This week’s July 4 celebrations made me think about how many dog owners spend the evening not celebrating but trying to calm down a frightened or nervous dog. Fireworks, thunder and in fact any loud noises can cause some dogs to become stressed and anxious, with symptoms such as shaking and trembling, panting, barking, drooling, packing up and down.
Why is my dog afraid of fireworks? It may help to understand why your dog is afraid or nervous of loud bangs and flashes.
- Unexpected Noises – loud bangs such as fireworks and thunder are on the whole unexpected to your dog. Of course you know it’s a celebration day but your dog doesn’t even if some do seem to know when a storm is coming.
- Loud Noises – your dog’s hearing is much more sensitive than ours so the banks and screeches from the various fireworks will appear louder to your dog.
- Perceived Threat – Loud noises or flashes of light can trigger your dog’s fight or flight response – they may react in a few ways such as hiding, trying to run away, barking, whining and shaking. This is why it’s important to have your dog’s ID up to date and on them.
- Feeling Trapped– again the flight response may kick in making your dog want to run away from the perceiving threat and if they can’t then stress and anxiety levels can rise.
Our top tips to help you have a pleasant evening, whether it’s 4th of July, Memorial Day or even New Year’s Eve.
Be Calm
Even the most boisterous of dogs are sensitive to your emotions and behaviors, and will pick up on your own body language and non-verbal cues such as anxiety or worry that they will become frightened and react to the fireworks. So be as calm as you can, don’t make a fuss or react to reinforce any unwanted behaviors.
Be Prepared and Make Exercise A Tool
Get your dog’s safe space and any necessary distractions ready in well in advance. Your dog will pick up on your energy if you’re rusing around just before the fireworks kick off.
Ensure your dog has had a long or energetic walk or play session during the day so they have less energy and are more likely to calm down and even sleep.
Even the most boisterous of dogs are sensitive to your emotions and behaviors, and will pick up on your own body language and non-verbal cues such as anxiety or worry that they will become frightened and react to the fireworks. So be as calm as you can, don’t make a fuss or react to reinforce any unwanted behaviors.
Use Your Dog’s Crate or Safe Space
A crate trained dog can be encouraged to curl up and take refuge in their safe space. Put in their favorite toys, a few treats and perhaps move the crate into a room with music or your TV to help drown out the noise and spend the evening watching old school K9 movies. Places where the noise and light flashes can’t be seen also work well – get your dog used to popping into a cupboard under the stairs. If you plan to be away from home when you expect to enjoy some fireworks consider taking their crate, or using your travel crate can be a great solution. For those not crate trained a large cardboard box on its side with the front open can provide a temporary safe space with a comforting blanket and a tasty treat.
Keep the Curtains Closed or Blinds Down
Curtains can be great to keep bangs and whistles from fireworks out, and some dogs also react and watch our for the visual flashes. Keeping your windows covered can remove another stress point for your dog.
Play Background Music or White Noise
Your dog’s sensitive hearing can pick up on many sounds that are out of your range. We suggest you either have some music playing for the evening or turn the TV volume up. What an ideal time to settle in for an action movie and enjoy the soundtrack – or dig out your vinyl collection!
An alternative may be white noise or one of the specially designed tracks that can be found on some You Tube channels like Relax My Dog or High Frequency Relaxation Music for Dogs.
Make Use of Edible Distractions
It could be a long evening but a selection of things that might keep them occupied can come in handy – such as a tasty marrow bone that requires lots of licking to get that marrow out, or a Kong stuffed with their favorite or special treat. This can be a great tool for food motivated dogs and hopefully take their mind off the fireworks.
Keep Them Inside
It might be an obvious thing to stay but keep or bring your dog inside! Now really isn’t the time to start any kind of training for loud noises. There will just be too many of them and you are not in control of the frequency, range and type of noise.
Acclimatize Your Dog to Noisy and Sudden Sounds
We don’t advocate you do this on the day but it is possible to carry out some training to familiarize your dog to the sounds of fireworks, thunder and the like. This can however take months to conduct. You might like to engage the services of a professional trainer to help you.
Drug Options
Prescribed medications: If the above tips aren’t helping you and your dog cope with fireworks and indeed thunder claps and things are becoming increasingly stressful you may consider talking to your veterinarian who can prescribe a sedative drug suitable for your dog’s fireworks axiety.
CBD products:
There are also several different types of CBD products that are suitable for dos and you may decide on some oil drop of CBD dog treats. Remember to ensure you adhere to any dosage guidelines and you vet will also be able to advise on the suitability of such products for your dog.
Pheromone products: another solution available online or via your vet to reduce stress symptoms for your dog.
Thunder and Anxiety Dog Jackets
These jackets are a drug free way to provide a natural and calming solution to help ease your dog’s stress and anxiety caused by fireworks and loud noises. The gentle pressure provided by the jacket provides a swaddling like effect similar to that of a mother and her child. Give your dog a hug and try one of these jackets!
and finally make sure their collars/tags/microchips are up to date
Just in case you dog panics and escapes you should keep their tags and ID info up to date so they can be returned to you. This really applies regardless of whether it’s firework time or not.
We hope you enjoy your celebrations with family and friends
