine your dog in a specific place. You can designate an area of your home to be your dog’s relaxation area. Pick a dog-proofed area, like a crate, bedroom, or other small area that’s separate from the businesses. Space away from the people reduces your dog’s anxiety and stimulation. Your dog will also be kept from getting into hazards like candles or dried corn cobs.
Monitor Festive Foods
Thanksgiving foods that we love often aren’t safe to share with our dogs. Because nobody wants to spend their holiday at the emergency vet, it’s important to keep your dog away from meals. Some vegetables, cranberries, and plain turkey meat are safe to share with dogs in moderation. In general, however, Thanksgiving foods are problematic for dogs due to high fat, sugar, or salt content. In addition, many foods include alcohol, chocolate, onions, or garlic which are toxic for dogs. The ASPCA Poison Control hotline is a good resource to keep on hand just in case your dog eats something they shouldn’t.
Additionally, remind folks to be careful about where they set their cups and plates to avoid temptation. For example, avoid putting cups and plates on the floor and on low coffee tables which are accessible to four-legged family members. Instead, keep plates and cups out of your dog’s reach. Mealtime is an opportunity to practice your dog’s impulse control. Put the “leave it” command to use and reward the behavior with dog-safe treats and play.
Be Careful With Doors
With visitors coming, it’s easy to accidentally leave a door open. This can result in dogs darting or slipping out. To prevent door darting, remind guests to be careful anytime they open a door. You can also keep your dog on a leash or confined in their safe area just in case. Another helpful tip is to practice door manners before. By doing some pre-Thanksgiving training, you can reinforce good door manners (aka staying in the house, even if a door is open).
Advocate For Your Dog
Thanksgiving guests will likely be excited to see your dog, but that doesn’t mean your dog excited to see them (or, maybe they’re too excited). If your dog is uncomfortable with people, doesn’t do well with children, or can be slow to warm up, communicate clearly with your guests. Let your guest know how your dog likes to be touched or how they like to play. Give your dog privacy and prevent guests from bothering your dog to encourage positive associations with Thanksgiving.
Give Your Dog Breaks
Holidays can be overwhelming for all of us, especially our dogs. Even if your dog is social, it’s good to give your dog breaks from the distractions and busy environment. Use your dog’s safe area as a place to let your dog decompress with treats, toys, and chews. A pro tip: have hollow rubber toys like Kongs prepped in advance with your dog’s food, or dog safe peanut butter, or a chew your dog likes. You can also freeze some for longer-lasting treats for your dog to enjoy while you eat your Thanksgiving meal. Chewing and licking are naturally stress relieving for dogs so are a perfect addition to a break from the party. Taking time away from gatherings, especially while food is being served can help dogs to be more successful and less disruptive in their interactions with your Thanksgiving guests.
