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Our Recipe for Surviving the Holiday

By Leah Hatley and Justine Schuurmans November 4, 2014
Wandering through piles of fallen leaves (trying to dodge the hidden poop or two) can only mean one thing: Fall! 

With Thanksgiving just around the corner we wanted to give you a RECIPE to get you through the day with a dog (in style!). Since this holiday is ALL about the FOOD, here’s how to use your dog’s OWN meals to help you enjoy the day without losing your mind.

INGREDIENTS:
  1. A SAFE ZONE:  If your dog is overwhelmed by all the fuss create a safe place where your pup can get away. Or, if you have a cheeky little monkey who looks for trouble – don’t be afraid to bust out the crate!
  2. YOUR DOG’S BREAKFAST: Only give your dog half of her breakfast. Put the other half in a container right next to the front door (Huh?  Don’t worry, we’ll get to that later!)
  3. PUZZLE TOYS: Stuff your dog’s dinner inside a puzzle toy. Mix it with a bit of natural yogurt or peanut butter and put it in the fridge (or freezer for the expert chewers). If you just want to use dry kibble, no worries – pop it in a treat ball instead.
  4. MARROW BONE: Buy a big one from the butcher and put that in the freezer too!
  5. EXERCISE: Give your dog a good run BEFORE it gets crazy in the afternoon. Don’t be shy about enlisting help if you’re cooking.  Make sure your dog is REALLY tuckered out.
THANKSGIVING DAY DIRECTIONS:

At the door: Guests can be so exciting to dogs! In fact, your dog might just turn into a pogo stick at the front door. So why not skirt those embarrassing moments by simply taking a handful of that breakfast kibble, putting it in front of your dog’s nose, and then rolling it AWAY from the door as you open it? Your pup can’t jump if he’s playing ‘vacuum cleaner’ in the corner!

While guests are chatting: Who doesn’t want to be involved in good conversation – your dog included! If he’s a little too involved, though, (or worse –sloping off to cause mischief) this is the time to pull out the puzzle toys and keep him busy with his OWN things.

During dinner: If you think Thanksgiving dinner smells good to you, just imagine trying to resist it when it smells THOUSANDS of times better! A dog’s sense of smell will lead him straight to the goodies, so pull out that marrow bone and let your dog go to town on a delicious Thanksgiving treat of his very own.

After dinner: You’re stuffed and ready for a nap – so why isn’t your dog snoozing too? If you’ve got a pup that’s still good to go, now is the time to pair him up with that other energizer bunny in your crowd. If it’s your kids who are ready to run around they can play games with your dog or even show off all his tricks to the crowd!

So that’s it! The recipe for Thanksgiving bliss - even with a dog in the mix! Let’s get stuffing those food toys!

Leah Hatley and Justine Schuurmans are professional trainers and owners of thefamilydog.com, a website that specializes in educating the whole family on how to interact with their dog or puppy. To learn more about the online program and see free training videos visit www.thefamilydog.com.