FIREWORKS!!

We might find fireworks thrilling,exciting and magical but for some dogs fireworks are world war three!!!

Is your dog afraid of fireworks,loud bangs,thunder?

Do you have a new dog or puppy and aren’t sure if they are afraid of fireworks and thunder?

Well the following will outline ways to prepare a dog for possible noises,sound proof your pups nerves and management for a cowering canine who fears fireworks.

The first and easiest thing to do wether pup is ok with loud noises or not is to not expose the puppy to the loud noises unexpectedly. When you head out to a fireworks display,leave fido at home! You may know what’s about to happen ,but poor poochie will be taken by surprise and have no idea why the sky is suddenly exploding and noisy.

Set your pal up at home in his cozy bed,in a room away from the noises,with some music playing at a mid volume to help cover up the sounds. This can also work with incoming thunder storms that you cannot prevent exposure to.

For a truely fearful dog who already has a hard time with life in general and may exhibit severe signs of fear,like drooling,refusal to eat,self harm or damage to points of exit in attempt to escape,medications from a knowledgeable veterinary behaviourist may help situationally. But be sure you do not acquire medications which only sedate the physical body of the dog or you end up with a still fearful dog who is now too doped up to try and move away,rather than a dog who is pleasantly chilled out.

Setting up a ‘bunker’ for a fearful fido is also a great idea. This can be a dog bed with a little roof or a blanket covered kennel in a closet or under a table in a quiet back room or setting up the bathtub as a bunker for your dog works too.

Safe, controlled desensitization is your other best tool for helping out your dog when it comes to loud noises. What this entails is aquiring a recording of the sound of fireworks or thunder crashes and playing it at super low volumes to start with during times when your dog is happily engaged in play time or eating dinner. Then over a succession of days repeat this activity but each time play the sounds a wee bit louder,until it can be at a tolerable conversational volume. This will acclimate your dog to these sounds,so on the occasions when they do occur it won’t be such a giant surprise to Fluffy.