Keeping Dogs Safe and Happy Over Christmas 🎄🐾

Christmas can be a lovely time of year — cosy evenings, tasty food, and lots of time with family. But while we’re enjoying all the festive fun, it’s easy to forget that Christmas can be overwhelming, stressful, or even risky for our dogs.

A little planning goes a long way in making sure your dog stays safe, comfortable, and happy throughout the festive season. Here are some important things to keep in mind.

Festive Food Safety

Christmas food is one of the biggest hazards for dogs at this time of year. Many festive treats are unsafe or even toxic, including:

• Mince pies

• Christmas pudding and cake

• Chocolate

• Grapes, raisins, currants, and sultanas

• Onions and garlic (including cooked or powdered)

• Alcohol

• Fatty leftovers like pigs in blankets or turkey skin

Make sure festive food is kept well out of reach, especially if you have a counter-surfer or a determined scavenger! It’s also worth reminding guests not to share food with your dog, no matter how convincing those puppy eyes are.

If you want to include your dog in the festivities, offer dog-safe alternatives such as:

• A bit of plain cooked turkey (no seasoning)

• Dog-safe treats

• A stuffed Kong or enrichment toy

Festive Treats & Rawhide

You’ll probably notice lots of Christmas-themed chews and treats in the shops — including festive-shaped rawhide. While they may look cute, rawhide carries risks, including choking and digestive issues, and many dogs struggle to digest it safely.

The good news? There are much safer alternatives, such as:

• Natural chews appropriate for your dog

• Long-lasting dog-safe chews

• Filled Kongs or Toppls

• Licki mats (super helpful for calming too)

When choosing treats, always think about safety, digestibility, and suitability for your individual dog.

Dressing Dogs Up – Cute or Stressful?

Christmas jumpers, antlers, and costumes can make for adorable photos — but it’s important to ask:

Does your dog actually enjoy this?

Many dogs tolerate outfits rather than enjoying them, and some find them genuinely stressful or uncomfortable. Signs your dog may be unhappy include:

• Freezing or going very still

• Whale eye (showing the whites of the eyes)

• Lip licking or yawning

• Turning their head away

• Trying to remove the outfit

If your dog isn’t comfortable, it’s absolutely okay to skip the costume. You can still get a lovely festive photo by:

• Using a Christmas-themed background

• Adding props nearby instead of on your dog

• Editing festive elements onto a photo afterwards

Your dog’s comfort always matters more than the photo.

Visits to Santa

Santa photos and festive events can be great fun — for some dogs. For others, they can be overwhelming: new environments, queues, strange smells, lots of people, and a stranger in costume.

Not every dog will enjoy a visit to Santa, and that’s okay. Watch closely for signs of stress, and don’t feel pressured to push your dog through something just because it’s seasonal.

If your dog finds busy or unfamiliar situations difficult, you might choose:

• Quiet festive walks instead

• At-home photos

• Low-key activities they already enjoy

Listening to your dog and respecting their boundaries builds trust — and that’s far more important than any tradition.

Visitors & Christmas Parties

An influx of visitors, noisy gatherings, and changes to routine can be a lot for dogs. Even dogs who are usually sociable may find constant excitement tiring or stressful.

Make sure your dog has:

• A safe, quiet space they can retreat to

• A comfy bed or crate (if they use one)

• A long-lasting chew, stuffed Kong, or enrichment toy

Let your dog choose whether they want to interact or take a break. Giving them this option can prevent stress and help everyone enjoy the day more peacefully.

Present Opening Time

Ripping paper, excitement, squeaky toys, and lots of movement can be thrilling — or overwhelming — depending on the dog.

Some dogs love being involved, while others struggle to settle. To help:

• Have snuffle boxes, chews, or enrichment ready

• Scatter-feed some of their meal

• Offer a calming activity nearby so they can still be part of the family without becoming overstimulated

Managing excitement early can help prevent stress, frustration, or unwanted behaviours later in the day.

A Final Thought

Every dog is an individual. What one dog finds fun and exciting, another may find stressful or scary — and that’s completely normal.

By paying attention to your dog’s body language, respecting their comfort levels, and planning ahead, you can make Christmas a much calmer and happier time for everyone.

If you’d like help supporting your dog through the festive season — especially if they struggle with visitors, excitement, or change — feel free to get in touch. Sometimes a few small adjustments can make a big difference.

Wishing you and your dogs a safe, calm, and happy Christmas 🎄🐾