When your dog is part of your family at Christmas

Our dogs are part of the family, so what things are there to do with dogs at Christmas? It’s a given that many of our ‘Warm Wellies’ fans have a love of dogs. We receive lots of pictures with dogs on a welly walk so we thought it only right to dedicate a blog focusing on things to do with our dogs this festive season.

Things to do list

1.         Stick to your routine – take your dog out on Christmas day morning they are creatures of habit and will settle better for the rest of the day. We find that first thing in the morning it rains much less than at any other time of the day. 
2.         If it snows – a snowball game will be ace. 
3.         Get fit for Christmas Day  - make sure you get out with the dog and get some sunshine (any Vitamin D is good), and some exercise to make up for the days you don’t at Christmas. 
4.         Go for a beach walk – and work up an appetite for lunch! Remember the water will be extra cold, so don’t let your dog stay too long in the water. 
5.         Make some dog treats that are safe for dogs to eat – see the Gingerbread People and  Candy Cane recipes from the Kennel Club (below). 
6.        Take your dog to a Festive market – that will certainly tickle the senses. 
7.         Walk around your town's Christmas lights – they may not look up, but you will have time to take everything in. 
8.         If you are away for Christmas – make sure you take enough home-from-home things for your dog – not just the bed, but favourite toys and chews. Sounds obvious but its best not to rely on new stimulation. 
9.         Round Robin treat time – playing games with your dog and the family can be great fun. The game involves the family sitting in a circle, taking it in turns to call the dog and rewarding with a tiny treat. It will keep them entertained for ages.
10.         Walk off that Christmas lunch – it will do you all good.

Things not to do!

1. Don’t feed them mince pies or fruit cake
2. Keep chocolates out of reach!
3. Don’t feed your dog too much just before or just after a walk – they could develop bloat which, for some, can be life threatening.

Christmas dog facts*

According to research, we spend £3 billion on dog gifts at Christmas.

• 88% of us buy dog presents at Christmas - why not include a toy that is just for Christmas – you can use it, then clean it and put it away with the decorations – then re-wrap it next year. 
• 70% of us hang a stocking for our dog(s) – why not bake some special doggy treats to go in them – see our recipe below, it means Christmas doesn’t have to cost  a packet. 
• 69% of us sign our Christmas cards from ourselves and the dog. 
•  66% include dogs in the family Christmas picture (we think that’s low!) ·         
• 58% of us dress our dogs on Christmas Day – Mabel and Mika only get a bit of tinsel, but Mabel was sorely tempted with a gingerbread jumper! 

 *This research was commissioned by Denzel’s the dog food people.

Christmas recipes - delicious for dogs

It’s far better and more fun, to have a go at making festive treats for your dogs at home. Lower in sugar, fat and definitely no artificial ingredients. And remember, if you are using peanut butter, make sure it is the right kind! The following recipes are adapted from ones on the Kennel Club pages: 

Festive Gingerbread owners

Ingredients: 

•  130ml water 25ml (1½ tbsp) olive oil 
•  25ml (1½ tbsp) black treacle 
•  1 tbsp honey 
•  300g wholemeal flour 
•  1/2 tsp cinnamon 
•  4 tsp of ground ginger 

 Method: 

1.  Mix the wet ingredients together in a bowl (water, olive oil, black treacle, and honey). 
2.  In a separate bowl mix the dry ingredients together (flour, cinnamon, and ginger). 
3.  Add the dry ingredients into the wet mix and stir until combined into a dough. 
4.  Place the dough into a bowl, cover and then put in the fridge for 3.5 hours. 
5.  Take the dough out of the fridge and roll out onto a flowered surface until 1/4 inch thick. 
6.  Preheat your oven to 180°C/ 160°C Fan/ gas 4. Use your gingerbread biscuit cutters to cut out your gingerbread owners. 
7.  Place each biscuit on a lined baking tray. 
8.  Bake for 10-15 minutes. 
9.  Leave to cool thoroughly before feeding to your dog. 

 When making gingerbread people for humans, raisins, sultanas, or currants are often used for eyes or buttons, but please be aware that these dried fruits can be toxic to dogs, even in small quantities, and should never be fed to them.

Christmas Candy Canes

Ingredients: 

•  60ml vegetable oil 
•  1 egg 
•  225ml water 
•  350g wholemeal flour 
•  35g powdered milk 
•  1 tsp vanilla extract 
•  3 tsp beetroot powder (or you can use the juice from a pack of beetroot or grated cooked beetroot) 

 Method: 

1.  In a bowl, mix the vegetable oil, egg, and water. In a separate bowl mix the flour and powdered milk. 
2.  Add the dry ingredients into the wet mix and knead the dough for a couple of minutes. Separate the dough into two equal parts and place into different bowls. 
3.  Add the vanilla extract to one dough and the beetroot powder into the other and knead each dough separately. Both mixtures may be a little sticky. 
4.  Place in the fridge for 1 hour. 
5.  Pull off small sections of the dough and, using the palm of your hand, roll into long thin sausage shapes. 
6.  Plait together one vanilla strand and one beetroot strand and shape into a candy cane. 
7.  Place your Christmas candy canes onto a lined baking tray. 
8.  Preheat your oven to 180°C/ 160°C Fan/ gas 4. 
9.  Bake for 12-15 minutes. 
10.  Leave to cool thoroughly before feeding to your dog. 

 The warning bits… ·         

Do remember pawtion control!! 

Some recipes include peanut butter which is a good source of protein, but MAKE SURE IT IS THE RIGHT KIND! Low salt and low sugar, no artificial sweeteners.  Xylitol, also known as birch sugar or E967, is an artificial sweetener that is highly toxic to dogs. If your dog ever eats xylitol then contact your vet immediately.