Why are dogs scared of fireworks?
They don’t understand
Because dogs do not speak English we can’t explain to them what fireworks are and that we will keep them safe, so they don’t need to worry
We love fireworks because they are light, bright, exciting and noisy, it all adds to the effect, but, for a dog, this is what makes them scary
Fireworks appear without warning, first we get the wizz noise of them shooting into the sky, then the bang, these noises can make your dog jump, your dog may be sleeping soundly then all of a sudden they hear a wizz noise and a bang, they have no idea where it has come from or what it is, imagine if you were asleep then a door closed loudly banging, this would make you jump, but this can be explained to you to not worry, it was only a door closing and everything is ok, so if you hear the noise again you know it is only a door slamming and don’t worry. We cannot explain this to our dogs, so each time it happens it is scary to them
Then comes the display of colour and lights that fill the sky, so the room suddenly lights up, your dog is already nervous because of the noise and now the room is filled with light, your dog is probably thinking by now…….. oh no, what next? Then the lights go and all goes quiet for a second or two, then it all starts all over again, we know that it won’t go on forever, but your dog doesn’t, and once again we have no way of explaining this to them
So, what can we do to help our dogs that are nervous of fireworks?
There is training that can be done before Bonfire night, But there are other things we can do on the night that can help our dogs and in time we can change how our dogs feel about fireworks, the good news is, it can be fun for both you and your dog
The most important thing you need to remember is to stay calm and not get upset if your dog gets frightened,
if you get upset then your dog will think it really is a bad thing that is happening and become more scared.
Walks
We all walk our dogs every day, but on Bonfire night we need to think about when we walk them, we don’t want to be outside with them when fireworks are going off all around them, find out if there is a display near you and find out what time it starts, a lot of fireworks are set off about 6/7pm so make sure your dog is walked early, while it is still light and before any displays start
1. Keep your dog on a lead when walking in case someone lets some fireworks off early, if your dog is off lead he may get scared and run away to hide
2. Make sure you have plenty of really tasty treats when you walk your dog and if a firework goes off give them some treats, this means they will see/hear fireworks and something good happens this helps your dog to start thinking that fireworks arn’t that bad, imagine if you were scared of them and every time fireworks went off you were given your favorite sweets, you’d soon start thinking fireworks were good things wouldn’t you, because it means sweets come your way
3. Have a little longer walk than normal if you can, so your dog is really tired when you get home
4. Keep your dog inside, don’t let them play in the garden when you get home in case fireworks go off, you can play with them inside instead
Another thing you can do is ask your neighbours if they are having bonfire parties and what time the fireworks will start and end, tell them it’s because your dog might be scared so you will know when to keep them inside
What we can do while fireworks are going off
Keep the curtains closed BEFORE the fireworks start and the lights on so your dog can’t see the fireworks and the bright lights outside don’t suddenly light up the room
Have the TV or radio on a little louder than normal so your dog can’t hear the noise from the fireworks as much
Have your dog in a room where you are and shut the door
Make a den for your dog to hide in if you have a dog crate, cover them with a towel or blanket and put a frozen Kong in with them
You can play games with your dog while fireworks are going off, this can be with toys or by scattering treats for them to find while the fireworks are going off, not only does it distract them from focusing on the fireworks, but makes a positive association with them, good things happen while fireworks are going off.
If you dog gets scared don’t shout at them for ‘being silly’ this will make them more frightened, remember they don’t understand what is going on, we need to make them think good things happen when fireworks are going off, so do fun things
You can make a hug in a jacket use a dog coat fitted tightly
If your dog wants to snuggle up to you, let them, but don’t force them to, think about how you feel at times, sometimes a hug can help, but can also feel restricting and uncomfortable if it’s not what you want, so let your dog decide/tell you
Be careful if you have to open the front or back door, make sure your dog can’t run out if they get frightened and if they need to go to the toilet take them out on a lead