There’s nothing like having friends round for a BBQ or wine night. But these social gatherings may be relaxing for you, they can actually pose a real challenge for your pets.

With more people than usual dropping by, your dog may experience anxiety or excitability, depending on their temperament. This can cause them to act ‘out of character’ and can often undo your hard work in training them. 

But if you take the right precautions, there’s no reason your dog can’t be part of your festivities. We’ve pulled together our best tips on keeping your pet happy around house-guests.

If your pet is anxious around house-guests:

Create a quiet space: 

If your pet gets stressed around strangers, consider how you can build them a retreat well away from all the chaos. If your dog is only a puppy, creating a cozy nesting area removed from the hustle and bustle will help them relax. Add some entertainment like their favourite toys, play some soft music and make it contained so there’s no chance of wandering off. 

If your dog is a little older, they may greet your house-guests, but quickly tire or become irritable if things become too loud or crowded. Avoid this by having a dedicated retreat for your dog to move into when they’ve had enough of playing host. 

Keep an eye out:

It’s easy to lose sight of your pet in the excitement of a social event, so make sure you’ve got a dedicated ‘dog watcher’ who will keep tabs on them throughout the evening. This will ensure that they don’t get up to mischief, or feeling ‘forgotten’ which may lead to some anti-social behaviour. 

Distract them:

Make sure you’ve stocked up on your pet’s favourite treats so you can distract them while guests are around, or give them something to do if they need to retreat. Frozen kongs, bully sticks and bones work a treat, as well as their favourite toys. 

Avoid resource-guarding:

Be wary of resource-guarding. This is when your dog becomes overly possessive of their ‘prized items’, often getting growly around others they perceive as a threat. This might be over a toy, a household item or even a piece of rubbish. The best way to deal with this is through distraction rather than confrontation. Have someone ring the doorbell or something that your dog associates with excitement. When they move, you can swiftly grab their special treasure and place it out of sight. It’s also a good idea to remove your dog from guests when they are eating. 

 

If your pet is overly excitable around house-guests:

Sweat it out: 

If your pet tends to get a little hyperactive amongst all the excitement, it’s super important to prioritise exercise before the event. By making sure your dog has worked out their excess energy, they’re less likely to bowl your guests over on arrival!

Keep calm:

When that doorbell rings, an excitable pooch is likely to dash for the door. Guests arriving is a chaotic time for your pet, so try containing them in another room for the first 30-60 minutes. Use a leash or doggy barrier. This ensures the initial overwhelm will have passed, so that you can slowly introduce your dog to guests when everyone is settled. Before the event, it’s worth training your dog to respond calmly to stimuli like the doorbell. 

The most important tip is to stay calm yourself. It’s tough for a dog to distinguish whether people are angry or excited when in large groups of people. By keeping things as neutral and normal as possible, your pet is less likely to be confused or act out of character. 

Positive reinforcement: 

While it can be lovely to share your pet with guests, they can sometimes do more harm than good. If you’ve made strides in training your pet, it can be frustrating if well-meaning visitors undo that good work, by accepting or encouraging behaviours you want to eliminate. 

This is why it’s extra important to stay vigilant and even kindly let your guests know of your training efforts. Your dog needs consistency if they are to respect your authority. Lots of positive reinforcement of good behaviour will help them remember who’s boss. Have some nibbles handy in the rooms your pet will be, so that you can toss them the occasional treat when deserved. 

A note on children: 

Not every dog is a happy chappy around kids. When having families over to your house, it’s super important to understand your pet’s temperament and act accordingly. Perhaps they need to be removed from the festivities to avoid accidents. It also pays to make sure children understand how to interact with a dog. Teach them to ‘read’ the signals of a dog that is happy to play, and one that wants to stay away. 

We wrote a blog post on how pets and children can coexist. Read our best tips for keeping kids and canines happy and safe here.