What Dogs Really Love About Christmas

Written by The Stylish Dog Company.

Last updated 2 October 2026. Guidance drawn from Dogs Trust, PDSA, the RSPCA and the Kennel Club. About a 7 minute read.

What dogs really love about Christmas is not the turkey, the presents or the tree. It is the two things the day gives them more of: their people at home all day, and attention. What they do not love is the rest of it: a doorbell that will not stop, strangers in the house, a routine that has vanished, a tree in the living room and crackers going off at the table. The charities all give the same advice: keep mealtimes and walks the same, give them a quiet place to retreat to, manage the door, and keep the chocolate, the tinsel and the dinner out of reach.

What do dogs actually enjoy about Christmas?

Dogs Trust describes dogs as social animals who have learned to live happily alongside us, and the RSPCA says they are intelligent and get bored easily. So what a dog loves about Christmas is company and something to do: a house full of their own people for days, long walks because nobody is at work, a new toy to take apart, and extra fuss at every turn. That is the whole list.

A lot of what we do at Christmas “for the dog” is really for us. PDSA says most pets do not enjoy being dressed up, and the dinner we are tempted to share is mostly on the toxic list (see what dogs can and cannot eat at Christmas). What dogs enjoy is simpler, and mostly about keeping the day calm enough to enjoy.

Why does routine matter so much over Christmas?

Because it is the one thing a dog can rely on when everything else has changed. Dogs Trust says that on days you have guests, sticking to your routine of mealtimes and exercise is important, and that a dog that has had its normal day will be relaxed by the time people arrive. The RSPCA says the same: keep food, exercise, bed and toilet break routines consistent, because it helps pets feel secure. PDSA adds that a change in routine is stressful in itself, so walk and feed at the usual times even if you have lost track of what day it is.

Decide who is walking the dog on Christmas morning before Christmas morning, and feed them before the guests arrive. If you are taking the dog to someone else’s house, the RSPCA suggests taking something that smells familiar, like their bed, plus a couple of their own toys and chews.

How do I prepare my dog for visitors?

The doorbell is where a lot of Christmas stress starts. Dogs Trust’s visitor training is built around that moment and is worth starting a few weeks out if your dog barks or rushes the door. The method is gradual: knock quietly on a table and reward calm, build up the volume, play a doorbell sound from your phone, then move to the real door with a helper outside, until the sound stops predicting anything.

The second half is teaching your dog to go to their bed when the door goes: treats on the bed, a cue word, build up the time, then pair it with a knock. Once that is reliable, Dogs Trust suggests a long lasting treat on the bed with the door closed for a short while, so guests can settle before the dog meets them. Keep a chew to hand so unexpected callers get the same routine.

If you have not had time for that, the RSPCA’s advice still works: let your dog meet new people at their own pace, and give them a distraction when guests first arrive, which Dogs Trust suggests is a long lasting food release treat or a chew. A quick word to guests helps too: no feeding the dog, and leave them alone when they take themselves off.

Visiting children

Dogs Trust’s advice for visiting children not used to dogs, or a dog not used to children, is to talk to the family beforehand so the children know how to behave: be calm, and do not approach a dog that is eating or sleeping. The other line is non-negotiable: never leave a child alone with a dog. Dogs Trust also says dogs prefer to avoid conflict and use body language to say so, and the early signs are subtle. A dog moving away from the room needs a break, and the safe space is where they go.

Giving your dog a quiet space

Every charity says this in almost the same words. Dogs Trust: somewhere to go for peace and quiet when the festivities get too much, with a bed and fresh water. The RSPCA: somewhere cosy and quiet where they will not be disturbed, with toys left there. PDSA: create it before the festivities begin and ahead of any guests.

Dogs Trust’s guide to building one: a spot the dog already likes, warm and free from draughts, quiet, big enough to stand and stretch out but snug, with water nearby and no wires or small chewable things. A bed in the nook between two armchairs, under a table, or a crate with the door fixed open all work. Blankets over the top help with sound and security. Set it up well in advance so it is familiar by the time the house fills up.

The rules matter as much as the structure. Never used as punishment. Everyone, especially children and visitors, knows where it is and leaves the dog alone in it. If you need the dog out, call them rather than pulling them out.

Are Christmas decorations and the tree safe for dogs?

Mostly, with care. The Kennel Club says baubles and tinsel are usually low toxicity but can get stuck in the throat or stomach and cause an obstruction that may need surgery. Glass and thin plastic ornaments can cut the mouth, throat or gut. Fairy light cables are a chewing and shock risk. Salt dough ornaments can make a dog ill and in severe cases affect the kidneys and cause fits. Chocolate decorations are chocolate, which is toxic, at nose height.

