Dogs are afraid of Fireworks
How well do you know your dog? You can probably tell when he’s feeling happy, excited, bored, or just plain hungry. But what happens when something doesn’t go quite right?
It is important to recognize the positive and negative feelings of your pet. Therefore, taking into account that the Christmas season is approaching, you may discover that your dog is much more nervous than usual, and this could be a cause of the fireworks that characterize this time in Colombia.
So together with Gabrica’s expert pet ethologists, we will answer your questions on this issue and give you some tips to avoid stress and fear in your pet caused by loud noises, such as pyrotechnics.
How do i know if my dog is afraid of fireworks?
It is normal and common for your dog to become frightened or sensitive to unexpected loud noises, such as fireworks. So if your dog is afraid of fireworks, he may feel anxious, nervous, or scared, and often display behaviors such as:
- Hold on to you.
- Shake too much.
- Keep your ears back.
- Hide or cower.
- Bark or cry a lot
- Walking, panting, or drooling.
- Try to escape.
- Being more hyperactive than usual even after exercising during the day.
And the truth is that nobody likes to see their dog scared! So how do you calm a dog that is afraid of fireworks?
How to calm a dog that is afraid of fireworks?
1. Block scary images and sounds
The unexpected flashes and loud sounds are enough to make anyone jump! With his extremely developed senses, your dog will be able to hear much more than you, so even if fireworks don’t seem loud to him, your dog may still find them scary!
If you can, help reduce the noise and flashes of fireworks by keeping your dog indoors and closing doors, windows, and curtains. This will also prevent you from trying to run away from the noise. Although it’s a natural instinct to escape, you don’t want your furry to get lost and scared outside!
On the other hand, playing soothing music for your dogs and talking to your dog will also help block out scary sounds.
2. Give it a safe space
A comfortable and familiar environment is always better so that your dog does not feel insecure! Make sure your dog always has access to his safe haven.
This should be a quiet, dog-friendly space where you can find your favorite toys, blankets, and things. If your dog is afraid of fireworks, never force him out of his safe space while there are loud noises.
3. Create a distraction
There are many ways to make fireworks seem less scary to your dog. Distraction is a great way to keep your dog from feeling nervous, anxious, or scared! It often helps:
Speak softly and calmly:
Sometimes acting like nothing is wrong will encourage your dog to relax, so speak to him in a comforting way, like you’re training him again. And if he responds in a calm way, be sure to reward him!
Give him a food puzzle:
If your dog likes to play with food puzzles, that might be the distraction he needs! And likewise a chew toy or filled with some snacks can be relaxing and comforting.
Encourage play:
Staying with your dog and playing with him is always a good way to bond and calm him down! However, make sure you don’t reward nervous or fearful behavior – only play, pet, or reward your pet when he’s acting calm.
Tire your dog!
If you know a fireworks event is coming up, try taking your dog for a long walk during the day. Spending your energy will go a long way so that when the fireworks come, you are more likely to rest and feel less fear or stress.
4. Try sound training
If your dog is afraid of fireworks or any of the other loud noises, training and familiarization with the sound can go a long way. According to Gabrica’s pet experts, using a noise soundtrack playlist can help your dog adjust and learn that loud or unexpected noises won’t hurt.
When training your dog with these types of sounds, keep the following in mind:
- Train him only during quiet times, when there are no other unexpected noises or fireworks.
- Introduce new sounds very quietly at first, at the lowest volume, and always reward quiet reactions with a treat or treat.
- Slowly increase the noise over time, if your dog is keeping quiet.
- Always stop if your dog reacts badly.You can always try again at another time! Next time you try it, be sure to go back a step – play the recording at a much quieter level.
- With repeated Training Sessions, your furry friend will gradually get used to loud noises and learn that he shouldn’t always be afraid.