DOES YOUR PET HAVE A FIREWORK PHOBIA?
The fireworks season is almost upon us and every year it seems to start earlier and last longer. For anyone who has dogs that are afraid of fireworks and loud noises, this can be a stressful season for all concerned. So here are some tips for the prevention and management of firework fears.
For those of you with puppies who have not yet experienced this joyous time of year, it is extremely important that you react in the right way so that a fear of loud noise does not develop. Not all dogs react to bangs, but when they first hear a loud bang, most will react in some way. The most important thing for you to do is not to do anything!
For us humans, our natural response, if our puppy jumps, shakes or hides from a loud noise, is to offer comfort. However, fight your instincts, as to a dog this behaviour is reinforcing their fear and suggesting to them that they are right to be afraid. If you don’t react, they learn that it is a fact of life that you’re not concerned about and they too will learn to not be concerned.
It’s a good idea to distract them with a game too – play and stress cannot be displayed together, so replacing their worry with a game, lowers stress levels and also teaches them that the bangs produce fun, rather than fear.
For those who have a dog who already has a fear of fireworks, there are several things you can do to try and manage the problem and reduce their stress levels. First, provide them with a den where they feel secure and can hide. A dog crate is excellent for this, put their bed inside, leave the door open and put a blanket over the top. DAP collars can also be a great help (available online or from some vets), DAP is a pheromone that calms the dog and is completely safe and natural. For severe fears, it may be a good idea to get some further help from a good behaviourist who will be able to offer you a management plan and gradual desensitisation programme.
Good luck and have a safe and enjoyable season.
For information and help you can contact Jenny www.fluentwoof.co.uk
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Hi Jenny
Thanks for this and for your previous advice.
I wasn’t ‘scoring points’ here – you’re advice was excellent…just wanted the new or ‘newish’ dog owner, or one who is facing this problem for the first time to be aware that other solutions exist. I totally agree that your words re: seeking professional advice – this has got to be the best route forward here. Best Wishes Brian
Hi Brian, Yes, of course you are absolutely right, I was going to make mention of the CDs, but was limited on the amount of words and was trying to not make the article too lengthy – that’s the only reason it’s not in there. Also, partly the reason that I mention that anyone with a dog with an already established, serious phobia enlist the help of a professional.
As an experienced dog trainer, in addition to the effective use of crates and DAP collars (both very useful if introduced correctly), I have advised some people to desensitise a dog to particular sounds by making up a CD/DVD of sounds that make them anxious. A recording of fireworks, for example, can be played (low volume at first) for a minute at a time, at various times in the day – making sure that you pay no attention at all to the sound/noise – thereby making it a ‘normal’ sound that your dogs hears regularly but one that DOES stop and ‘goes away’. Making a CD/DVD up from the Internet or buying a specific ready-made one can be very effective in making life more bearable when these sounds appear.
The thing to remember here is that a single solution is unlikely to have the desired effect, particularly if you have a dog that is excessively nervous of such sounds, so do try to implement every strategy at the same time, NOT waiting for the fireworks to arrive and then trying to introduce them. Vital to the process is understanding that YOUR behaviour is key here – simply ignore your dog is the best (but tough!) advice that you should heed….your dog will draw from your obvious ‘confidence’ here.