2. Respect and a safe place

Dogs love to hang out with us and be a part of our lives and of course, we absolutely want them to.  But, we also need to respect that dogs can sometimes need space away from the chaos to feel safe, and also, our guests probably don't need to be forced to pet a demanding dog. 

In my typical neurodiverse way, I'm going to use my dogs as examples. My malinois would love to snack on people for dinner, my senior Border Collie would definitely trick anyone and maybe everyone into playing with him, but they wouldn't know he has zero self-preservation and an old injury and should not be jumping up in the air, and my young Border Collies loves people but also gets a little overwhelmed and stressed when he's getting the attention that he demands.  Someone else might think he's just really excited and not notice that he needs a break. So it's just best not to put any of my dogs or my guests in a bad situation. 

Your dog may handle strangers seamlessly, so why put Fluffy away when she can hang out?

Family get-togethers often involve children, which can be stressful for dogs who aren't accustomed to being around children, and it can be dangerous for children who may be excited to see a new dog and may not know proper dog etiquette or have the capacity to control their excitement. 

It's not just children who pose a problem.  It's easy to forget that not everyone is dog-savvy and guests may not know that dogs shouldn't eat chocolate or that dogs don't really want strangers hugging them and that leaving the front door open is a problem, etc.  The things that are normal in a dog home might be foreign to non-dog people. I don't know those people, but I'm sure they exist.  Instead of educating guests on how to properly interact with dogs or shaming them for trying to share their Macadamia nuts with the dog, just make life easy for everyone, enjoy your guests, and put Fluffy away.  This way nobody dies and feelings are spared. 

So where can Fluffy hang out?  Well if Fluffy has a crate and is accustomed to visiting it from time to time, a crate in a quiet place, like the master bedroom would be perfect.  But really, you don't need a crate to keep your dog safe.  Just use a room that nobody is going to go in for any reason.  The crate is a good backup in case for some reason someone goes in the room and leaves to door open.  But it isn't necessary.

Now you can enjoy your company and your dog can relax and stay safe.

3. Meeting your dog's needs and reducing stress

Dogs like their routines, just as much as we do.  When things are different, they will know and it could cause some stress.  So if at all possible try to maintain some routine, keep the same feeding time if possible, and don't forget your daily walk. 

Add some mental stimulation throughout the day.  Here are some great products.

The Lickimat is awesome and great to spread with peanut butter (or a mixture of peanut butter and yogurt or pumpkin) and give it to your dog while you're close by, getting ready to head out, or waiting for company to arrive.  The licking will relieve some stress.  Be sure to use natural or regular peanut butter without fake sugar (which is toxic to dogs).  Just a side note - these mats are not safe to leave alone with your dog.

A snuffle mat is a great way to feed your dog kibble or even some treats.  If this is new to them, the sniffing uses a surprising amount of mental energy.

Kongs are always great.  You can stuff them to freeze or you can put a cookie inside and it takes some time to get them out. I usually use Kong paste  first, then stuff it with the butterfly-shaped Wag More Bark Less cookie.  

I also put Wag More Bark Less cookies inside Hol-ee rollers.

You can also just put some treats in a rolled-up towel. Be creative!

Do you have tips to share? I would love to hear them, my dogs can use some fresh ideas, so please share in the comments.