Remember, remember the 5th of November… means lots of dogs are going to be very scared by fireworks. Many dogs struggle to cope with loud, unexpected noises and fireworks are up there with one of the loudest sounds that domesticated dogs will have to cope with.
Firework season is well and truly upon us and with perhaps the biggest firework night of the year just around the corner, I thought it would be useful to offer some tips and insights into how to help your dog cope.
Signs of stress
It’s important to be able recognise the signs that your dog is anxious/scared, as not all dogs show distress in an obvious way. Watch out for: pacing, whale eye, lip licking, drooling, panting, stiff posture, slowly wagging tails (tails may also be held upright) and, of course, barking or howling.
Helping your fearful dog
Try to make sure that your dog has had their needs met on days when you can expect fireworks. A stimulating walk, lots of enrichment (sniffing, licking, chewing activities) and plenty of sleep so that their stress levels are as low as possible before the event may help them to cope.
If you can, try to distract your dog by playing their favourite game with them while the worst of the ‘bangs’ are happening. If they are so fearful that they cannot be distracted, then use a soft, calm voice to soothe them. Dogs are den animals and having a place to retreat to like a covered crate or cosy spot may help to make them feel safer.
You can also try to drown out the sound of fireworks with other noise. Studies have shown that soft rock and reggae music have the most calming effects on dogs (so pop on the Bob Marley!).
Preventing & reconditioning fear
When it comes to dog behaviour, prevention is always better than cure. This means that if you have a young dog or a dog who has never had experience of fireworks, we want to make sure that we habituate them to fireworks.
Alexa, Google and Youtube all have firework tracks freely available. Start off by playing the sounds on the lowest volume, so it is barely audible and your dog pays no attention. Whilst the fireworks are sounding, you want to reward your dog (either with high value treats or through playing with them) so that whilst they hear the sound, they are forming positive associations. You can also have a training session, running through the commands that they know whilst the sounds are playing.
If your dog shows no signs of stress or anxiety (look for the signs mentioned above), then you can increase the volume a notch. If your dog begins to look stressed, drop the volume back down immediately, or turn it off if you need to.
Repeat at your dog’s pace, until the firework sounds are loud enough to mimic the sounds of real fireworks in your neighbourhood, making sure that your dog is comfortable the whole time.
If you do this with a young puppy (who is still within their socialisation period) then you should move through the training very quickly. If you have an older dog or a dog who is already fearful of fireworks, then the training may take several weeks. Training sessions work best in short bursts of 5-10 minutes but it is so important to stop immediately if your dog becomes distressed, as this will only further exacerbate their fears.
To read more about habituation and the importance of it, as well as ideas of what to habituate your puppy with, check out this blog post.
It is also really important not to have your dog outside during fireworks, even if they are okay with them inside the house. Many dogs will escape gardens or injure themselves due to fear and if you are out walking when fireworks go off, dogs are prone to running off in panic and slipping collars and harnesses.
As always, I am here to help. If your dog is becoming distressed during firework season and you don’t feel confident helping them alone, click here to drop me a message.
