Dog and Christmas

DKLS

I wish there was a dog present where I am going for xmas day, I really fancy taking a pooch out for a good walk rather than watch the kids open their mountains of plastic tat and getting increasingly hyper.

aileth

DKLS wrote: »

I wish there was a dog present where I am going for xmas day, I really fancy taking a pooch out for a good walk rather than watch the kids open their mountains of plastic tat and getting increasingly hyper.

I'm going to suggest we all go for a boxing day walk (that is the day when we'd be seeing them anyway). If they're not interested, I'll say that me and OH will bring pup anyway and take all the dogs out by ourselves :cool:

lostinrates

DKLS wrote: »

I wish there was a dog present where I am going for xmas day, I really fancy taking a pooch out for a good walk rather than watch the kids open their mountains of plastic tat and getting increasingly hyper.

And that's another reason I would NEVER send my dogs away. I find in a houseful I benefit from an hour to reset myself. I get this in the morning with my outdoor chores, but people tend to mother with the chores later in the day. With the reliable dogs I can hand them a pair of wellies, a rough coat and a dog lead, point and say, don't let them of the lead please, they are not your dogs.....and off they go. My dogs prefer a good run to a lead walk, so tend to wear out the humans very well.

marmitepotato

I take my dog where I know she is welcome. If she is not welcome she's left at home but my visit is short. My dog is part of my family and always will be, but I respect others wishes.

Janepig

I wouldn't want someone bringing their dog to my house tbh. DD would be petrified, and DS would be the one fawning over the dog and winding it up (although he wouldn't mean to be). DH's grandmother had a dog (who died this year) who was a complete lunatic, you'd go over there and she'd be diving all over you and if you were sitting down, when you'd open your mouth to talk she'd stick her snout in it and generally be jumping all over you. It was so bad that we stopped visiting and we never took the kids there.

My friend has two dogs who are also manic and when I've gone to her house with the kids, DS is cool as a cucumber with them and DD is running around like Benny Hill trying to get away from them, which anyone who has a dog will know, says "playtime!!!" to a dog, and they end up running around after her, cue lots of screaming, barking, etc...

OP, all the upset over this is in your mind. The dog doesn't give a monkeys. It's a dog, not a child. It's only two hours.

Jx

CH27

I would never take my dog to someone who didn't want it. I would respect their feelings & house rules.

I think training classes would benefit you & your dog in term of him socialising.

Does he get plenty of exercise to burn off all his energy?

con1888

I can understand why they aren't wanting him there if he is constantly on the go.

I have a dog who is similar but calms down after a while, my parents have said we can bring him this year but to bring his crate so that when we are eating etc he can go lie down and not get in the way. I'm planning on bringing him for a little while but not all day, will take him home around 6pm as my brother is coming with my nephew who is almost 2, my dog is fine with kids but being boisterous may knock him over etc.

Could you perhaps take him for a little while and take a crate?

maman

lazer wrote: »

Could it by any chance not be the dogs the in-laws object to - but your behaviour when the dogs are present - do you spend the majority of your time running after the dog or do you keep telling everyone - look at what "Rover" is doing - isn't he wonderful etc

aileth wrote: »

No, I most certainly don't. When we've taken him before, MIL has fawned over him and taken care of him most of the night. I'd love to implement a strict regime for while he's there, but I know that they wouldn't stick to it.

aileth wrote: »

And Peachy, I know he won't know it's Christmas, but I think it's just me being a bit silly and all I can picture is him at home while everyone else is enjoying their selves. I know he will have no idea, but I do.

I still think this is about you rather than your dog. I'm not a dog person and I can't imagine anyone feeling sorry for a dog missing out on Christmas. You obviously do although the dog gets 'wound up' by other people playing with him. I've no idea why your family, as obvious dog lovers themselves, don't want your dog there but as far as I'm concerned it's their home and their choice. Your choice is to choose to put your dog before the human members of the family and not go.

I have some experience of this.

My DD2 decided to get a dog a few years ago. He's a very boisterous spaniel. The first Christmas they had him she said she had to bring him to visit us as he couldn't be left alone. Fair enough. She arrived with masses of stuff (bed, toys, food etc etc) and expected that the dog would have free rein of my house. I insisted that his bed went in the conservatory and he stayed there too particularly when I was cooking and we were eating. My DD kept looking mournfully through the conservatory door, then he'd notice her and start jumping on the furniture or up at the door. I stuck to my guns and he stayed there but we did take him for a walk and he came in the sitting room when meals were over. Unfortunately he tears around all over the place and no one can relax when he's around.

The trouble is that I've seen her behave in a very similar way with my DGD over the years. She pays lip service to good behaviour but gives in easily. In her home, the dog is fed from the table, bought all sorts of expensive food, allowed to jump on furniture, sleeps on beds, tears around like a mad thing when you're trying to have a conversation, jumps up on visitors (I said I wasn't a dog lover;)).

The outcome is that she doesn't come for Christmas any more. I think she has other reasons (like having her MIL to stay etc) but the dog is part of it. We don't visit her that often either. We mostly communicate by phone/email or go out places to restaurants etc. I find her giving in to this dog and prioritising him over her family difficult to understand but I respect her right to do so....but in her own home not mine!

elsien

I'd take a crate as well, if he's crate trained- either leave it in the car or somewhere out of the way in their house. That way if he's being sensible he gets to spend time with you and if he's getting on anyone's nerves he can have a bit of time out for a while and relax a bit.

Tbh if my dog is being a pain I'd rather he was either left at home or had somewhere to put him if I needed to. I want to enjoy my visits to family rather than spend them constantly checking that the blasted dog isn't doing anything he shouldn't be.

Mojisola

KMR1984 wrote: »

That is the biggest problem sometimes, getting people to ignore said dog. I do think a lead may help though as he will be restrained in how excited he can get and will get quite bored when he realises he can't follow etc. That or a kong as someone mentioned earlier, and you may just find that they lose interest in him because he is quite happily busy tucking in. The noises may be interesting though!

So the real problem is the relatives' behaviour! As you can't "train" them, see if you can reduce your dog's reaction to them.

Get some friends to come to your house and behave like your relatives, give your dog something like a kong or have him on a lead or find something else that works, and try to reduce his reaction to them.

You could try changing the relatives's behaviour to some extent by saying something like "Please let him lie quietly or he'll get very excited and not everyone here is happy when he rushes about."