Is Your Pet Ready for Holiday Guests? Tips for Managing Pet Stress

The holiday season is in full swing. While the season is mostly joyous, it does have its fair share of stressors for people and their pets. As you prepare your home for winter visitors, it’s important to consider if your pet is ready for holiday guests. Unexpected visitors, decorations, and even smells in the house can trigger a lot of anxiety for an animal. Luckily, we’re here with some easy tips for managing pet stress so everyone can enjoy the holiday season:

Provide a Safe Space

Before you put up your first holiday decoration, create a space just for your pet where they can go when they are feeling anxious. Set up a comfortable spot in a room that’s away from where all the action will be happening. If your pet uses a kennel, place it in the room with some favorite blankets and toys. If they do not have a kennel, set up a cozy spot with a bed. Put some food and water in the room so your pet can cuddle up in there when you have guests over. On days when you have a house full of people, you might even want to play some soft music in the room to help keep your pet calm.

Tire Them Out

Schedule some time to let your pet expend extra energy before your guests arrive. Whether you go on an extra long walk or play fetch for a while, physical exertion helps burn off anxious feelings. And, if your pet is tired enough, they might not have the energy to feel afraid when people come to your house.

Slowly Introduce Them to More People

A large part of the reason many pets feel anxious around holiday guests is because they aren’t used to being around new people. You can mitigate this discomfort by slowly introducing them to more people in the weeks leading up to the holidays. If you can, bring your pet to a few friends’ homes, check out your local dog park, or enroll in some daycare classes. The more exposure your pet has to others, the less anxiety they will feel when you have holiday guests in your home.

Ask Your Veterinarian to Help Relieve Pet Stress

Some pets are prone to anxiety and need a little bit of extra help to overcome it. If you know that your pet is particularly anxious, you might want to talk to your veterinarian before the holidays. The vet might suggest some supplements or even medication that can help your pet calm down enough to enjoy the holiday festivities with you and your guests.

Know Your Pet’s Warning Signs of Stress

Even with preparation, some pets still feel anxious when there are a lot of guests in the house. It’s important to be able to recognize the signs of anxiety so you can intervene before your pet starts to feel really bad. Some signs of anxiety in pets include:

• Physically moving away from a person or group of people
• Aggressive behavior
• Destructive behavior
• Inability to relax
• Vocalizing
• Accidents in the house

If your pet is exhibiting any of the above signs of pet stress, you might want to separate them from the group and spend a little time with them in a quiet room to help them calm down.

At Oakland Veterinary Referral Services, we want everyone in your house to enjoy a healthy and happy holiday season together. Our specialty and emergency veterinary services are available 24/7 all year to ensure you have help when you need it. To learn more, please call (248) 334-6877.