Is your dog scared of fireworks

Is Your Dog Scared of Fireworks?

We are hitting that time of year again when fireworks become more prolific and for many dogs it is not a time of year that they like.It’s also not predictable as to when they will be happening and therefore having the tools in place ready at a moments notice is more important than normal.

If your dog has a favourite place to hide when things get noisy then making sur they have access to it without having to go through closed doors etc is key, as having to wait for you the owner to open a door when they want to escape will just add to their stress levels.

If they don’t already have a favourite hiding place then creating them a den is a good idea.Just set it up in a suitable place for your dog and ensure they know they can go to it whenever they want.Maybe make sure there is a water bowl, favourite blanket/toy and treats in the den so that they understand it is a safe place for them.

Do the normal things of tv/radio on, windows and curtains closed if you are going out and think there might be fireworks going off. Something to consider if you have a conservatory or extension that has doors to it, consider closing them as well (unless your dogs den is in there).This should help with sound insultation/dampening in the rest of the house.

There are devices you can use to help calm your dog, but many of them are incorrectly used i.e. only when the dog is already stressed so appear to be ineffective.Thunder shirts are a great tool to help make your dog feel less stressed/anxious, but it the only time your dog sees it or gets it put on them is when the fireworks are happening then seeing or wearing it can in itself be a trigger for the dog to become stressed.Similarly with plug ins and other aids, if the only time your dog sees/uses them is directly preceding a stressful event then it will become a stress trigger for the dog.Think of how this works already in your day to day life with your dog.If you pick up the dogs lead most dogs get excited as they know they are going on a walk, if you add the car keys in to the situation depending on their experiences their reaction might change.For some it will ramp up the excitement as they associate it with a bigger walk or adventure, others may become less enthusiastic as they associate lead and keys with a trip to the vets (this assumes they don’t like the vet).

Some dogs anxiety is so bad that they need medication from the vets to be able to cope, but even then sometimes this only masks the anxiety and the dog is still feeling everything, but not able to express it.

If in doubt, be like me, stay home, tv on, blankets/duvets curled up on the sofa and the dog knows they can come to me for comfort or hide in one of the many places we have set up in the house for them to use.I know I’m lucky because my life is looking after others dogs so staying home is both relaxing and work at the same time.Making it a pleasant experience for me and the dogs is what we strive to do.If it means for a few nights I have to sleep on the sofa to keep a dog calm that isn’t allowed upstairs or sharing my bed with those that are that is fine with me.