It’s okay to exclude the dog from family gatherings

Having been raised in a child free home, my dogs haven’t had reason to be around kids much. So when my young nieces come to visit, the dogs are put away in their kennels to chill out in their own space most of the time - removing all risk of conflict, allowing me to focus on being present with my human family without worrying about constantly needing to supervise interactions.

Not all dogs enjoy being around kids, especially those who haven’t been socialised with them regularly. And even if they have been well socialised with your kids, other peoples children can behave differently around dogs and have different levels of comfort.

Not all dogs are even comfortable around large groups of adults either, especially when exciting holiday festivities are involved.

And honestly, even if your dog enjoys being around people well enough - sometimes you can’t offer your full attention to ensure the dog is still comfortable and not getting into trouble with things they shouldn’t.

Don’t feel that your dog has to be involved with every aspect of your Christmas festivities to be a valued part of your family. It’s actually okay to give them a good run and play session to ensure their needs have been met in terms of interaction and mental/physical exercise, then pop them away in a kennel or spare room to chill out in peace. Sometimes that’s the best option for everyone, including you and your dog. 🙂