Now that the evenings are starting to draw in, we thought it would be a good time to start getting ready for the forthcoming firework season. 

Whether it is to celebrate Bonfire night, Christmas, New Year or just because, the winter nights can be a huge source of fear for many animals.

The following guide to helping your pets cope with fireworks has been written by Kristina Glover, qualified pet behaviourist at Pets in Practise.

Helping your puppy / dog cope with fireworks

Dogs have an innate fear of loud noises and some individuals, whose breeding and upbringing cause them to be ‘highly strung / sensitive’, have the tendency to become more fearful than most. Every time a dog is exposed to any noise that scares him rather than getting used to it, he is unfortunately becoming more frightened of it (becoming ‘sensitised’ to noises rather than ‘desensitising’ to them).

In order to treat a dog’s fear of fireworks and other loud noises (e.g. thunder) we need the sound to represent something good not bad. In order to do this we also need our dog to feel safe when exposed to sounds that he is worried by. In some extreme cases veterinary intervention, in the form of drug support, is needed to support a behaviour programme.

Prevention is so much easier than cure!

If young puppies, between the ages of 3-12 weeks, are exposed in a positive fashion to noises such as fireworks, thunder etc, they are less likely to become worried by these sounds as they mature. Although it is better to do this sound training with a young puppy no dog is too old to learn.

Do things that your puppy or dog enjoys when exposed to the scary sound. That way not only will your puppy / dog be distracted from the sound but he will also begin to associate this sound with good things. 
Specially designed CD’s of specific noises, played in such a way that a puppy or indeed dog remains unconcerned about these sounds can help prevent the development of sound sensitivities and phobias. Please contact your vet or us at info@petsinpractise.co.uk for details of these CDs.

Desensitising a dog to sounds that currently worry him

Purchase a good sound desensitization CD and start off playing this as quietly as possible so that it evokes no fear based reaction. Gradually raise this volume over the next few weeks making sure you gauge your dog’s reaction. If he is fearful the CD is too loud and needs to be lowered.

Play the firework, thunder and gunshot tracks over and over on repeated play; it is important that these trials are similar in length to an actual firework display. Play the tracks at night (when fireworks are more likely) as well as during the day.

Reward appropriate (calm) response to fireworks and thunder, ignoring inappropriate (anxious) behaviour. Reassurance or comfort given to a scared dog will only reinforce this fearful response. You need to act as jolly as possible to show your dog there is no reason for him to be frightened.

If your dog will take treats when fireworks / thunder (real or on the CD) are occurring, try to make the bang of the firework a precursor to something nice. You can arrange this by throwing a few good food treats on the floor after the bang of the firework, or bring out your dog’s favourite toy for play.

Zylkene – helps dogs to cope better with stress

“Zylkène is a natural product, clinically proven to help dogs and cats manage stress and facilitate adaptation to change. Many common situations and events can be stressful and many pets find change, however small, difficult to cope with.
Since its launch in April 2008, Zylkène has been used in many common situations which cause stress in our pets. Vets, behaviourists, nurses and pet owners have all found Zylkène to be a valuable asset in managing stress.” Intervet (2010) copied from http://www.zylkene.co.uk/whatiszylkene.asp

DAP - Pheromones which can assist in calming a frightened dog

Bitches with pups produce a pheromone from the mammary gland that re-assures pups that the breast area is a safe and comfortable zone. This pheromone effect of enhancing continues even once a pup has matured. Scientists have produced a synthetic version of this pheromone, called DAP, that works via a vaporizer or collar.

For cats, try Feliway diffusers, also available at the Sunninghill Veterinary Centre.

Give them somewhere to go where they can escape from the noise

A den area needs to be offered. By offering a dog somewhere safe where he can retreat to when there are loud noises outside, will help to lower his fear state and allow him to cope with the noise much better. The den area needs to be somewhere dark and den like.

What to do if your dog is scared of fireworks and you don’t have enough time to properly desensitize him to fireworks

If fireworks are suspected allow your dog access to his ‘den’. Pop in a few chews or a stuffed Kong that you have rubbed in your hands, doing this will leave a comforting scent on the chews encouraging him to chew them if he becomes anxious. Switch on the lights and close the curtains in the room your dog is in. Leave a radio playing as loudly as possible in order to block out the bangs from outside and shut the windows. Also consider using Zylkene and DAP to help your dog cope better still.

Following the suggestions above will enable you to be able to enjoy fireworks without them frightening your dog.

Written by:

Kristina Glover BA (Hons), PG Dip CABC, Dip CABT

Full Member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors
Full Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers
BBC Radio Berkshire’s Pet Behaviour Expert

01189 836470 / 07843 559441
info@petsinpractise.co.uk / www.petsinpractise.co.uk

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