Hectic Holidays Can Mean Frantic Fidos Across Montana

The challenges of owning a pet can be numerous, and quite often might even feel overwhelming.  And if you have multiple pets, of different breeds and species, well, you may as well start pulling your hair out now.  If you haven't already.

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Sometimes pets just don't get along with each other at any given moment.  Regardless of how long they have been together.  Throw in the chaos of the holidays and different people in your home and you have a recipe for disaster instead of your famous Christmas strudel.

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Hectic Holidays Can Mean Frantic Fidos Across Montana

Our home consists of two Corgi breed dogs.  That in itself should tell you just how much chaos we have, without anything added.  And while they are the best of friends, our youngest has gone into heat.  And that means waking up and choosing violence over her sister.  Every single day.

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Trying to solve the problem, my wife has been searching the "Dog Whisperer" Cesar Millan's tips for dealing with such a case.  In helping with research, I came across several tips for helping during the holidays that also made sense for our pets right now, and even all year around, not just Christmas or Thanksgiving.

Keeping Fido Frolicking with Easy Tips from the Dog Whisperer

After a few generalized tips such as hazardous holiday items like poinsettias, chocolate or tinsel and how to protect your presents and decorations, two of the tips really stood out to me.  And the great thing is, these are wonderful to apply for any function you might have at your home, or where your pet may be with you.

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1. "Don't forget the rules, boundaries and limitations just because it is the holiday time."  Ugh.  I am horrible about this at the holidays, often not correcting poor behavior like begging or jumping up when family arrive.  It should be seen as an opportunity to reinforce the household rules you keep any other time of the year, especially with so many temptations around your dog.
2. "Exercise your dog before your guests arrive or when visiting a gathering."  Again, I am a bad dog parent.  Oftentimes I am caught up in last minute details of preparing dinner or last-minute cleaning duties and forget about our dogs.  They would be more likely to behave if they were a little more worn out from a long walk beforehand, instead of being stressed and anxious from myself.

What tips work best for you when the family arrives to keep those sloppy kisses and snagged clothing from happening?