Anxious Dogs at your Wedding 

and our 5 top tips!

How can you get your anxious dog at your wedding so you can all enjoy your day?

Here are our top five tips for you!

Having anxious dogs at your wedding can be very difficult, if visiting new places with lots of people around is overwhelming for your dog then weddings are often thought of as a definite NO-NO! But there are some things you can put in place to help your day run as smoothly as possible!

With a huge rise in the number of dogs in the UK  to 12.5 million dogs in 2020/2021! compared to 2010/2011 of 7.5 million dogs in the UK!
It is estimated that 278,000 recently engaged couples are also planning to marry from 2021 onwards, meaning 550,000+ weddings are in the post-pandemic pipeline!!

So more dogs and more weddings than ever will mean more 4-legged friends will be wanting to attend! But what if you have an anxious dog but still want them to be part of your day?

Here we will explore 5 different things you can try

Tip One

Ask the experts for advice seek a local trainer local to you or the venue, meet them regularly and draw up a plan of action leading up to your day, they will be able to help you with tips and advice to help your dog to feel more secure in certain situations, equally, they will support you with what to do if your dog becomes overstressed and worried on the day

Ruth Collett is a Qualified, experienced and fully insured Pet Behaviourist here in Cornwall who offers 1to1 training, class/group training and even online zoom sessions for those out of the area. Ruth has a wealth of information, tips and advice.

 

Ruth recommends discussing with your Vet any calming remedies that could be used for the day to help your dog’s anxieties

She also recommends using calming spray on their wedding outfit bandana or flower crown at least 15 minutes before they are needed for the ceremony

 

Also, you can complete an online training course at IMDT  which is a highly recognised training site,IMDT has courses for trainers and dog owners looking at behaviour and training for you at home, these are great as they give you background knowledge as well as advice and tips in how to help you and your dog.

 Tip Two

Visit the venue as often as possible and let them sniff and explore all the areas you will be holding your day, dogs will remember certain smells and locations and the more familiar they are the more comfortable they will feel in the surroundings. Make them feel safe reassuring visits, don’t visit on a day they are having building work or events being held as this will be overwhelming and scary for them and have the opposite effect you wanted! Discuss your day with the venue and see if you can come to an arrangement leading up to the day where you can visit for a short time but regularly where possible.

 

Here you can find out all the benefits of a good sniff around for your dog! https://spiritdogtraining.com/does-your-dog-sniff-too-much-let-him/

Tip Three

A dedicated quiet/safe space where they can play, relax and eat. It’s important to set up this area in a quiet but warm space with plenty of ventilation, fresh water and access to food. Low-level calming music or the tv often helps to relax dogs in a space (I promise I don’t sing to them this would not have the desired effect!), and they feel comfortable and safe! Favourite beds, blankets or toys brought from home also act as a calming influence throughout the day, they are familiar items that induce calming and relaxed pups! and don’t forget the calming spray!

 

Preventivevet have a fabulous article all about safe spaces for dogs with anxiety ‘Sometimes your dog just needs a break! Your dog might be naturally shy or nervous around different kinds of people, be fearful of loud noises or events, or dealing with anxiety. Creating a place your dog can escape to for some alone time reduces that anxiety and helps your dog cope with stressful situations

Tip Four

TREATS! Anxious dogs at your wedding may adore a special treat that they can not resist for anything! It makes them roll over and beg for more! These treats can work in your favour! By attracting them to the treats and remaining focused on what goodies you have inside your treat bag or KONG they will ignore the bustle around them! A stuffed KONG is my secret weapon during the ceremony for noisy or anxious dogs, or with the lovely boy in the photo before we played hide & seek games with treats in the haybales at the ceremony it kept his focus and stopped any barking and unwanted behaviours

Find out about Kongs here!   

 

We use natural organic high-value treats from the fabulous Petz of Mullion, they are always on hand to help us get the very best treats for each dog we care for & the dogs LOVE what we provide for them!

Tip Five

I can’t say this enough…. Have a dedicated (trained) person to help you and your dog on the day! Letting a family member or friend can work well as your dog may feel comfortable with them but do keep in mind your guests want to be exactly that GUESTS! They may not want the responsibility or job of caring for your dog all day, attending to their needs at every opportunity, they don’t want to miss the vows because the dog is becoming distressed and disruptive and needs to leave the room, they want to be able to talk, eat and enjoy the day without worrying about the dog needing a walk/poop in the middle of the photos or speeches!

 

A trained dog chaperone will have experience with all types of dogs at weddings, they are there dedicated to the needs of the dogs only! They can ensure the dog is available to deliver the rings, sit nicely during the vows and pose beautifully for the photos. And if the dog does become upset or distressed they can leave the vicinity altogether for a short walk or head to the dog’s quiet/safe space where needed.

have a look at our website for Wedding Day Dog Nanny