05 November 2023 , 10:00
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For pets, fireworks are far from entertaining. Four-fifths of pet owners say their dogs and cats are afraid of fireworks. And often, this can escalate into hysterical terror.
Why do pets get so frightened? First, their hearing is so sensitive that fireworks sound far louder to them than to us. Pets also don’t understand why fireworks are happening: they could mean the start of an all-out war. And third, if pets have a frightening first-time experience with fireworks, this emotional memory primes them to associate loud noises with fear. With each subsequent exposure to fireworks, they become more and more terrified.
The good news is that this cycle can be broken. Using the right methods, pets who have mild fear can be taught to stay calm when there are fireworks outside. Even hysterically distraught dogs can be helped.
How do you keep your pet calm during fireworks? Share your tips in the comments below
My game-changing tip is that owners need to understand the importance of the way they behave when their dogs get frightened. Dogs use “social referencing” when deciding how to behave: they look to their owners for cues. If an owner overreacts to a fearful dog, rushing over, petting them and fussing, the dog will think “I was right to be worried”.
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Instead, owners should carry on with their normal activities, unperturbed, with no more than a casual comforting word to their pet. And definitely never get angry with pets that are upset: I’ve heard of people punishing dogs that mess in the house when they get frightened. This will just make things far worse.
Here are my seven tips for a calm Guy Fawkes night this November 5.
- Ensure that pets aren’t left on their own when fireworks are expected: a calm human friend will help them feel calmer.
- Provide a den or a hiding place for your pet, with a comfortable bed, lined with old sweatshirts and other clothing to give your pet a sense of your reassuring presence. Soundproof the room (close the windows, shut the curtains), and leave music playing to drown out fireworks noises. Researchers say that dogs prefer reggae and soft rock.
- Buy a plug-in diffuser that releases pheromones (odourless but biologically active vapours that make pets feel reassured).
- Exercise your dog in the daytime so that they are tired by the evening, and distract them with a food-releasing toy to chew (such as a deep-frozen, food-stuffed Kong).
- Ask your vet for calming medication if your pet has a history of severe fireworks fear: this helps to break the escalating cycle of more fear every year.
- Longer term, sound recordings of fireworks played at low levels help pets get used to the noises, but this has to be done many months ahead of the real thing: perhaps a project for 2022?
- Keep cats indoors, and make sure all pets are microchipped: if they do get outside, a frightened animal often bolts. At least if they carry their own name and address (via a chip), they will be returned to you promptly.