Fireworks Made Easier
As we all know, bonfire night and the days around it can be a stressful time for our pets. We thought we’d give a bit of advice that may help to make this period a little less worrying for you and your dog.
Earlier walks - it is wise to walk your dog earlier on in the day, as fireworks can be around from early evening onwards. You will want to avoid any sudden frights that may cause your dog to bolt.
Create a safe space indoors - keep the curtains shut to block out flashing lights. You could create a cosy, safe area in the house for your dog to hide if it is worried. Ideas include setting up a crate with blankets over it and creating a comfy spot under a table. You could even place some of your clothes in this ‘den’ to help relax them.
Background noise - to block out the noise of fireworks, you could put on the television (watch something calming, without sudden noises!) or the radio. Classic FM is a popular choice used by pet owners and they often play songs to target worried pets during this time.
Distractions - depending on how fearful your dog is, you could try to distract them from the noise by playing games, doing some indoor training or by giving them things to keep themselves occupied such as puzzle feeders. Good examples are Kongs, Lickimats and hard wearing chews.
Your behaviour - it is easy to become stressed when our pets are feeling anxious but dogs can pick up on our moods easier than we realise. Try to stay calm and focus on comforting your pet.
If, however, you prepare far enough in advance, you are able to slowly desensitise your dog to the sound of fireworks. If you have a young pup who has not yet experienced fireworks, this would be a great way to start. You can speak to a qualified trainer who can help with this or you can get a lot of very helpful advice on how to do this online: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/how-to-prepare-your-dog-for-fireworks
We will also try and help where we can, so if you have any questions, please do get in touch!
