Keeping a puppy calm at Christmas can be challenging, we know! It’s just such a busy time for everybody, isn’t it? Trees, presents, visitors, food on the table…it’s no wonder your puppy (and us!) gets overwhelmed!
But Christmas is also a fun and exciting time. That’s why we’d like to help you keep stress to a minimum, so you and your puppy can enjoy the holiday as much as possible.
We’ve got your back in keeping your puppy calm this holiday season. In this article, you’ll receive the best tips and tricks on how to calm a puppy down — from making sure they stick to a routine, to setting quiet areas for them for uninterrupted naps, or taking them on sniffy walks to help them relax when people come over. Keeping the best for last, we’ll also tell you our take on the BEST gift for a new puppy this Christmas.
If you’re struggling with your puppy’s behaviour this Christmas, worry not – you’re not alone. Just download the Zigzag app and get in touch with our team of professional dog trainers for great training classes and golden advice. Our experts are available 24/7 to pull you through those tough times…are you familiar with letting your puppy out for a wee in the middle of the night yet?
Our expert training tips for keeping your dog calm at Christmas
Keeping your puppy calm throughout the holiday season requires a combination of different things like planning, training, and knowing what a dog needs. While many dogs are very adaptable and social, some struggle with what can be a very stressful time of year.
In calming your puppy down at Christmas, you’ll find that small adjustments can make a big difference. Here’s our tips from the Zigzag experts for the best way to calm a puppy at Christmas:
Give your puppy a safe space
Creating a designated safe space for your puppy is crucial. This area should be quiet and comfortable, where they know they can retreat when the hustle and bustle become too much. Charm this space up with their favourite toys and a cosy bed to make snuggling an easy task.
Crate training
Using a crate or playpen can be a great way of giving your puppy that safe space, but we highly recommend starting training well in advance so that your puppy is calm and relaxed when it’s time to go in there.
We’ve got plenty more useful information in our full guide to crate training, or even on how to choose the best crate or playpen for your puppy.
Plan a tiring walk for physical stimulation
Extra energy can be tricky to handle during the holidays. To help your puppy manage their extra ‘spark for life’, we suggest taking your puppy for a lengthy walk or playtime before the festivities begin… Make sure they get plenty of time to sniff around and a good amount of treats too — this will help a great deal to relax and make them feel calm.
We’ve got plenty more information on how often to walk your dog in our article on puppy walking schedule and exercise. Everything you need to know is there!
Keep the noise down!
While you and your guests might love loud music or a few rounds of Christmas karaoke, your dog will probably appreciate a bit of quiet time. In this festive time, use solutions like white noise and have sound-safe spaces for your dog to go to and muffle down all the buzz. Your dog will be happy to be protected from your questionable vocal range (sorry!) and holiday fireworks — the latter upsets many dogs at this time of year, so bare this especially in mind!
Want to learn more about how to help your dog from fireworks? Our article on white noise for puppies is a great read.
Exposing your puppy to guests and groups of people
Make sure to gradually introduce your puppy to guests in a controlled manner. Start with small groups and reward them for calm behaviour with treats. For a puppy that’s more on the shy side, you can ask your guests to avoid any staring, and just stick to tossing some treats towards them. This will help them glide smoothly into social interactions without becoming overwhelmed or feeling forced to engage.
By the way, your puppy jumping up on people, isn’t always a sign of friendliness from them. It can often indicate that they’re feeling overwhelmed. You can read more about this in our article on puppy body language, or more specifically on how to stop your puppy from jumping up on people.
Introduce Christmas decorations gradually
A whole tree, garlands, flashing lights…it’s all quite a lot for a puppy to take in. Rather than doing everything all in one day, introduce them to your decorations bit by bit, so your puppy avoids getting overwhelmed.
Prepare them for travel
Visiting friends and family at Christmas can involve long car rides, buses, trains, or planes, which your puppy might not have experienced before. If you’re travelling during the holidays, make sure your puppy is well-exercised and feels well snoozy before the trip. Make sure there is plenty of time between feeding and travelling so they’re on an empty stomach, and any possibilities of vomit on the way can be kept to a minimum.
Just like babies, it can be common for puppies to get travel sick. Leading up to your travel date, practice travelling in the car with a carrier. We have plenty of lessons to help you out with this in the Zigzag app and in our article here — it’s got everything you need to know.
Speak to your vet about calming supplements
Yup, dogs can benefit plenty from herbal and complementary supplements to help them take the edge off things, or even to avoid travel sickness. If you think your pup might need them, contact your Vet well in advance.
