Happy Holidays!

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HOLIDAYS AT HOME

If you're hosting holidays at your house this year, here are some tips to make your celebrations a bit less chaotic and much safer for your dog:

  • Puppy-proof and don't leave food at eye level if you’re planning on letting them roam while people are over.

  • Designate someone on-duty to keep an eye on the dog, and swap every couple hours.

  • Keep alcoholic drinks away from dogs eye-level or tail-levelMaintain the same (or at least similar) routine for potty/rest/etc. It helps if you set yourself alarms on your phone to remind you to check in on them

  • Give them breaks from crowds and stimulation - give them a safe space to relax so they can take naps and rest away from the bustling crowd of people.

If your guests are bringing their dog, make sure to meet in neutral territory first, give them plenty of breaks away from each other if needed, and puppy proof/pick things up off the floor that you don't want knocked over!

  • Figure out a way for your dog to be involved-in the festivities - let them rip up wrapping paper with you, but then clean it up so they don’t ingest it!

  • Give them activities to do so they aren’t seeking out activities to do that you DON’T like - puzzle toys, snuffle mats, cardboard boxes to shred, etc!

  • Keep any holiday plants that are toxic out of reach of your dog - like poinsettias, holly, or mistletoe.

If you need help coming up with appropriate management or boundaries for your dog, reach out to your SSDT trainer, and they'll be happy to help you!

HOLIDAY TRAVEL TIPS

Setting your pet up for success  and helping them to feel safe when you're traveling can make a huge difference in stress levels around the holidays. Here are some tips to help your trip go more smoothly:

  • If you’re planning on driving or flying, get your pet used to the carrier/crate they’re traveling in. The more you can desensitize them to their carrier, the more calm they'll feel on travel day!

  • Bring extra towels/wipes in case your dog has an accident on the way!

  • Bring at least 1 self-soothing toy for your dog to work on during the trip (bully sticks, cheese chew, kong, etc).

  • If you're flying, use a family restroom (with the door that locks) to give them some out-of-the-carrier decompression time before getting on a flight. If your dog is nervous at the new place, do your best to establish a safe space (crate/quiet room/etc) so they can decompress.

Make sure you have enough or even extra doses of any medications or supplements that your pet needs on a regular basis to get you through the holidays in case vets offices are closed!

  • Have a local emergency vet’s number saved in your phone just in case your dog gets into something they weren’t supposed to!

  • Maintain the same routine (or at least similar routine) for potty, rest, exercise, meals, etc to help maintain as much consistency as possible for them. That can reduce the likelihood of "problem" behaviors arising during your trip.

If you need help with creating a travel plan for your holiday trip, contact your SSDT trainer and they can help you! We also have a virtual training option where we can help you come up with training and management plans your dog via zoom if you need extra assistance.

TRAINEE OF THE MONTH

IVY THE BERNEDOODLE

Ivy and her mom Ally, have been working very hard on building skills that prepare them both for life in the city! They have worked with our Puppy Fast Track program and group classes building impulse control skills, polite greetings, leash walking skills on busy manhattan streets and more. Ivy is currently an adolescent pup who continues to participate in proofing her skills while enjoying fun training sessions at home and in class.