Does your dog have behavior problems during the Christmas season? Why do you think that is?

Well, if your dog normally doesn’t have behavior problems until you start getting out the Christmas decorations and drag in the good ole’ Christmas tree then that might be a part of it. Think about what is going on differently than usual.

Do you usually have a nice, neat house and nothing laying around on the floor or at least within easy reach of your dog?

Your dog is probably thinking oooh, these look like great fun to chew on….hmmm, I wonder what that tastes like? Is it food?

You’re just tempting your dog to go ahead and chew on something!

Sure, I know it’s not possible to keep everything out of your dogs reach. Especially at Christmas time in a small home or apartment. I know my house isn’t huge and doesn’t have a lot of options either to store all our junk in.

What Can You Do?

Well, Christmas must go on, so I’ve made a list of some ideas that I do and just might help you out too.

• Keep chew toys for your dogs available at all times
• Proper exercise- even a short walk goes a long way
• Keep Christmas ornaments higher up as much as possible
• Keep electrical cords out of your dog’s reach
• Store any presents in your closet or attic
• Keep your dog in a crate while you’re gone or unable to supervise
• Use no chew products on your Christmas tree to deter your dog from destruction

Of course, there’s going to be those days when you might forget to keep an eagle eye on your usually well-behaved pooch, and it might get the idea of nibbling on the tree or a Christmas decoration or two that you have sitting out on the coffee table. Sometimes it happens no matter what you try to do.

Keep Those Chew Toys Out

But, I’ve found with our five dogs, that having something that they love to chew on keeps them pretty darn busy for quite awhile. Even our two aggressive chewers, that I really think might be part goat! It seems they can chew just about anything to pieces.

Get plenty of chew toys and figure out which ones your dog prefers. It seems every dog is different and often likes certain types of toys and won’t touch other kinds.  Once you figure out which kind your dog loves and can’t destroy, I’d get a bunch of ’em to keep on the floor. Just make sure you observe whether your dog can chew it up or chew off pieces or not first.

Keep It Up & Away

If you really don’t need to put that cute little Santa Claus doll in a place that your dog can reach, then don’t. Especially if you notice your dog seems to like grabbing it every time it thinks your not paying any attention.

Find something up higher to put it on like a shelf, mantel, or even hang it up from the wall or ceiling if possible. Depending on what it is, of course. And, if it’s a cute little Santa doll, for Heaven’s sake don’t make it look like you’re trying to hang Santa!

If we can’t fit all of our Christmas presents in our tiny closet, we often just find a storage container to keep them in until Christmas Eve. For us at least, we need one with a lid that closes securely since three of our dogs are bigger and quite nosy.

If it didn’t have a lid on it, I know our dog Jade would be busy digging around in there. I’ve also seen that she knows how to open things, so if it doesn’t shut tightly, she’d figure out how to poke it open eventually. Storage boxes that have the handles that fold up and double as sort of a “lock” are quite nice at keeping our furry fiends out of our Christmas gifts.

Crate Training can Help Save Your Christmas

When we do have to go to work, shopping, or wherever, we always put our dogs in a crate. Just in case they decide to get a bout of the munchies and decide to go on a chewing party. It’s safer for our dogs and our belonging too! Need advice on crate training? Then check out my earlier post on  Puppy Crate Training – First Night at Home.

There are many products to try that are made just to keep your dog from chewing on your furniture, shoes, your Christmas tree, etc. and are simple to use. All you have to do is spray most of these on your tree, shoes, furniture, and electrical cords and see what happens. Most dogs don’t seem to like Grannick’s Bitter Apple for Dogs Spray Bottle, 16 Ounces very much, but then again, every dog is different just like people. There are a few out there that don’t seem to mind it.

But, I would say it’s worth a try since it would be so much cheaper than buying new furniture or shoes, and if it’s your Christmas tree that gets totaled…well, hopefully you’ll find another one before the big day!

Does your dog love “opening” your Christmas presents for you? I’d love to hear from you! Leave any comments or questions in the comment box below! 🙂

Looking for a Christmas gift for your dog? You can find some great ideas here, just

>>>Click the following link to read my post Don’t Forget Your Best Friend on Christmas – 5 Best Dog Toys! <<<

Or, you can find some great Gift Ideas for Dogs here and take a look for yourself at Amazon!

 

Merry Christmas to you and your furry friends! 🙂

-Sherry