Christmas Cheer for the Family Hound

Around Christmas time years and years ago, we brought home the new, aforementioned family dog. Her name is Chili, appropriate for the winter season. She’s a sweet old girl, but time marches on, and she’s not moving as fast as she used to. These days all Chili wants to do is curl up in a blanket and sleep. That’s alright, she’s done a good job already, but I wish there was a way to put a little of that puppy pep back in her four-legged steps.

I asked ChatGPT if there was anything I could do to make Christmas especially nice for my dog. Here were its suggestions:

There are a few ways you can try to get your dog in the Christmas spirit:

Decorate your home with holiday-themed items and decorations. Your dog may enjoy exploring and interacting with these items.

Play holiday-themed music or watch holiday movies or TV shows. Some dogs may become more energetic or playful when they hear music, so this could help get them in the holiday spirit.

Bake holiday treats or give your dog special holiday-themed toys or treats. This could help get your dog excited about the holiday season.

Take your dog for a walk or play in the snow. Some dogs enjoy being outside and exploring in the winter, and this could help them get into the holiday spirit.

Keep in mind that every dog is different and may respond differently to these activities. It’s important to pay attention to your dog’s body language and behavior, and to make sure that they are comfortable and not overwhelmed by any holiday-related activities.

So the house is already pretty festive and she seems unenthused. Chili was also born fully deaf (don’t worry, she knows sign language). So holiday-themed music isn’t going to do much for her.

Baked treats, on the other hand, might be just the ticket. I offered her one of the Christmas tree-shaped cookies I baked earlier. Chili was very pleased with that. I planned an extra walk for her later. Good girl, Chili.