The Gifts Dogs Truly Need at Christmas: Clarity, Calm and Connection
- Sarah at Barkshire Dog Training
- Nov 26, 2025
- 5 min read
Ever found yourself surrounded by festive chaos while your dog struggles to settle? You’re not alone. Christmas brings excitement, noise, guests, and routine changes — and while we often focus on treats and toys, what our dogs truly crave runs much deeper than what fits in a stocking. It’s not misbehaviour when they struggle at this time of year — it’s their nervous system trying to cope in a busy human world.
In this blog, I share what I believe dogs really want for Christmas through real moments with Manu and Poppy: clarity, patience, balance, emotional support and play.
From using consistent cues to create safety, to helping dogs regulate their big feelings, to choosing rest as carefully as we choose adventure, this is about giving our dogs the gifts that last far beyond December. Gentle, practical, and deeply connected — just as our relationship with them should be.
Every December, the shops are filled with such a variety of toys, festive chews and cosy jumpers, giving us endless stocking fillers for our dogs. And while Manu and Poppy will absolutely enjoy a treat or two, I’ve been thinking about what they’d truly choose if they could make their own Christmas list.
Because it’s not really about the tug toy (though Manu may strongly disagree). It’s about the quieter, deeper gifts we give every day — the ones that shape how safe, confident, and understood our dogs feel in a human world that can be loud, busy, and confusing. So here’s my Christmas list for what I believe our dogs truly wish for this year.
1. Clarity
Living with humans can be bewildering for dogs. We change our words, our body language, our tone, and sometimes even the rules — often without realising it. One day the sofa is fine, the next it’s off-limits. One day “come” means now, the next it means maybe. No wonder dogs sometimes hesitate.
This Christmas, one of the kindest gifts we can offer is clarity. Clear cues, consistent boundaries, and predictable responses create emotional safety. Poppy notices every tiny movement I make, so even small changes in my body language matter to her. For Manu, simplicity and repetition help him feel secure and confident about what’s expected — even when the clocks change, he still knows when dinner is due!
Quick tip: Choose one word and one physical gesture for a favourite cue (like “come” for recall or “settle” for calm lying down) and stick to it consistently over the Christmas period — especially when routines are already changing.
2. Patience
If Christmas teaches us anything, it’s patience — queues, guests, traffic, packed schedules. And our dogs feel that pressure too. Excitement rises, rest drops, and their nervous systems can tip into overload far more easily at this time of year.
Poppy struggles when we have more deliveries or visitors than normal, so we’ve been practising a simple routine cueing her onto the stairs and asking for a “Step”, then a “wait” until I release her. I practise this at different times of day, on different stairs, and for varying durations to build her ability to cope and remain settled where she is.
Don’t forget, patience isn’t just about how we respond to our dogs — it’s also about how we speak to ourselves. We won’t always get things right. And that’s okay. This year, I’m reminding myself that patience is an act of kindness — for our dogs and for us.
3. A Balance of Peace and Exhilaration
Dogs, like us, need both stimulation and deep rest. Too much excitement without recovery creates stress. Too much inactivity without enrichment creates frustration. The sweet spot lies in thoughtful balance.
Poppy thrives on adventure — long walks, open fields, space to move and explore. Manu enjoys his play too but truly treasures his “sniffari” walks, even in the garden. The right balance looks different for every dog, but every dog needs both movement and stillness to stay emotionally well.
Quick tip: Plan one gentle adventure (a new walking route, a fresh sniffing spot) and one intentional calm ritual each day — such as a scatter feed, chewing time, or quiet cuddles paired with a calm cue like “cuddle”.
4. Support with Emotional Control
Just like us, dogs experience big feelings — excitement, frustration, uncertainty, fear. Some express this outwardly through barking or lunging. Others internalise it by freezing or shutting down. Neither is “naughty” — both are communication.
Poppy sometimes gets so excited that her thinking brain switches off, so I support her with pause points and reset cues like “Step”. Helping both my dogs develop emotional regulation is an ongoing, compassionate journey. These moments endlessly remind me that learning only truly works when it’s wrapped in kindness and connection.
5. Play!
Ah, play — the purest gift of all. Play is where connection, joy, learning, and trust meet. It regulates the nervous system, strengthens relationships, and lets our dogs simply be dogs for a while.
Poppy loves her chase games, but I always make thoughtful adjustments to keep everyone safe. She adores “hunting” with me, then running back to collect her reward before searching for treats up a tree. Manu, on the other hand — if he hears the word “Bowling”, he knows it’s time for running and chase treats. Putting these games on cue means we both know what’s expected and everyone stays safe.
The joy on their faces when we play is a reminder that Christmas doesn’t need to be complicated. It’s about laughter, silliness, and shared moments.
Quick tip: Add one new safe game into your dog’s Christmas week — hide-and-seek with treats, a toy treasure hunt, or calm indoor scent work using simple “find it” cues.
Yes, Manu and Poppy will still have their stockings filled with chews and toys. But the gifts that matter most can’t be wrapped: clarity, patience, emotional support, balance, and play.
This Christmas, I’ll be working on offering those gifts daily — not just on one special morning. What about you? What do you think your dog would truly wish for this year? I’d genuinely love to hear.
If Christmas feels a little overwhelming for your dog and you’d like support with calmness, clearer Cues, emotional regulation, or simply creating more balance in your daily routine, I’d love to help. I offer personalised, kind, force-free support tailored to you and your dog.
👉 You can find out more about how I work and book a chat with me by booking a call
Because your dog deserves to feel safe, understood, and supported — not just at Christmas, but all year round.
If you’d like some extra festive inspiration, you can also catch up on our Christmas lives from previous years over on my YouTube channel this December.
There are lots of gentle tips and real-life moments to enjoy — think of it as my little Christmas gift to you and your dogs.
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