Don’t jump on Aunt Sophie! The #1 step to get your dog to greet your holiday guests politely
The holidays are coming and if that means your friends or family will be stopping by more often or even staying with you, then it’s time to make sure your dog is ready!
Some of your visitors might be scared, have allergies or <gasp!> they might not like dogs!
Then again, your dog might not have the best manners (yet!) or might not like your guests.
You can’t reason with your dog, so what can you do?
Imagine if your dog got to know your friends before they met them…
…got to know that your friends are super close and special to you
…that your friends are nice people
…that they can relax because your friends are staying awhile
It’s possible.
If your dog hears and smells a person before meeting them, they have a chance to learn about your friends and will have time to calm down too.
How can you manage that?
The number one thing you can do is have a place where your dog can’t see your visitors but can smell and hear them.
Dogs have an incredible sense of smell. They can actually smell something 300 feet under water so if your dog is in an upstairs bedroom when your guest is in the kitchen, for example, it is possible for your dog can still get to know your friend through scent. Plus, most homes have air circulating through heat or A/C.
Once your dog has some time to relax, then you can do the proper introductions.
That means before the holiday season starts, you’ll want to get your dog to be happy and content in a space where your dog can’t see your visitors. This can be another room, in a crate or in a gated area.
So start working on this now. It truly is the #1 step to take to get your dog ready for the holidays!
Do you need help?
That’s what the Play To Behave program is for and this month and next, keeping your dog calm when guests arrive including how to properly introduce your dog and more is our focus during the LIVE calls and inside the private facebook group.
You can have a dog you’ll be proud to introduce to your friends!
Join Play To Behave and my community at:
Your dog will thank you for it. 😉
Thanks for watching and reading and now I’d love to hear from you.
Any questions? Let me know in the comments below.
I have practiced veterinary medicine in the Cleveland area since 1990, with behavior medicine as my primary interest. I help improve the behavior of dogs and cats through a variety of online courses. I also offer one-on-one and group behavior training sessions in the Northeastern Ohio area. 