Having guests over for good company, delicious food and lots of laughs is almost always a great time – but maybe not for your furry friends. For many pets, especially dogs, the introduction of new people and other animals into their space can be overstimulating. Before you bring visitors into your home, read these tips to help best prepare your precious pups.
- Establish a safe space. While some dogs are very social and friendly when there are visitors in the house, other dogs may find the mix of new scents, voices, and number of people to be overstimulating, causing them to bark or whimper. Creating a safe space for them away from the rest of the gathering allows them to relax and recharge in their own space, helping them stay calm.
- Stick to your routine. Getting ready to host guests is stressful, making it easy to forget about the normal routine that your pet is used to. Be sure to feed them, give them exercise, and allow them nap time according to their typical schedule prior to when guests arrive. Maintaining normalcy is vital in keeping your pet comfortable.
- Supervise children when they are around pets. It is important to keep an eye on young children when there are pets around, both for their safety and that of the animal’s. Children may not understand that interacting with a pet in certain ways can upset the animal and cause them to react in a potentially harmful way. Vice versa, a large dog may not understand how to control their force when “playing” with a small child, which can lead to injury. Even if your animal is conditioned to being around children and guests, you never know what could spark a reaction, especially around food.
- Set some guidelines. You know your pet better than anyone. Upon arrival, we suggest that you let your guests know of any allergies, behavioral issues, and other house rules that your pet is accustomed to. While one family may feed their dog table scraps, certain dietary restrictions for other dogs could lead to health complications from a sudden change in diet. It is best to lay down some ground rules before something goes wrong. If there is any uncertainty in regard to your animal’s (or your guest’s) behavior, keep them separate during the visit.
At the end of the day, the best thing to remember is that it is your dog’s home too. Try to put yourself in their paws, be patient, and allow them time and space to adjust when guests are over. Happy hosting!
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