Kids, Dogs, and Christmas

Managing Excitement for Everyone’s Safety 🎄🐾

Christmas is magical for children. The lights, the noise, the anticipation, the wrapping paper, the visitors—everything about this time of year is designed to send excitement levels through the roof.

But while kids are buzzing with joy, our dogs are often experiencing something very different.

Dogs thrive on predictability. Christmas, however, brings sudden changes: louder voices, unfamiliar smells, disrupted routines, extra people, and children whose excitement can spill over into shrieking, running, grabbing, and hugging. Even the most tolerant dog has a limit, and this season can push them much closer to their threshold than usual.

Excited Kids & Overstimulated Dogs

Children aren’t doing anything wrong when they get excitable—Christmas is exciting. But high-energy movements, unpredictable behaviour, and constant noise can be overwhelming for dogs. A dog who normally copes well may struggle when:

Kids are racing around the house
Presents are being torn open noisily
Toys squeak, flash, or move unexpectedly
Boundaries are forgotten in the excitement

When dogs feel overwhelmed, they may show subtle signs of stress long before anything “goes wrong”—turning away, freezing, lip licking, yawning, hiding, or leaving the room. These signals are often missed or misunderstood, especially during busy moments.

Management Is Kindness

Keeping both children and dogs safe isn’t about blame—it’s about management.

Managing a dog’s environment means setting them up to feel secure and giving them choices. This might look like:

Creating a quiet, child-free space where your dog can retreat
Using baby gates or closed doors during present opening
Providing long-lasting chews, snuffle mats, or enrichment away from the chaos
Keeping dogs out of the room during peak excitement times

It’s not exclusion—it’s protection.

Teaching Kids, Too

Christmas is also a wonderful opportunity to teach children about kindness and respect for animals. Simple rules can make a big difference:

Let the dog come to you
No hugging, grabbing, or climbing
Leave the dog alone when they’re resting or eating
Understand that dogs need breaks, just like people

Helping kids learn that dogs have feelings and limits builds empathy—and keeps everyone safer.

A Calm Christmas Is a Safer One

The goal isn’t a “perfect” Christmas, but a safe one. By managing excitement, supervising interactions, and giving dogs space to decompress, we reduce the risk of stress-related incidents and ensure the day is positive for the whole family.

A relaxed dog is a safer dog.
A managed environment is a kind one.

And sometimes, the best gift we can give our dogs at Christmas… is peace.