Edition Dog — Christmas 2025

As featured in Edition Dog — Christmas 2025.

This season’s wellness guide focused on peace of mind, highlighting LitPet's TCM-inspired blend as a safe, effective way to guide dogs through the chaos of Christmas.

"A true solution to emotional wellness."

Discover the blend in our full collection.

Keeping your dog calm this Christmas with LitPet

Stephen Hu, Founder of LitPet explains how to keep your dog safe and calm this Christmas

There is no doubt that Christmas is a magical and exciting time of year, but the changes to daily routines and surroundings and the influx of visitors can be overwhelming for some dogs and this can lead to stress and anxiety for them.

Statistics show that nearly 75% of dogs in the UK suffer from some form of anxiety and depression and in extreme cases, this can lead to aggressive behaviour. Last year the Royal Mail did a door drop campaign to alert dog owners of their responsibilities as the lead up to the Christmas can see a rise in dog attacks on postal and delivery workers. Vets also report a rise in poisonings over Christmas as dogs can be exposed to dangerous plants and are tempted to eat food that can be toxic for them.

There is no reason however why you should not include your furry friends in the celebrations and to involve them as much as possible.

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR TOP TIPS TO HAVE A RELAXING TIME WITH YOUR DOG THIS CHRISTMAS

• To keep your dog safe and calm during the festivities, focus on maintaining routine, creating a safe retreat, and keeping hazards out of reach. The festive season can be overwhelming due to noise, new people, and disruptions to their normal schedule. Dogs thrive on consistency. Stick to their usual feeding, walking, and sleeping schedules as much as possible to provide a sense of normalcy amidst the chaos.

• Provide a safe space by setting up a quiet, cosy area (like a crate or a separate room) where your dog can retreat from the noise and guests. Include their bed, favourite toys, and water bowl to make it comfortable. Inform guests, especially children, that this is the dog’s private area and they should not be disturbed there. Always actively supervise interactions between children and dogs. Teach children how to approach the dog gently and respect its space. You can also offer distractions such as long-lasting chews or food puzzle toys that can keep your dog occupied and help relieve stress through licking and chewing, which are soothing actions for dogs. To stop dogs escaping install some internal gates and there are even now ones available that stop dogs escaping out of the front door.

• It is a good idea to exercise your dogs before events. A tired dog is a calm dog. Ensure your dog gets a long walk or a good play session before guests arrive or festivities begin to burn off excess energy. Allow your dog to approach visitors on their own terms; do not force them to socialise. Ask guests to ignore the dog until it is calm and then reward calm behaviour with a treat or praise.

• Do not feed your dog chocolate, mince pies, Christmas pudding (raisins, sultanas), onion gravy/stuffing, alcohol, macadamia nuts, and foods containing the artificial sweetener xylitol. Cooked bones can splinter and cause internal damage. Fatty scraps from the table can cause stomach upsets or pancreatitis.

• Holly, mistletoe, poinsettia, and some real pine needles can be harmful if ingested so keep these out of reach of your dogs.

• It is important to make your home hazard-free. Cover the tree stand to avoid your dog drinking toxic water, place any decorations that could cause choking high up on the tree and make sure it is anchored to the ceiling to avoid it falling down. Make sure all lights and wiring are safe and supervise your dog around them. Avoid using real candles around dogs and avoid toxic plants and foods..

• Consider using natural calming supplements, pheromone diffusers/plug-ins), or playing soft, calming music to help reduce anxiety. We recommend LitPet's award-winning Pawsitive Powder based on herbal Traditional Chinese Medicine. Pawsitive Powder is the first canine calming supplement to fuse Yin-Yang philosophy with clinically backed neuro-nutrients, offering a true solution to emotional wellness. Unlike typical calming aids that sedate, it restores natural balance — calming without dulling personality. Its formulation includes calming adaptogens (Valerian, Rhodiola), nourishing herbs (Ginseng, Schisandra), and nutrients like Lactium® and DHA, designed to modulate stress responses gently and effectively. The powdered format allows precise, flexible dosing and seamless blending into natural, raw, or fresh diets. No fillers, no artificial additives — just purposeful, synergistic ingredients for long-term use. There is truly nothing else like it on the market

Following these simple guidelines, you should have a well-prepared and happy Christmas for you and your pooches this year.