Holidays are weird. For people and pets. And they just started.

Hey. Gracie Ann Gurley here with Gracie’s Tales #6. 

I can always tell when the holidays come (or do we come to the holidays?). They’re exciting. Lots of smells, lots of people, lots of action. 

But also… a lot of “no.”

“Gracie, get away from the tree.” I’m thinking: It’s a tree. Inside. It has sticks. I love sticks. 

“Gracie, stop barking at the doorbell.” Then why does it keep ringing? I thought we had a system. I bark, you open, the ringing stops. Now it’s wrong?

“Gracie, not for you.” There are so many new smells from all the high flat places. Me and Norman always send Ellie to steal snacks off the counter. It’s good fun for everyone (maybe not Ellie cause she’s who gets in trouble). Maybe that’s what’s fun about it?

But not at the holidays. Everything’s more serious. It’s like we’re supposed to know that we can’t do what we usually do. It’s confusing and weird. Also stressful.

I bet the holidays stress out pets in other homes. It’s a weird kind of stress. Not scary, but not happy either. 

I wonder if holidays are stressful for humans, too?

Here’s what helps me: A safe space when the house gets noisy. The walk I take with daddy before everyone arrives. The soft hand at tummy rubbing time that makes my eyes close. I can’t help it.

But what makes me really thankful is that I’m not forgotten. Not left outside in the cold. Not skipped over. Not sent to the bedroom because I’m jumping with joy when new people arrive.

Here’s my advice for pet parents: Keep us close… change is hard for us, even for just a short time. Let guests know our house rules… especially little ones (sometimes they play really hard). Don’t forget the walks. Or the cuddles (they matter most). And if you travel, make sure you leave us with someone that loves us.

Do these things and I bet you’ll be happier. And so will your dogs.

COYOTE UPDATE: Daddy and I saw a big coyote in the bushes the other day. It was looking for something – I’m guessing breakfast – and stared right at daddy. Usually they run away when they see us. Not this one. 

We watched it until it finally moved on. It wasn’t in a hurry.

And it wasn’t scared.

Daddy says a lot of wild animals are working really hard right now to find food, and humans should not leave their pets outside unprotected. 

I know, duh, but the holidays make everyone a little weird.

Related Tales from Gracie

Tale #3: All about Ellie. Everything in Gracie’s world was just fine. Then Ellie arrived. Adjusting to the devil puppy proved harder than anyone expected.

Tale #8: Brrrr. Stop and think before you take me out. Gracie loves snow and cold weather. But when serious cold arrives, she has some advice for the humans taking care of pets.