I WANT TO HELP MY DOG WITH FIREWORKS
HOW TO HELP YOUR DOG COPE WITH FIREWORKS OR THUNDERSTORMS
Tips to help your dog cope with fireworks season
It is very common for dog to be sensitive to loud noises, including fireworks. While a certain degree of fear during big bangs is normal to keep dogs from danger, it becomes very stressful for you and your dog when this fear is extreme.
How will you know if your dog is terrified by fireworks? Pretty easy! Look for: ears back, excessive panting, drooling, shaking, hiding away, barking excessively, messing in the house…
So what can you do?
If you plan well in advance, you can help your dog tolerate the noise with a gradual desensitisation program. That means exposing your dog to the sounds of fireworks, day after day, starting super quiet (just at the volume they barely hear it) and increasing the volume progressively. Stop increasing the volume if they seem to react badly to it and reward your dog when they respond well. This can take quite a long time, so better to do it long before or after firework season. Each dog is different and in difficult cases consult a vet or qualified behaviourist. Read our top 3 tips to help your dog stay calm around fireworks.
Or take a look at our 5 Steps to Reduce Stress and how your can help prepare your dog for fireworks. A few days before anticipated events, there are still many things you can do!
A few days before anticipated events, there are still many things you can do!
The best way to prepare for fireworks is to think like a dog. They feel scared as they are alarmed by the loud noises of the fireworks but do not understand that fireworks cannot harm them. That’s why they feel safer when they have a hiding space. You can make your dog a ‘safe haven’ or a ‘dog den’. If your dog already has a hiding place then this space can be used making it as snug and secure for your dog as possible by adding blankets or bedding.
If you are making your ‘dog den’ from scratch, try to do this a few weeks in advance so that your dog knows it is a safe place when fireworks start.
Using ADAPTIL Calm Home Diffuser will help your dog cope with the loud noises.