Keeping a puppy calm at Christmas can be challenging, we know all about it! It\u2019s when all the buzz peaks. Trees, presents, lights, inflatable Santa Clauses, visitors, food on the table\u2026 no wonder your puppy (and us!) gets overwhelmed! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Christmas is also a fun and exciting time. That\u2019s why we\u2019d like to help you keep stress to a minimum, so you and your puppy can enjoy the holidays as much as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve got your back in keeping your puppy calm this holiday season. In this article, you\u2019ll receive the best tips and tricks on how to calm a puppy down \u2014 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\u2019ll also tell you our take on the BEST gift for a new puppy this Christmas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re struggling with your puppy\u2019s behavior this Christmas, don\u2019t worry – you\u2019re not alone. Just download the Zigzag app<\/a> and get in touch with our team of professional dog trainers<\/a> for great training classes and golden advice. They\u2019re available 24\/7 to pull you through those tough times\u2026are you familiar with letting your puppy out for a pee in the middle of the night yet? <\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In calming your puppy down at Christmas, you’ll find that small adjustments can make a big difference. Here\u2019s our tips from the Zigzag experts for the best way to calm a puppy at Christmas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Creating a designated safe space for your puppy is key. This area should be quiet and comfortable, where they know they can retreat when the festivities become just a little too much. Charm this space up with their favorite toys and a cozy bed to make snuggling easy as pie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019s time to go in there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve got plenty more useful information in our full guide to crate training<\/a>, or even on how to choose the best crate or playpen<\/a> for your puppy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Extra energy can be tricky to handle during the holidays. To help your puppy manage their extra \u2018spark for life\u2019, we suggest taking your puppy for a longer walk or playtime session before the party starts. Make sure they get plenty of time to sniff around and get a good amount of treats too \u2014 this will help a great deal to relax and make them feel calm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hungry for more? We\u2019ve got plenty more information on how often to walk your dog in our article on puppy walking schedule and exercise<\/a>. Everything you need to know is there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n While you and your guests might love loud music or a few rounds of Christmas carol karaoke, your dog probably won\u2019t. During the holidays, use white noise and 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 fireworks \u2014 the latter gets many dogs upset at this time of year!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Want to learn more about how to help your dog from fireworks? Our article on white noise for puppies<\/a> is a good one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure to introduce your puppy to guests little by little, in a controlled manner. Start with small groups at a time, and give them treats to hand them when you see calm behavior from your pup. For puppies who are a little more on the shy side, you can ask your guests to avoid any staring competitions, and to just stick to tossing some treats towards them. This will help them glide smoothly into social interactions without your puppy becoming overwhelmed or feeling forced to engage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the way, your puppy jumping up on people isn\u2019t always a sign of friendliness from them. It can often be a sign that they\u2019re feeling overwhelmed. You can find more on this in our article on puppy body language<\/a>, or more specifically on how to stop your puppy from jumping up on people.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A shiny tree, ornaments, flashing lights\u2026it\u2019s all quite a lot for a puppy to take in. Rather than doing everything all in one day, introduce them to your decorations slowly, so your puppy avoids getting overwhelmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019re traveling 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\u2019re on an empty stomach, and you can keep any chances of puke on the way to a minimum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like babies, it can be common for puppies to get travel sick. Leading up to your travel date, practice traveling 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<\/a> \u2014 it\u2019s got everything you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yup, dogs can benefit plenty from herbal and complementary supplements to help them take the edge off things, or even to avoid travel sickness entirely. If you think your pup might need them, contact your Veterinarian well in advance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019re a serious win-win: your puppy is happily entertained and builds positive associations with their surroundings, while you can focus on your guests and on munching down your Christmas dinner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Keeping your puppy calm on their own will require some training, so you\u2019ll 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\u2019re busy dealing with all the holiday action happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you\u2019re here, you might want to learn a whole lot about teaching your puppy to be comfortable alone. You\u2019ll 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<\/a> or on puppy separation anxiety<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Try to maintain a consistent routine for feeding, walking, and bedtime even during the holidays. No worries if you\u2019re clueless, our article on the ideal daily puppy routine <\/a>will tell you all about it<\/p>\n\n\n\n Christmas comes with a lot of ornaments, decorations and items that can be dangerous for puppies. Dogs are naturally curious and will try to get into everything\u2026they\u2019re really the ultimate definition of nosy! Help them out a lot by managing their environment: Hang ornaments up high, secure the tree to prevent it from falling, and place your gifts away from your pup\u2019s sharp teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Management does wonders to prevent problems in the puppy training journey by preventing your puppy from practicing behaviors we don\u2019t like. You can read more about management in our article here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mat training will help your dog understand that they always have somewhere to go where people won\u2019t interfere with them, but that still involves sharing the same living space. It\u2019s truly golden training for keeping the interaction between dogs and humans peaceful \u2014 you can find more lessons on mat training<\/a> lessons in the Zigzag app!<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Christmas gets closer and closer, you may find your pup being taken over by excitement. This isn\u2019t always manifested in the best of ways; often resulting in unwanted behavior like biting or not listening. This is the part you realize that learning how to calm a puppy down, especially during the busy holiday season, is a must.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re dealing with an overstimulated puppy, try engaging them in calming activities like scent work or a yummy lickimat. Puzzle toys<\/a> or gentle food-based training sessions can help focus their mind and redirect their energy in a positive way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Consistency and patience are key when teaching your puppy to relax. As with any child, it can take quite a while for them to ground after being so high on life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n One effective training exercise for how to calm an overstimulated puppy is to practice the “settle” cue. How it works is easy: reward your puppy for calm behavior, gradually increasing the time they remain settled before receiving a treat. Easy-peasy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best way to calm a puppy will also often depend on the individual dog’s personality and needs, so you\u2019ll need to figure out what your dogs\u2019 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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, generally your puppy will learn how to calm themselves down as they get older. But it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understanding how puppies calm down naturally can help you set realistic expectations. After all, they have no life experience when they\u2019re this young and find it difficult to grasp how to reign themselves in. We can\u2019t expect too much of them, can we?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s make it easier for ourselves, and just have a read in our guide on how to calm a puppy down.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A college education, of course! While we don\u2019t actually have 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jokes aside, 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Looks like you\u2019re all ready for Christmas with your puppy! If you\u2019re needing more puppy training lessons and inspiration, we\u2019ve got plenty more guides up our sleeve. Get yourself ready by reading up on puppy-proofing your Christmas<\/a>, how to have an enjoyable first Christmas with your puppy,<\/a> and on what belongs in your puppy\u2019s belly on Christmas dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, what next? Downloading the Zigzag app<\/a> sounds just about right. You\u2019ll receive endless training tips, lessons, and advice from our certified dog trainers<\/a> that are happy to help 24\/7 via the in-app chat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Our expert training tips for keeping your dog calm at Christmas <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Give your puppy a safe space<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Crate training <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Plan a tiring walk for physical stimulation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Keep the noise down!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Exposing your puppy to guests and groups of people<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Introduce Christmas decorations gradually<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Prepare them for travel<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Speak to your vet about calming supplements<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Give them distractions and use mental stimulation <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Build up the time left alone<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Give them a routine<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Puppy proof the environment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Teach a place or lie on your bed cue<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to calm a puppy down at Christmas<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Will my puppy calm down as they get older? <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The perfect Christmas gift for a new puppy <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n