Fireworks, they come with a bang as soon as the nights start to draw in and fizzle out around January. They often appear suddenly and without warning surprising the whole household. This isn’t helpful when it comes to managing your dog’s firework phobia or stopping them from being afraid the first time they hear them.

I know you may be saying to me “Isn’t it a bit early for thinking about fireworks?” however quite irritatingly I actually heard some last night so I would like to get this out there straight away for you to start helping your pets cope. Most of our client’s pets are quite young and given lockdown, they have not really experienced the full force of fireworks parties.

When it comes to firework desensitisation, we are a little bit of a disadvantage because we can not emulate the smell of gun powder, the vibrations of a giant rocket shaking the walls, the flashes and the cheers that all merge together for an event. What we can do is work on getting them used to the noises and trying to modify their reactions.

Sound Sensitivity and development.

As puppies are developing, they go through stages where they become more fearful and this is totally normal in your puppies development.  The first one is the 8-11 weeks old phase as they start going into their new homes and this usually last just a couple of weeks to a month, the other is at around 6-14 months old depending on their maturity (smaller breeds mature faster than larger breeds). Some things that didn’t scare your dog last week suddenly become the scariest thing they have ever seen and neither of you have any idea why. This is normal in the dogs development and learning about their flight or fight responses, subsequently learning how to survive and recognise fearful situations. They are not being difficult or stubborn, they are trying to navigate a strange world with new ‘fear hormones’ coursing through their body.

Dogs can form sensitivities to noises such as bangs, pops and explosions. Noise sensitivity can encompass fear, anxiety and phobic responses as a reaction to sound stimuli including loudness, pitch and unexpected appearance. Once used to certain situations dogs may learn to be tolerant of some noises such as the TV, traffic and household appliances. Even though they can be sudden and unexpected, they are from a predictable source that they can learn to tolerate.

Noises that seem to come from nowhere that are unpredictable in loudness and pitch, sometimes accompanied by squealing, light flashes, single or multiple bangs are not easy for dogs to understand. Reactions to fear can manifest is barking, hyper-activeness, shaking, panting, hiding, defecating, urinating and destructive behaviour. Please remember this is all a manifestation of fear and anxiety and not the dog trying to be naughty.

How can we help with sound desensitisation?

By introducing the dog to the scary noises at an incredibly low level and in a controlled setting, we can start to build the foundations of a healthy attachment to the noises. There are plenty of resources out there from Youtube and Spotify playlists, the Dogs Trust website that has a downloadable scary sounds programme and to cd’s on amazon that are designed for firework desensitisations.

Once you have chosen your playlist or cd etc, set your dog up for success. Start indoors in an area away from distraction and ensure the dog can remove themselves from the room or noise if they wish to. Once your dog is settled, tracks of various different sounds should be played on the lowest level to start with in the background whilst you do something fun with your dog. Play with toys or enrichment games and engage with your dog whist the noise is too low to cause a problem. Gradually turn up the volume very slowly.

You want to see the first signs that the dog is showing a reaction. This reaction should be a small one, such as just turning their ears. Once there – leave the volume at that level for a few minutes.  Once they seem happy with this level you can turn it up a little more but never quickly.

If your dog becomes stressed or fearful, remain calm. You do not want to show your dog that you are anxious or fearful as you could reinforce their fear. Just turn it off and next time start with the sound a little lower. This is not a training that you can rush, it takes a long time which is why you should start now. Repeat this 3-4 times a day if possible. Leave it playing for around 10 minutes if they can tolerate it, less if needed and trying to increase the volume slowly so that after a few weeks you can play the noises at a reasonably loud level and they are not reacting to it.

If your dog shows signs of fear, stress or anxiety – stop and start again from a low level next time.

Creating the right environment.

Ensuring the dog has the right set up to begin with also helps the foundations for a relaxed and happy dog. Providing a covered crate or den that is a dark safe place they can go to will help some dogs. (Read our post on how to crate train your dog).

Making sure your house is safe and secure is essential if they are likely to panic, some dogs will just panic and run so by making sure windows and doors are shut not only reduces noise, but ensures they can’t escape or hurt itself.

Walk and feed your dogs before it gets dark. Do not try to walk your dog when fireworks are going off as the noise plus the flashes can be very scary and traumatise your dog to a point where they become phobic. Dogs still need exercise and a dog that is physically and mentally exhausted will feel happy and calmer so walk your dog and play with them during the day so that they are feeling more relaxed by the evening.

Play with your dog if it wants to play, use food and toys to associate good things and show that you are not concerned by the noises and that they have no need to be either. Make it fun and exciting, rather than something to be fearful of.

How to assist your dog

If your dog wants to hide away, try to make them a den in a room with no windows if possible. Keep lights on so that the flashing is not as obvious and put some music on to help disguise the sounds.

Try not to leave your dog alone if you can help it so that you can monitor your pets behaviour and stress levels. Keep your pet entertained with games, enrichment toys and play time to keep them distracted.

If your dog wants to hide, allow them to and do not force your dog out of a space that they feel safe in. You can keep talking to them and trying to encourage them to come out but if they refuse just allow them to be in a place they feel safe.

Remain calm yourself. Dogs are very good at picking up on human emotions and of you become stressed and anxious the dogs will pick up on that, likewise, if you are calm they are more likely to stay calm too. A little bit of fuss is ok. If your dog needs physical comfort from you that is absolutely fine, we need to work with our pets to keep them feeling safe and secure.

My dog is still scared, what else can I try?

Vet – Should your dog be severely distressed you may need to consult a vet, they will be able to do a health check and ensure there isn’t anything underlying. They may also be able to advise you on some prescribed medications that may help to calm your dog.

DAP Products – DAP stands for Dog Appeasing Pheromones and replicates the scent of the lactating bitches hormone that can calm the dogs down. This scent is then ingrained into their products, for example a collar, plug-in diffuser and spray.

Tellington Touch (T-Touch) is a form of massage that has been proven to help animals by using non-habitual movements activating neural pathways to the brain.  It relaxes muscles, lowers heart rate and is easy to learn.

Herbal remedies / Homeopathy – Consult a trained therapist to find out remedies that will sooth and calm your pet.