The Kennel Club’s list for dog proofing the tree: put it up a few days before decorating so the dog gets used to it, use a strong stand or tether it, cover the water in the base, keep the bottom branches bare with lights, tinsel and baubles high up, tape cables down, no chocolate coins, sweets, popcorn or salt dough, and presents under the tree on Christmas Eve night only. A pet gate or tree guard solves most of this at once.

Presents carry their own risks: the Kennel Club lists batteries, silica gel sachets and small toys; PDSA adds sticky tape, bows, ribbon and string. The RSPCA lists wrapping paper itself as a choking hazard, so bin the paper as well as the sticky and shiny bits, and give your dog their own toy to unwrap under supervision. For plants, the Kennel Club says poinsettia, holly, mistletoe and ivy are mostly low toxicity but can cause drooling, sickness or diarrhoea, so keep them up high.

Crackers, fireworks and noise

Crackers are a firework at the dinner table as far as a dog is concerned, and New Year’s Eve brings the real thing. Dogs Trust lists the signs of a dog frightened by noise: whining, clinginess, panting, tail tucked, hiding, trembling, pacing, going off food. If your dog does any of that, the firework advice applies: walk in daylight and be settled indoors well before dark, close curtains and put the lights on, put the television on to mask the noise, and stay with them. If they want to hide, let them; if they come to you for reassurance, give it. Dogs Trust says research shows ignoring them does not help.

Pull the crackers in another room, or make sure the dog is in their safe space first. If your dog is badly frightened by noise, talk to your vet now: Dogs Trust says they can rule out medical causes, refer you to a behaviourist and discuss medication that often needs to be given before the noise starts.

Walks, presents and the things that are genuinely fun

This is the part dogs would write themselves. A long walk somewhere new, at a sniffing pace. Dogs Trust says sniffing is how dogs gather information about the world, so give them time to do it and vary the route. Nose work tires a dog in a way a brisk lap of the usual block does not.

A new toy, or a rediscovered one. PDSA points out it does not have to be new, and a dog with its own present is a dog not getting into everyone else’s. Rotate toys over the holiday rather than putting them all out at once; Dogs Trust suggests swapping weekly. A stuffed food toy while the humans eat. And underneath all of it: you, at home, for several days in a row.

If you are choosing a present, see our Christmas dog gift ideas, from toys to a faux fur blanket for the safe space.

Frequently asked questions

Do dogs understand Christmas?

Not as a date, but they notice everything that changes: the tree, the smells, more people, a different routine. What they respond to is the extra company and attention, and whether the day stays calm enough to enjoy.

Do dogs get stressed at Christmas?

Some do. The RSPCA says changes in routine, visitors, children, loud music and decorations can all worry pets. The signs Dogs Trust lists include panting, hiding, pacing, going off food or being clingy. A safe space, a kept routine and a calmer arrival for guests take care of most of it.

Should I keep my dog’s routine on Christmas Day?

Yes. Dogs Trust, PDSA and the RSPCA all advise keeping walks and mealtimes at their normal times. Decide who is doing the morning walk in advance and feed the dog before guests arrive.

How do I stop my dog going mad when visitors arrive?

Give them something to do the moment the door goes: a long lasting chew or a stuffed food toy, on their bed, ideally in a room guests will not enter. With a few weeks’ notice, Dogs Trust’s doorbell training teaches the dog that a knock means go to bed.

Is a real Christmas tree safe for dogs?

Mostly. The Kennel Club says most Christmas trees are low toxicity, but the needle oils can irritate the mouth and stomach and the needles are sharp. Use a strong stand or tether it, cover the water, keep the lower branches bare and consider a tree guard.

Can my dog play with wrapping paper?

Best not. The RSPCA lists wrapping paper as a choking hazard and the Kennel Club says eating a lot of it can block the gut. Give them their own toy to unwrap under supervision, and bin the paper.

Should I take my dog to Christmas at someone else’s house?

If your dog copes well with new places and people, yes. The RSPCA suggests taking something that smells familiar, like their bed, and a few of their own toys and chews. If your dog is nervous, a quiet day at home is kinder.

Sources and further reading

1. Dogs Trust: Christmas with your dog
2. Dogs Trust: How to prepare your dog for visitors
3. Dogs Trust: Creating a safe space for your dog
4. Dogs Trust: Understanding your dog’s body language
5. Dogs Trust: Supporting your dog during fireworks
6. Dogs Trust: Enrichment activities to keep your dog entertained
7. PDSA: How to have a pet-friendly Christmas
8. RSPCA: How to keep your pets safe from Christmas dangers
9. RSPCA: Creating a good home for your dog
10. The Kennel Club: Christmas toys and decorations dangerous to your dog
11. The Kennel Club: Which Christmas plants are poisonous to dogs?
12. The Kennel Club: Christmas dangers