How do you juggle dog needing walked and DC wanting to open stockings?

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

This will be our first Christmas with DDog. Much as we love her, I'm a bit sad about losing the Christmas morning ritual of DS snuggling in bed with the two of us and opening our stockings (because one of us will be walking DDog when he wakes up). Wondering what other people do?

Obviously DDog will have a stocking too!

Why can't you go for a walk later?

Can't you take him for a walk after you open the stockings?

Walk the dog earlier? Buy the dog some toys to keep it busy snuffle mat/lick mat big bone?

Can’t you just let the dog out for a wee, chuck some treats and toys around and then walk the dog after?

Delay walking the dog? What time do you usually do stockings - my DC wake up early! And the dog can wait half an hour/an hour either way.

Do you not have a garden, where just for the morning dog can have a wee...

Surely your dog doesn’t need a walk at exactly the same time everyday.

... as PP said... dog out for a quick wee/poop and then back inside. Dog gets his present (new toy/treat?) to play with and then back into bed for snuggly stocking opening! I have two dogs and no DC but me and DP do present opening in bed and that's what we do. Then they get walked mid morning.

There's definitely no way we could let her out and then dash back to bed. She'd be frantic and we'd probably end up with an unwanted 'present' on the carpet. She's not keen on pooing in the garden. She's used to being walked first thing, so it'll be more grief than it's worth to change the routine.

Also, we couldn't let her in the bedroom as she'd just be bouncing round trying to play fight with everyone. She's a bit of a menace

I suppose I could get a fire ready to light in the living room, extra blankets etc to make it a bit bed-like in there. Suspect I'm overthinking it...

I’d get up ridiculously early and sneak her out for a walk.

We do
Stockings in bed
Everyone walk dog
Presents

You could use the next six weeks to teach her a varied routine. She doesn’t need to have the walks at a precise time every day.

Either a) draw straws with your DH and one of you gets up stupidly early to walk the dog before the DC wake up or b) don't be ridiculous do what everyone else does. Take DC and dog out later for a run and some fresh air as turkey is cooking.

Obviously let the poor dog out for a wee/poop first

She won't poo in the garden? That's a tad inconvenient.

Yes, sounds like you'll have to mix it up a bit. Draw straws with your other half to see who gets to walk the dog. The other can prepare breakfast to take back to bed.

Could you open 1 or 2 presents in bed, then all take dog for a walk. (Love a xmas morning walk) then back to breakfast and opening remaining presents at the table or on the bed, could also do breakfast on the bed. It keeps the present anticipation longer. Luckly our dog will go out in garden,,then comes up and helps with the opening of presents.

Umm, either get up early and walk the dog first or delay the dog’s walk by an hour or so?

Spend the time encouraging her to like going in the garden more.

Honestly it will be worth your while. My rescue needs to be absolutely desperate or possibly ill to pee or poo in our garden. It is totally inconvenient - if either myself or my DH is away overnight or early morning for work the kids need to be dragged out on a late/early walk because you can’t ‘let her in the garden for a wee’ - she refuses. But she’ll go literally 14+ hours without a wee otherwise- at 14 hours I caved and ended the experiment!

So if your dog will at least go in the garden at all, work on making the routine less rigid. Because Christmas won’t be the only occasion you’ll be glad of some flexibility, I guarantee it.

I wouldn't expect my dogs to hold their toilet to open presents. Either you or your DH get up and walk the dog (even for 15 minutes to do the toilet) then open the presents.

PLENTY of time to teach ddog to poo on command. Then person who draws short straw puts on kettle, takes dog to designated poo spot, makes him poo, brings him back, makes tea, carry on with morning and do walk while turkey cooks.

Teaching to poo on command is really easy, catch them pooing and make a big fuss giving your designated command. Give same word every time he poos/wees. It took my aged rescue dog a few days to get the hang of it.

This is why I've never stuck to rigid routine with ddog and have taught him the value of a nice lie in! I agree use the next few weeks to shake up the routine a little and invest in a large kong, stuff it with dog biscuits and peanut butter, freeze it let him enjoy that for half an hour while you do your gift thing.

I would work on the toileting in the garden thing too as it's just convenient long term for him to go out there.

One adult put the kettle on and one nip the dog for a short walk; then do your Christmas morning routine and then all take the dog for a longer walk.

(Our dog doesn’t do poos in the garden either).

Our dog was always on our bed with us all while dds opened their stockings. (So was the cat!). Presumably we'd have let her out in the garden for a wee first.

The walk came later..

One of you get up early and take her for a walk. Then go back to bed.