Dogs and Fireworks – Keeping your dog safe when the fireworks start
During the winter months, there are various celebrations which include setting off fireworks. The 5th of November and New Year can be the noisest times of year for our pets. The loud bangs and flashes created by fireworks that are set off can be exciting for humans, but very frightening for our pets which can cause a varitiety of behavoural issues, including anxiety and some dogs acting aggressively out of fear.
However, there are several methods which can help you reduce anxiety of pets, which we have listed below.
1) Make sure your pet is INDOORS
First and foremost, make sure your pet is inside and safe, away from any possible hazards and dangers, and away from the flashes and loud noises.
Just incase – make sure your house and garden are secure during fireworks as fear may make your dog try to escape.
2) Provide a Den
Create a ‘safe place’ for a pet to hide and make it comfortable with a bed or snuggly blanket.
3) Maintain a routine
Try to keep all other routines as normal as possible such as feeding times
4) Burn extra energy
Fireworks are usually set of during the night, so take pets for long walks during the day to ensure that they do not have excess energy and aren’t being taken outside during the noisest time of the day or extra irritated at nightime when most of the noises occur.
5) Mask and muffle the sound.
Closing curtains and windows can muffle the sound. Also creating other noises e.g. radio or TV to mask the sound, such as classical radio.
In addition to this, in the run up to these events, there are often DVD’s and CD’s you can purchase from your Vets with sound effects on that will slowly acclimatise your puppy / dog to noises such as fireworks and loud noises to make them less scary when they are safe inside.
Remember ALWAYS seek veterinary advice if you are worried about your pets physical health or behaviour.