Potential Stressors on Your Cavoodle Over The Holiday season
With holidays fast approaching many of us have a change in our routines. There’s a lot of activity, social outings and people coming and going which can equal a bit of stress, anxiety and discomfort.
What do you need to aware of and how can you potentially mitigate them. Well, keep reading as I share some practical tips of things I do with Bella and Bambi.
Why Can Cavoodles Be More Sensitive During Holidays?
Cavoodles are typically sociable and non-aggressive which means their sweet temperament can make them especially sensitive to changes in routine, noisy environments, and unfamiliar people or animals, all of which are common during the holiday season. Being able to not just identify but also understand different stressors can help you ensure the holistic well-being of your Cavoodle.
Changes in Routine and Environment
Cavoodles embrace habits through consistent daily routines and Xmas holidays often disrupt this routine because of travel plans, late-night activities, and other changes in the environment. Regardless if it is a trip to a new place, a loved one staying over, or just an increase in activity in your home, these changes can be unsettling for your Cavoodle.
How It Affects Your Cavoodle?
Disrupted Sleep Schedule: With late-night parties, guests staying up, or changes in meal times, your Cavoodle's regular sleep may be disrupted. This can lead to irritability, restlessness or even behavioural changes.
Introducing your Cavoodle to new environments: Christmas events, BBQs or parties add another layer of adjustment. Loud noise, unfamiliar smells, different flooring, new people wanting to pat them, and general excitement can feel overwhelming, especially for naturally sensitive or shy Cavoodles. You may find they cling to you more, explore less confidently or become quieter in settings that feel unfamiliar or unpredictable.
Lack of Personal Space: The influx of guests and the sudden changes in the look of your furniture and its arrangement for decorative purposes can take away your fur buddy's safe, quiet space where they usually retreat to relax. When your Cavoodle attends festive celebrations outside of your home, this loss of familiarity becomes even more noticeable because they no longer have immediate access to their safe resting area or their comfort cues, which can make it harder for them to settle and feel secure.
What You Can Do: As much as possible, even with the sudden changes, maintain as much of your dog's routine as possible. From simply taking walks and short playtimes, not missing the feeding schedule, and even finding a new place for them temporarily to rest and retreat to give them some normalcy.
Loud Noises and Sudden Sounds
Holidays won't be complete without music, loud singing, party noisemakers and other loud noises such as fireworks. Cavoodles, with their sensitive ears, may find these noises overwhelming and stressful as their hearing perceives sounds at a much higher frequency than that of humans which can cause anxiety.
How Does It Affect Your Cavoodle?
Anxiety from Noise: The constant barrage of sounds can be so uncomfortable, eventually causing fear and uneasiness to them. Your Cavoodle might show signs of distress like whining, barking, hiding, or even trembling.
Startle Responses: Sudden, unexpected noises like doorbells or popping balloons may cause your Cavooodle to become startled or anxious.
What You Can Do: As we mentioned above, finding a temporary place to stay, especially during the peak of holidays like Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve is a must. Also use calming music designed to soothe anxious pets or anxiety wraps and pheromone diffusers, to create an environment that is more tranquil for your dog.
Strangers In The House
Whilst it is great to spend time with family & friends over Xmas, having an influx of unfamiliar people and other pets can potentially increase their stress levels. They may feel unsure about these strangers or feel overwhelmed by the large crowd.
How Does It Affect Your Cavoodle?
Personality changes: Your Cavoodle, due to a variety of factors like stress and being territorial can either become so shy or so aggressive.
Overstimulation: With all the commotion, some dogs can get overstimulated, making it difficult for them to focus and relax.
What You Can Do: Introduce your Cavoodle to the guests and especially other pets calmly, allowing them to meet each person and other animals individually in a controlled and quiet environment. Allow them some downtime in a quiet space away from the action if they manifest discomfort.
Travelling Stress
Many people travel over the Xmas period however you need to consider how this might impact your cavoodle, especially when they are not accustomed to it. The changes in the environment, unfamiliar odours, and new places can be unsettling for them.
How It Affects Your Cavoodle?
Motion Sickness: Just like some humans, some dogs may experience car sickness, which can lead to vomiting, drooling, and discomfort in general.
Travel Anxiety: Transferring from one place to another can cause anxiety to your Cavoodle because of the unfamiliarity of spaces and people.
What You Can Do: Take your dog for shorter trips before the holidays to help them get used to the car or other modes of travel. NB: This is not the time to try your first flight with your cavoodle. Bring familiar items like their favourite blanket or toy to provide comfort.
Holiday Foods and Treats
Whilst it might seem like a good idea for Uncle kevin to feed your cavoodle ham off the table, it is not. You need to take extra caution when it comes to feeding them or allowing others to do so as many foods during the celebration may be delicious for humans but may not be suitable for them such as chocolates, onions, garlic, alcohol, and fatty foods as it can cause serious harm to the health of our Cavoodle.
How It Affects Your Cavoodle?
Health Risks: Unintentional food poisoning might happen. Well-meaning guests might slip your dog scraps from the table, leading them to ingest certain foods that can lead to digestive problems, poisoning, or worse, long-term health issues. And no one wants an emergency visit to the vet on Xmas Day.
Weight problems: Overexposure to holiday treats can also lead to unhealthy gain of weight resulting in obesity which can put your Cavoodle at risk of other health issues in the long run.
What You Can Do: Remind guests to not feed your Cavoodle table scraps and provide healthy dog treats as an alternative to avoid temptation and explain to them why. If they understand the dangers they are more likely to listen to you.. Be vigilant about the food your dog may eat especially with young children around who may inadvertently offer food.
Now you understand some of the potential stressors, With a little planning and patience, you can make the holidays enjoyable for both you and your four legged family members.
