Family is complicated, messy, and chaotic, and school may have already burnt out the last remnants of your sanity and patience. But dogs? These fluffy angels who give you unconditional love and affection will never be disappointed by a bad grade or a lousy gift. So why not spend some time with your pets over the holidays?

My dog Lulu is my very best friend, but throughout the school year, I’m too busy to spend much time with her. That’s why I try to do as many activities with her as possible during breaks.

If you’d like to do the same and make the most of the holidays with your dog, then here’s a list of things you can do. 

We won’t go until we got some homemade dog treats.

You leave cookies for Santa, so why make some for your dog too? This way they won’t be guilt-tripping you into giving them something from the table. I suggest making them dog-friendly sugar cookies or even buying them something they never tried before. A quick Google search and a trip to the kitchen will get your dog’s tail wagging. 

Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul. 

I tried this with my dog last year and found it therapeutic and stress-relieving. Originally, I meant to build a snowman, but my dog found it more entertaining to destroy all my hard work by digging and mauling my snowman to death and biting his poor stick arms to the bone. I didn’t mind; she was having the time of her life and joining in on her destruction was fun, but Frosty never came to life that day. Rest in pieces, Frosty. 

Souvenirs under the Christmas tree

I always felt guilty whenever my family leaves Lulu with a babysitter when we go for a holiday vacation because she’d hold grudges and ignore me for the rest of the break. But when my family came back from a trip to Canada and brought back a little stuffed moose, she was ecstatic. It’s now my family’s tradition to buy a souvenir, usually a stuffed animal, for our dog. I highly recommend doing it—they’ll forgive you for leaving them with a babysitter. 

Snowball surprise

My dog isn’t very big on fetch; she seems to think the concept of going back and forth without getting a treat is a waste of time and energy. But one thing she’s obsessed with is trying to catch snowballs I throw for her. You’ll get a really good laugh out of watching your dog wander around in confusion when your snowball disappears into the snow around them. 

Baby, it’s cold outside

With the bitter weather, sticky snow in your dog’s fur, and irritating sidewalk salt, going out for walks with your dog doesn’t always seem like the best idea. But it’s hard to wear out your dog’s boundless energy and keep them entertained indoors. So why not keep your dog stimulated with brain games? It can be as simple as hiding treats wrapped in paper throughout the house for them to sniff out and find or buying them a snuffle mat for Christmas. I suggest visiting my mom’s Etsy shop since she specializes in dog snuffle toys. 

Puppies dressed like Eskimos

The holiday season means holiday cards. And what better way to brag about your family than to dress your dog in an adorable outfit? You can easily buy your dog a sweater or coat at PetSmart, Petco, and Etsy. But if your dog doesn’t like wearing them, they make for great tug-of-war toys too! Speaking from experience. 

After completing all the tests and quizzes teachers squeezed in before the break, you deserve to spend quality time with your dog. Hopefully, this will be the best Christmas for you both!