Company is coming.
What do you do? Training your dog is not like studying for an exam, and it would be a bit late to start cramming now. The key to success is proper management. You need to manage your time, activities, and schedules around your sweet poor misunderstand canine. Remember that holidays are stressful for pets as well as people. Here are some helpful tips to set yourself up for success over this holiday season, but please be prepared to address your pet’s problem just as soon as possible.

Problem - Food stealing and what you can do right now

Make a plan involving the entire family. Remind family members to place food higher up and away from the edges of counters and tables. Enlist the children’s help in picking up the dirty plates. Don’t give your dog the opportunity to partake of your holiday fare. If time permits, hold brief practice runs and confine your dog. Make his crate somewhere he’ll WANT to be by leaving him in it with special goodies. Consider a stuffed kong, appropriate chew toys, or even beef marrow bones (Charlee’s favorite!) from the butcher so your dog can feast on his own holiday fare.

On the big day…

Draft family members to help supervise the dog when you cannot. Consider tethering your dog to yourself or a family member that you trust. My rescue dog Charlee, who once thought nothing of jumping up on counters or tables when we first got her, wasn’t permitted to be off-lead at family gatherings for nearly a year. If you are busy in the kitchen try securing the leash around your waist to free up your hands. Remember if your dog has been stealing, then YOU are at fault. Anticipating his actions will help you to avoid situations where your dog has this type of opportunity. Supervise, supervise supervise! If you cannot supervise, then you should confine your pet in a safe place, like a crate. Dogs are not that difficult to understand. If something works for them, it will be repeated.

Future Training Plan

Teach your dog the command ‘LEAVE IT!”. Don’t allow your dog to conduct a successful scavenger hunt (ever)! Your dog will undoubtedly repeat behaviors he has had success with but those he doesn’t have success with will most likely extinguish themselves over time.

Problem - Your dog jumps and is a wild tornado when guests arrive

Before the big day…

If time permits, leash your dog and practice meeting and greeting at the door with dog loving friends and family. Remember to ring the doorbell and knock on the door. Teach your dog a place (station) where they are to sit-stay whenever you answer the door. Greet your guests first…then introduce the dog.

On the big day…

Wake up extra early and make time for some aerobic exercise. Get that dog tired! Consider putting treats in your mail box and asking your guests to take one as they enter. Have your dog sit for their treat.

Future Training Plan

Make “SIT” a part of your dog's daily routine. Be sure your dog has to sit for absolutely everything. Sit for petting, doorways, dinner, treats, car rides, and entering new places just to name a few. Practice meeting and greeting daily. Teach your dog to “STAY” at the door. Don’t allow people to pet your jumping dog. Teach the dog that getting to meet people will only occur if he offers calm behavior.

Problem - Your dog is shy around strangers

What you can do now…

Do not try to cram lots of visitors and people into your dog’s routine too quickly. Any training progress you have made will suffer considerably for it.

On the big day…

Control your shy dog’s environment as best you can. This probably means crating or confining him. Be especially careful to supervise children. Dogs have a fight or flight instinct and a shy dog needs an escape route open to him at all times. Do not try to forcibly hold your shy dog so people can pet him. Be sure to make time for aerobic exercise to help take the edge off of your nervous dog.

Future Training Plan

There is no quick fix for the shy, unsocialized dog. You need a training plan that includes counter-conditioning and desensitization. If you are not making progress with this on your own, please consult a trainer.

Problem – Begging

Stop rewarding your dog’s bad behavior! From this moment forward, if you must feed your dog table scraps do so only after meals and place them directly in his food bowl. When I first rescued Charlee, I would reward her first for lying down and even for sleeping at a predetermined spot outside the kitchen during meal time. If your dog has become annoying when you're eating or preparing food then remove him! If he knows obedience, apply it!

On the big day…
Confine or tether your dog so they are not a nuisance to everyone. Be sure to read well-meaning visitors the riot act as well. (Dad, you know who you are!)

Future Training Plan

Most dogs who beg have a people-problem. From the dog’s point of view, it is well worth it to keep on whining, if they continue to be rewarded. Stop all feeding from the table. If you want to give your dog table scraps, please do so only in their bowl.

Your overall theme should be to supervise or confine your dog. Make plenty of time for exercise, and do not allow an unmannerly dog free access throughout your home. Maintain a schedule whenever possible and start basic obedience training just as soon as you can. For a list of positive, motivational dog obedience trainers in your area, consult The Association of Pet Dog Trainers