Christmas can be enormous for humans. We spend weeks preparing for it, buying presents, decorating our homes, planning food and trying to squeeze more into December than seems physically possible. Our dogs, meanwhile, have absolutely no idea why a tree has suddenly appeared in the living room.

They don't know what Christmas is. They don't understand how much their presents cost, whether their new toy came beautifully wrapped or whether the special dog treats were bought from a luxury shop. They certainly don't care whether everything looks perfect.

What they do understand is us.

For a dog, the best parts of Christmas are often the same things they love on every other day of the year: being included, feeling safe, having something interesting to do, enjoying a good meal, getting out for a walk and knowing that their people are nearby.

That makes Christmas with a dog wonderfully simple.

A winter walk can be far more exciting than anything waiting beneath the tree. Cold air, damp grass and thousands of interesting smells are their version of seasonal entertainment. While we're thinking about getting home before the potatoes need to go in the oven, they're investigating a hedge as though it contains the answer to one of life's great mysteries.

Then there is food. Dogs are very good at noticing when the humans suddenly start eating considerably more interesting things than usual. Christmas brings wonderful smells into the house, but not everything on our festive tables is suitable for them. Chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions and foods containing ingredients such as xylitol need to stay safely out of reach. A dog doesn't need a plate piled with human Christmas dinner to feel included. Something appropriate for them, given safely, will do the job perfectly well.

Presents can be fun too, particularly if your dog enjoys opening them. Some dogs will carefully investigate the paper. Others will approach the task like a small demolition company. Quite often, the expensive toy is briefly inspected before the cardboard box becomes the greatest present anybody has ever purchased.

But Christmas can also be overwhelming.

Homes that are normally quiet can suddenly be filled with visitors, music, children, unfamiliar smells and constant activity. Not every dog wants to be in the middle of it. Giving them somewhere quiet to retreat to, where nobody will disturb them, can be one of the kindest things we do for them during the festivities.

Older dogs may particularly appreciate keeping some normality. Their usual bed in its usual place, meals at roughly the usual time and familiar walks can provide reassurance when everything else in the house seems to have changed overnight.

And perhaps that's the thing dogs remind us about Christmas. It doesn't have to be perfect.

They don't notice whether the decorations match. They aren't judging the Christmas dinner. They don't care whether you remembered to buy matching wrapping paper or whether somebody forgot the crackers.

They care that you're there.

They want the walk, the comfortable bed, the interesting smells, the occasional treat and the chance to curl up beside the people they trust when the day is finished.

Of course, we'll still buy them presents. We'll wrap toys they could happily receive without wrapping, put their names on gift tags they can't read and possibly spend far too long trying to persuade them to sit beside the Christmas tree for a photograph.

Because they're family.

And perhaps the best Christmas we can give a dog isn't about how much we spend on them at all. It's about giving them what they value every day of the year: our time, our patience, our protection and a place where they know they belong.

Everything else is just wrapping paper.