Do dogs understand the meaning of christmas
Do>That depends on what your definition of the meaning of Christmas is. Dogs, of course, are not religious so they don’t understand the elaborate concept behind religious holidays.
There is another level at which they are very adept at understanding and this type of understanding is much deeper than any humans.
They smell the pine trees, brought into the house; now how interesting is that? Some of them will try to mark the tree, of course, so their humans may have to take steps to stop that behavior or find barriers to keep it from happening at all. When our dogs go out, trees are one of their free zones so when one is brought into the home, it is a cause of great excitement.
Bright, glittering lights attract dogs – especially if they blink. All of a sudden, to the dog, not only is there a tree in the house – it is all lit up with bright lights and glitter. Balls hang from the trees and dog owners usually end up replacing any glass balls with unbreakable ones. Dogs like to swipe at hanging items (maybe not as much as cats but still what a temptation).
My dogs love it when we hang candy canes. They like the crinkle of the wrapping (a sound they associate with treats like hot dogs and cheese). But more than that, they love the candy canes themselves. We used to put the canes up high so the dogs couldn’t get them but now, after a few days I’ll unwrap some and let them have one each. They, of course, have learned to love the crinkle of that noise even more.
Everyone gets excited around the holiday season; this is a time of celebration and our spirits are high. Our dogs love it when we are happy. Suddenly mum and dad are humming; there is a sense of secrecy and excitement in the air. Dogs pick up on our emotions and our happiness increases theirs.
Before long, packages with interesting smelling stuff in more crackling paper of different types start stacking up under the tree. At this point, sometimes dog owners are forced to put a baby gate or something around the tree. It is just crazy that you AND your dogs can’t all enjoy the season; no reason to spend all the time yelling at your dog and making it feel bad. Believe me your dog will never understand why things that he is usually allowed to take an interest in (maybe even encouraged to check out) are suddenly off limits. You may even have to get a small tree and put it on a table. The important thing is to find ways you can enjoy Christmas and share it with your dog.
As if all this wasn’t enough, soon there are enticing odors in the home the dog is drooling uncontrollably. In most homes, the dog knows this means treats in the form of leftovers so now they are even more excited.
Guests start coming and going; these are people the dog knows and sometimes loves. Just look at the picture from the dogs eyes. There’s a tree in the house, bright lights, crinkling paper, jingling ornaments, humming family members, songs of merriment, good-smelling food and people.
Of course dogs know what Christmas is all about. It’s a time of celebration, a time to remember to extend love and charity to those around us and no one is more loving or charitable than your dog. It’s a time when friends and family gather; extra pets and hugs are received. Special bones and handed out.
A dog knows Christmas is a time of great happiness. It’s a time of faith and a time that represents hope and happiness, safety and tranquility. It’s a time to love, to enjoy every moment of life, and to believe. Sometimes at some level, dogs may understand the meaning of Christmas even more than we do.
