The Part of Christmas Your Dog Secretly Hates
Holidays, Travel & Being Left Behind
Christmas feels magical to us: holidays, road trips, beach cabins, seeing family.
For a lot of dogs, it quietly feels like this:
- Suitcases everywhere
- Furniture moved for the tree
- Strange people coming and going
- Your smell on bags… and then you’re gone
We call it “festive.”
Your dog’s nervous system calls it: “What on earth is happening?”
This blog is about the part of Christmas your dog secretly hates: the leaving, the chaos, the boarding, and how to make it much kinder on their body and brain.
1. Why Christmas Travel Is Brutal on Sensitive Dogs
Christmas and holidays aren’t just “a bit stressful.” For many dogs, they’re a perfect storm of anxiety triggers:
- Routine changes : different walk times, different people feeding, kids home all day, guest noise
- You leaving: boarding kennels, retreats, sitters, or friends dropping in at odd times
- New environments: new smells, new dogs, new rules
If your dog is naturally clingy, sensitive, or has a history of separation issues, Christmas can tip them into serious worry:
- pacing
- panting
- refusing food
- barking or crying in kennels
- scratching doors or fences
Well-run kennels and retreats do their best, but from your dog’s point of view, it may still be loud, strange and full of unknown dogs.
2. “Are You Ever Coming Back?” – Separation & Boarding Stress
In the lead-up to Christmas, we:
- book kennels
- pack bags
- shuffle furniture
- drop dogs with sitters or family
From the dog’s point of view, it can feel like:
“My humans are acting weird, the house smells different, and now I’m being left somewhere loud with strange dogs and people.”
Common signs of separation or boarding distress include:
- shaking or hiding at the kennel
- non-stop barking or howling
- drooling, panting, pacing in the run
- refusing to eat
- clinging to staff or frantic at pick-up time
This isn’t “naughty.” It’s a dog who has just watched their entire world walk away.
3. When Holiday Stress Becomes Harmful
Some dogs cope surprisingly well and bounce back. Others don’t.
Red flags that Christmas and holiday changes are too much:
- Your dog becomes extra clingy as soon as you touch keys or bags
- They shadow you constantly and don’t settle
- They return from boarding hoarse from barking or utterly drained
- They won’t eat properly during or after their stay
- You see new behaviours:
- chewing doors or crates
- toileting inside
- sudden irritability with other dogs or people
This is your dog telling you:
“That was too much. Please don’t put me through that again without help.”
If you’re seeing panic-level behaviour (self-harm, escape attempts, complete shutdown), it’s a vet or behaviourist conversation, not just a “they’ll get used to it” situation.
4. The Hidden Piece: Your Dog’s Gut Feels Christmas Too
This part is easy to miss: stress doesn’t just live in the brain.
Your dog’s gut and brain are constantly talking via the gut–brain axis — a two-way network of nerves, hormones and immune signals.
When the gut is off (from stress, sudden diet changes, or poor microbiome health), it can:
- worsen anxiety-like behaviours
- affect mood and sleep
- change how your dog handles stressful events
Emerging research in dogs suggests:
- certain gut microbiome patterns are linked with more fearful or aggressive behaviour
- prebiotic fibres that feed good gut bacteria can support microbiome balance and overall resilience
We can’t honestly say “prebiotics cure anxiety.”
We can say: a healthier, better-fed gut seems to be part of a calmer, more resilient dog — exactly what you want over Christmas.
5. Calm Support: Food-as-Medicine, Not a Knock-Out Pill
A lot of “calming” options lean on sedatives or heavy drugs. Those have an important place under veterinary guidance — especially for severe cases.
Pure Love Pet Care took a different path with Calm Support.
It uses:
- Hemp seed meal – a nutrient-rich food ingredient with beneficial fatty acids and protein. Hemp seeds and hemp seed oils are considered non-toxic and generally safe for dogs when used correctly, and are valued for supporting skin, joints and general wellbeing.
- Prebiotic fibres from sugarcane and red sorghum – gentle fibres that feed beneficial gut bacteria, supporting digestion and the gut–brain axis.
We call this “farmaceutical”:
Using real food ingredients, not lab-made sedatives, to support a calmer nervous system and a healthier gut.
Honest reality checks:
- Calm Support is not a drug. It doesn’t replace veterinary medication in severe cases.
- It’s designed as a daily, food-based support for worried, clingy, or sensitive dogs, especially around predictable stress like kennels, travel and visitors.
