How to Fill Your Dog's Stocking Safely.

I believe the Christmas holiday was intended to be a simple, humble, and incredibly joyful celebration of Jesus's birth. However, if you view "Christmas" from the local mall....it tends to scream an overload of food and gifts, sprinkled with anxiety and frustration.  The hustling urgency and bustling anxiety of a crammed and stressful schedule can bring chaos, rather than cheer, to your holidays, and also to your dog.

Creating a calm dog for the holidays is not impossible. Rather than overloading your dog's stocking with treats and toys, try offering your time sharing a structured and dedicated walk through your neighborhood.  Not only will you bring  calm to your dog, but to you as well. Christmas, especially in the evening, is a great time to walk. The decorations are great socialization!

Don't be surprised if your dog is afraid of certain decorations and even the lights. Realize dogs don't like when things are out of place and an inflatable Santa on the front lawn fits exactly into that category.  Tread forward with your own zen-like assurance and your dog will trust your lead.
If your dog is dramatically scared of the decor, then you can still achieve a calming walk in your own driveway or close to home.

Remember the key to a successful walk is not the physical distance, but the form and the duration. In other words, a crazed walk for two miles to a beautiful park is not better than 20 minutes of walk with structure and calm near home.

Although a structured walk can be boring to us humans, it can be enlightening, calming, and beneficial to both of you if you take a deep breath and enjoy the process of being calm together.