Twelve holiday-proofing tips
for you and your dog

by Jodi Anderson

Copyright the American Kennel Club, Inc., 2004. No portion of this article may be reproduced without permission of the copyright holder. Reprinted with permission from AKC Family Dog, Winter 2004. To subscribe: http://www.akc.org

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me ... a well-behaved dog lying peacefully under the tree.

With the plethora of daily demands already placed on today's active families, the holiday season arrives with an even more action-packed agenda-especially for those of us who live with dogs.

if you worry that your dog might mistake the menorah candles for chew sticks or your heirloom tree ornaments for tennis bails or, worse, knock the good cheer right out of your guests, here are a few canine-related tips to help keep track as well as your spirits bright.

Pull out decorations and ornaments a week before you plan on displaying them. Carefully scatter them on a carpeted or cushioned floor, placing two or three of the dog's toys among them. Bring the dog into the room (on a leash) and allow him to see the items. Walk him slowly through the maze of decorations and tell him to Leave it!" when and if he expresses any interest in an item that is not his. Then, bring him close to one of his own things and praise him lavishly
when he reaches for it. Do this at least once a day and your dog will quickly learn that he should only touch what belongs to him.

Stage some mock guests arriving at your door. When the bell rings, put a leash on your dog, and bring him with you to the door. Leave a jar of treats by the door and tell the dog "Wait." Open the door and reinforce the wait with your voice and the leash. When your dog stops pulling on the leash, say "Good wait"
and reward him with a treat.

Staging visitors at the door can also ground an overzealous jumper. Snap on that leash again and, when your dog jumps on the person at the door, bring the leash straight down to the floor and say "off" Give the dog a moment to stop jumping then tell him to sit. Ask your mock guest to ignore the dog until he is sitting. Most dogs are quick to learn that it is the sit (not the jumping) that wins your attention and, with your help, he will soon be keeping all fours on the floor.

Socialize your dog even more than usual to prepare him for a soon-to-be full house. A walk down any main street, into a store, or even picking up the kids at school will open your dog's world to new faces and places. Socializing a dog outside of his own home also helps to keep him from becoming territorial inside the home, thus making it easier for him to share his otherwise coveted spaces.

If you're worried that the dog hair on the furniture will soon he all over your guests, teaching the dog to stay off the furniture is far easier than buying new chairs. Every time the dog jumps on the furniture, teach "off" by gently pushing him to the floor. Grab a bag of treats and tell the dog to "so to your place." Lead him over to the dog bed with the treat and reward him every time he sits or lies down on the bed. In no time, he will prefer settling down in his own crumb-filled bed to your couch any day.

If your dog joins the family for regular meals but you'd rather he didn't beg at your holiday table, a quick course in table manners is in order. As the family is getting ready to sit down to pre-holiday dinner, grab that leash again and snap it on. Take a seat at the table and tell your dog to "down:' If he complies, praise him. If he does not, place your foot on the leash (fairly close to where the leash meets the collar) and help him to lie down. He might protest a bit but when he does finally flop down, say "good down" and release the pressure of your foot from the leash. He will soon learn that he belongs resting (not begging) at your feet while you are eating.

Exercise. Exercise. Exercise. Take your dog for a long walk before your guests arrive. Aside from the walk helping to clear your own head, it really helps to diffuse the dog's energy level. The less energy your dog has, the less excitable he is when company comes to call.

Anne Corke's Lexie, ready for his winter walk.

Be careful not to buy your dog a gift that resembles something you might not want him to destroy. To the dog, your new shoes will do just fine when the new shoe shaped dog toy is chewed up and gone.

Traveling with your dog can be great fun for the entire family. Put an additional tag on his collar with the name and number of the place or people you are visiting and be sure to include your cell phone number. Dogs can easily get lost in unfamiliar places and a local telephone number on an ID tag can help get him safely and quickly back to you. [Also, check out AKC Companion Animal Recovery at www.akccar.org.]

If you are planning a vacation without the dog take the time to visit any kennel before his stay there. What you see is most likely what you'll get, and a personal inspection is the best way to avoid a bad experience for you and your dog.

If your dog will not be with you for the holidays, whether at home or in a kennel, get him used to sleeping without you (for about a week) before he has to. Place a covered crate next to your bed and put a T shirt (that you've already worn) inside the crate, along with a few chew safe toys. The crate, the toys, and the T shirt will become comforting and familiar companions when the
rest of his surroundings have changed.

Be sure to slowly wind out of the hectic holiday schedule. Dogs become nervous when their routines change and, just as you took the time to ease the dog into the holiday schedule, he needs your help easing out of it.

With so much already on our plates this holiday, waiting to address the issue of your dog's behavior until the carolers come knocking might be a bit more than everyone bargained for. On the other hand, introducing new rules slowly will actually put you, your dog, and your guests at ease, ensuring that your dog will not only be out of your hair but also out of harm's way.

Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa, the same sentiment holds true for all of us who live with dogs: We are blessed with these creatures, and just having them in our lives serves to remind us that any season can be jolly.

Jodi Andersen, a New York-based professional trainer, is the founder of TrainingvVorks for Dogs and the author of The Latchkey Dog.