Give them distractions and utilise mental stimulation
Puzzle toys, intelligence games and stuffed chew toys can all be wonderful distractions in giving your puppy something to do when guests are over, or while you have lots of cooking to do. They are a win-win: your puppy is happily entertained and builds positive associations with their surroundings, while you can focus on your guests and on gobbling down your Christmas dinner.
Build up the time left alone
Keeping your puppy calm on their own will require some training, so you’ll have to gradually increase the time your puppy spends alone in their safe space. This will help them become more comfortable being independent (also helpful in the future!), and will reduce the chance of separation anxiety problems while you’re busy dealing with all the holiday action happening.
Now that you’re here, you might want to learn a whole lot about teaching your puppy to be comfortable alone. You’ll thank us as they grow older! You can find lots of advice on this in our guides on how long you can leave a puppy alone or on puppy separation anxiety.
Give them a routine
Routines and puppies go hand in hand. Knowing what comes next gives dogs and puppies heaps of confidence because life becomes predictable and less stressful. Trust us, schedules and structures make everything better when it comes to puppy training.
Try to maintain a consistent routine for feeding, walking, and bedtime even during the holidays. No worries if you’re clueless, our article on the ideal daily puppy routine will tell you all about it
Puppy proof the environment
Christmas comes with a lot of ornaments, decorations, and items that can be hazardous for puppies. Dogs are naturally curious and will try to get into everything…they really are the ultimate definition of nosy! Help them out by managing their environment. Hang ornaments up high, secure the tree to prevent it from falling, and place your gifts away from your pup’s sharp teeth.
Management does wonders to prevent problems in the puppy training journey by preventing your puppy from practising behaviours we don’t like. You can read more about management in our article here.
Teach a place or lie on your bed cue
Mat training will help your dog understand that they always have somewhere to go where people won’t interfere with them, but that is still in the same living space. It’s golden training for keeping the interaction between dogs and humans peaceful. You can find more lessons on mat training lessons in the Zigzag app!
How to calm a puppy down a Christmas
As Christmas approaches, you may find your pup becoming overstimulated by all the excitement. Unfortunately, this can often manifest in unwanted behaviour like biting or not listening to you. This is the part you realise that learning how to calm a puppy down, especially during the busy holiday season, is a must.
The best way to calm a puppy typically involves a couple of things working together. First and foremost is creating a quiet, safe space where your puppy can retreat and settle when things get overwhelming. This space should have a comfy bed, blankets and familiar toys to provide a sense of security.
If you’re dealing with an overstimulated puppy, try engaging them in calming activities like scent work or a yummy lickimat. Puzzle toys or gentle food-based training sessions can help focus their mind and redirect their energy in a positive way.
Consistency and patience are key when teaching your puppy to relax. As with any child, it can take quite a while for them to come back down when they are overexcited and high on life!
One effective training exercise for how to calm an overstimulated puppy is to practise the “settle” cue. This works quite simply: reward your puppy for calm behaviour, gradually increasing the duration they remain settled before receiving a treat.
The best way to calm a puppy will also often depend on the individual dog’s personality and needs, so you’ll need to figure out what your dogs’ is like. Some puppies respond well to a gentle massage or soft music, while others find that cuddles and pets winds them up more. Take time to find out what works for your dog! It will make your life (and theirs) easier!
Will my puppy calm down as they get older?
Yes, generally your puppy will learn how to calm themselves down as they get older. But it’s also true that every dog is different. Most puppies start to settle as they approach adulthood, typically around 12-18 months of age, while others may take longer to emotionally mature. Either way works just fine! Everyone is different.
Understanding how puppies calm down naturally can help you set realistic expectations. After all, they have no life experience when they’re this tiny and don’t understand how to reign themselves in. We can’t expect too much of them, can we?
Let’s make it easier for ourselves, and just have a read in our guide on how to calm a puppy down.
The perfect Christmas gift for a new puppy
A college education, of course! While we don’t actually have Red Brick universities Ivy League schools for dogs, Zigzag comes pretty close. You and your pup are basically getting a private tutor and dog trainer in your pocket, available 24/7.
In all seriousness, preparing your pup for Christmas is the perfect gift to them. Not only will it help Christmas go smoothly; it will pave the way to a lifetime of friendship.
Looks like you’re all ready for a joyful Christmas celebration! If you’re needing more lessons and inspiration, we’ve got plenty more guides up our sleeve. Get yourself ready by reading up on puppy-proofing your Christmas, how to have an enjoyable first Christmas with your puppy, and on what belongs in your puppy’s belly on Christmas dinner.
So, what next? Downloading the Zigzag app sounds just about right. You’ll receive endless training tips, lessons, and advice from our certified dog trainers that are happy to help you 24/7 via the in-app chat.
