Are You and Your Pet Dreading Bonfire Night? Here Are Some Tips On Keeping Your Dog Calm During Fireworks Season

Fireworks are exciting and provide fun and entertainment for many people. However, as a pet owner, fireworks can be more of an inconvenience. Moreover, for pets, particularly dogs, fireworks can mean a time of stress and anxiety.

If we’d been writing this blog twenty years ago or so, we might have been able to limit it to a couple of occasions during the year; Guy Fawkes night and New Year’s Eve. However, people use fireworks much more frequently today, albeit only form licensed suppliers, and this means more times of anxiety for your pets.

Here are some things you can do to prepare your dog, or other pets, to deal with fireworks.

Keeping Your Pet Happy During Fireworks 

No matter how used they get to the flashes and bangs of fireworks, it is never a good idea to take your dog along to a fireworks display. Even smaller pyrotechnics for your garden or indoor fireworks are unsuitable for pets to be around. 

So, as a general rule, you should keep your pets as far away as possible. However, even if they are far away, the noise and lights caused by fireworks can still upset your pet. Here are some tips to help keep your pet happy during fireworks season:

1. Early walks

Try to walk your dog earlier in the day, when it is light and before the fireworks have started. Resist the temptation to let them off the lead, as you may well experience the odd early firework explosion set off before dark. If your dog gets startled by bangs from fireworks while off the lead, they could run off and get lost.

2. Keep Your Pet Indoors

If your pet lives outdoors, in a kennel, for instance, it is best if you keep them indoors while the fireworks are ongoing. Try to make their indoor space as firework-proof as possible by doing the following:

• Use black-out curtains to block the flashes from the fireworks exploding.
• Leave internal doors open, so your pet has the opportunity to roam.
• Have plenty of water available for your pet to drink. 
• Use background noise to block or lessen the noise from the fireworks exploding.

3. Background Noise

The continuous noise coming from your TV, radio, or some other source may be sufficient to block out the noise from the fireworks. Even if it doesn’t block out the bangs, background noise can muffle the sound, lessening the shock to your pet.

4. Microchipping

If you haven’t already had your pet microchipped, you should consider it as soon as possible. If your dog gets spooked by fireworks, it could run off, become disoriented, and get lost. In this event, the only way to relocate your pet might be through microchip tracing. 

5. Ensure Your Dog Wears An ID Tag

Following the previous tip, ensure your dog is wearing a tag showing your name and address. If your disoriented dog gets found, the finder can contact you to get your pet returned.

6. Calming Medications and Supplements

If your pet is prone to becoming anxious over fireworks, you can consult your vet for advice on sedatives or calming medications. 

Conclusion

Fireworks may be fun for us, but they are a nightmare for our pets. Hopefully, adopting some of the tips detailed above will help keep your pet calm during fireworks season.