Paws In Pursuit: Bonfire night & Firework Phobias

Happy bonfire night everyone! I am sure a lot of y'all are having a very UNhappy time however, as countless dogs have firework phobias! Now we had our bonfire night Saturday, as we couldn't all be together tonight (that's my family and I) so we are free to spend a long time on a very detailed blog post of how to keep your dog as calm as humanly and 'dogly' possible.

Earl is not scared of fireworks, he only wants to get out there and kill them! It is something you still have to be wary of however, as a pent up dog could easily run away from home if a gate is accidentally left open by a visiting family member or friend on this occasion, due to curiosity or fright of these big flaming monsters rocketing through the air and bursting into sparks after metres of whizzing. Many campaigns are going on at the moment, offering, well, offers on microchipping your pets before the fireworks start appearing out of nowhere above your garden fence. If you haven't already, SERIOUSLY consider getting your canine bezzie microchipped! It will not only cover this firework season, but for the rest of your dogs life. And watch out on those early New Year Days… fireworks are a big think on to celebrate the new year.

One method to keep your dog as calm as possible, is the calming products. You can purchase these in bands that fit cosily around your dogs body, and perform their magic (I mean method…). You can view a calming band for the body here. You can view a calming band for the neck and nose here.

Then there are easy calming collars. Just put it on your dog when the fireworks are due to boom and you can relax and enjoy the displays jumping about in the distance, in view of your front window. The one you can view in a second is also nice and snazzy for fashion lovers! You can view a calming collar here.

And ANOTHER one to use is… the calming coat. I may be in disagreement with this product due to personal doggy circumstances… (Earl is not a keen member of the coat loving club and would get more stressed at wearing a coat than the coat would do him good) but for a lot of folk and their pooches, it would be a great idea. This is a similar idea to the calming band as it it places on the body, however in a different form. You can view a calming coat here.

You can also get calming spray (which you can view here. ) and calming plugins (like the adaptil one) which you view here. )

You can also buy a firework sound track CD to get your dog used to the noise of fireworks. I suggest more certainly NOT playing this while real fireworks are going off, as that would just be pointless. Start the CD at very low volume and slowly, slowly increase the volume. Never increase the volume in one day. It would be too hard on this dog. Do it slowly - that, or keep taking steps back until you stamp your foot to give up. Listen to a firework sound track here. BEFORE OPENING, set your computer volume low if a dog is around, as firework sounds will soon abrupt! You can use that link to the site on your dog if you don't want to BUY a soundtrack. Free help, its in the bag!

So what about when it comes to keeping a fearful dog indoors, as you would do with common sense on firework nights? My advice to you is to build your dog a great little den - simply out of his crate, a blanket, his bed, and his toys (preferably some interactive ones like a KONG, to take his mind of the loud crashes going on around him). Keep his den away from draughts, doors, or anywhere in the house that fireworks could be heard more easily. Maybe invest in placing your dogs den in the centre of the house for the best. Place a water bowl near and put some treats near to make your dog feel comfortable, safe and happy. Don't make a fuss over your dog or he will think something is really up - just act normal, no different, if you can help it! If your dog does get outside and fireworks go off, just say 'oh, bang' or, 'look! That was a big one, wasn't it?'. Therefore your dog will think that fireworks only make you happy, and can't be so scary.

And what about your walks?! Please don't be saddened when I tell you that taking walks late on nights where you could come across fireworks could just cause havoc and mayhem. Your dog could even build a fear of walks in general, or just that walking route, if he gets spooked there.

I set up a den for Earl, and a blanket elsewhere, so he could choose where he wanted to go, and where he felt safer. I left his toys out for him, and a well stuffed KONG. I came inside after round 1 of fireworks and he was sat with his frogs legs spread, nomming on his KONG happily! I was thrilled for him!

If all else fails, and your dog is just a nervous wreck, in a very sorry state, contact your vet, a specialist or behaviourist for advice, or if at VERY, VERY worst, a referral. I hope your dog never gets to that stage, and you can calm your dog at home.

And hey… crack, shatter, baboosh… a few fireworks have just fallen around out house… and Earl has let out a deep but short growl. Let's put out plans into action!!! When the fireworks bang, just remember you are not alone! And even if you don't have your own dog, still consider others and realise that there will be a lot more dogs out there who suffer firework phobias. Hope we have been a help to you and your dog(s) this firework season. Best wishes and luck from us.