6. Your Dog’s Christmas Calm Plan (Without Fireworks)
Think of this as your Holiday Calm Plan for December.
Step 1: Create a “Safe Den”
Make one spot that always means safety and no interruptions:
- a crate with a cover
- a corner behind the couch
- a quiet spare room
Add:
- their usual bed
- a favourite chew or toy
- a worn T-shirt or pillowcase that smells like you
Let them use it daily before the holiday rush so it feels familiar, not like time-out.
Step 2: Protect Their Routine (As Much As Real Life Allows)
You don’t need a perfect schedule. But dogs really do better when some things stay predictable. Research and clinical experience both support the idea that steady feeding and exercise times help lower stress.
Aim for:
- one solid walk at roughly the same time each day
- meals that don’t suddenly move by hours
- no major diet changes right before boarding
Small bits of predictability add up to a nervous system that feels safer.
Step 3: Prepare for Kennels or Dog Retreats Properly
If your dog is heading to a kennel, retreat or sitter:
- Do a short trial stay if possible – a half-day or overnight
- Ask about:
- how they manage anxious dogs
- night-time noise levels
- how often dogs are checked and exercised
- Pack a comfort kit:
- their usual food (including Calm Support)
- favourite blanket
- one or two familiar toys
- a short written note on quirks, fears and routines
The more your dog’s world smells and feels like home, the easier the stay.
Step 4: Layer in Calm Support Before the Chaos
Here’s how to integrate Pure Love Pet Care’s Calm Support into your Christmas plan:
Timing
- Start 5–7 days before:
- dropping off at kennels or day-care
- big family events at home
- long road trips
How to use
- Scoop the recommended amount onto your dog’s usual food.
- Mix through (you can add a splash of water or broth for fussy eaters).
- Serve, then praise calmly – no over-excited “good dog!” just before you walk out the door.
Because Calm Support is based on hemp seed meal and gentle prebiotic fibres, it’s designed for gradual, steady support, not an overnight knockout.
Used consistently, it helps:
- support a healthy gut microbiome
- provide nutrients that support the nervous system
- build a soothing, predictable ritual around mealtimes and stressful events
7. Rethinking Their Christmas Present
Instead of yet another squeaky reindeer, consider:
The “Holiday Calm Kit” Gift
Inside:
- Calm Support powder
- a cosy new blanket for their safe den
- one high-quality enrichment toy (lick mat, snuffle mat or long-lasting chew)
- a printed Holiday Anxiety Checklist for you
Still cute. Still festive. But this time, it actually reduces your dog’s stress instead of adding to it.
8. Christmas FAQ: Travel, Kennels & Calm Support
1. Can Calm Support replace my vet’s anxiety meds?
No. Calm Support is a food-based supplement, not a pharmaceutical drug, but it will help naturally.
If your dog has severe separation anxiety or self-harm behaviours, you’ll likely need professional behaviour work and possibly medication — always follow your vet’s guidance.
2. When should I start Calm Support before boarding?
Best practice: 5–7 days before:
- kennels or dog retreats
- big family gatherings
- long trips where routine changes
You can keep using it daily for ongoing support in sensitive or clingy dogs.
3. Is Calm Support safe for everyday use?
Calm Support is built from hemp seed meal and prebiotic fibres, which are generally considered safe food ingredients for dogs when used appropriately. Studies support hemp seed components as nutritious sources of essential fatty acids and protein, and prebiotic fibres as good for gut health.
If your dog has existing health issues or is on medication, check with your vet first.
4. My dog didn’t eat much at the kennel. Can Calm help next time?
It may help as part of the bigger plan:
- Introduce Calm Support well before boarding, so it’s familiar
- Use it with tasty toppers (a little wet food, broth or a lick mat)
- Work with your kennel/day-care so feeding is calm and unhurried
If your dog regularly refuses food when boarding, bring it up with your vet or behaviourist — extreme food refusal is an important stress signal.
Final Thought: Christmas Is Optional. Feeling Safe Isn’t.
Your dog doesn’t know what Christmas is.
They only know how it feels.
You can’t explain holidays — but you can:
- keep part of their routine steady
- create a safe den
- choose a boarding option that understands anxiety
- support their gut and nervous system with “farmaceutical”, food-based calm
That’s how you turn “the part of Christmas your dog secretly hates” into something they can actually cope with — maybe even nap through.