Remember, remember the fear of November

If your dog is scared of fireworks, start your training now to avoid a bonfire night meltdown.

The PDSA estimates as many as 2.2 million dogs in the UK suffer from a fireworks phobia.

Its recent Animal Wellbeing report revealed 22% of dog owners had a pet who was affected and vets have seen an increase in patients with noise phobias, especially since lockdown.

Fireworks used to be reserved for the night of the 5th of November but now they tend to start as soon as the clocks go back and carry on into New Year.

Dogs have extremely sensitive hearing so if you think fireworks are loud it’s no wonder they find them unbearable. Not knowing the cause of loud sounds and flashes just adds to their stress.

If you have a firework phobic pet it can be distressing watching them suffer, but we’re here to help with our tips to get your pet through the season.

How do I know if my pet is affected?

The behavioural response to a noise phobia in dogs can be quite dramatic, like trembling and hiding, but there are more subtle signs to look out for including pacing, yawning, panting, lip licking, showing the whites of their eyes and shaking off.

Preparation

By starting training now, you and your dog will be better equipped to deal with the displays by November.

1. Kibble can be a great treat option for basic training like sit, but for harder work it’s always better to use something they find irresistible like chicken. Cut it up small so you don’t have to use lots.
2. Load some firework sound effects and start playing them quietly. For training to be effective, your dog needs to be under threshold. This means he is aware of the noise, but isn’t yet frightened of it or reacting to it. If a dog is over threshold, they will often go into flight, fight or freeze mode and will be physically incapable of learning.
3. Once you’ve identified the dog’s threshold, you can begin the training and it’s really easy. Simply feed your dog treats once he hears the bang. It’s important he hears the bang and then receives the treat promptly as you want him to associate the scary noise with getting a yummy treat (bang becomes less scary), rather than getting the treat and then hearing the bang and risking associating a yummy treat with a scary bang (treat becomes more scary).
4. Repeat this for 2-3 minutes, very gradually increasing the volume if your dog is coping well. If they start showing signs of fear, decrease the volume. It is important to go at their pace.
5. Short sessions multiple times a day are more effective than long or infrequent training. Practice 3-4 times a day for 2-3 minutes each time, gradually increasing the volume.
6. You will need to continue training with real fireworks and keep up training all year round to avoid having to start again next year.

My dog is still barking at the bangs

Your dog may still be over threshold and needs chance to calm down before trying again. Wait a day or two before trying again at a lower volume.

It’s been a week and my dog is still scared

Desensitising fearful dogs is a long process which is why we recommend starting early. Only your dog can dictate how quickly training moves as they need to be under threshold at all times. Every dog is different and some may improve quicker than others. Patience and consistency with your training is key. Never punish a dog for being scared.

My dog won’t eat treats

Very few dogs are not food motivated. Instead, there’s likely to be another reason why they won’t take treats while training;

• The treats aren’t tasty enough to motivate them. Try something tastier - think smelly and greasy!
• They are feeling unsafe or scared. Dogs over threshold will be unable to learn
• They don’t fully understand what is being asked of them
• They are feeling sick or are in pain

When the real bangs begin

Sound effects on a speaker will not exactly replicate fireworks which are much louder and accompanied by flashing lights and scary sensations. In the run-up to firework season, it is a good idea to create a den for your pet in their crate or a quiet corner of the house so they have somewhere to retreat to if scared.

Ensure you walk your dog early, long before it gets dark, so there is less chance of them being surprised by a bang.

Just before it gets dark you should close all your curtains and switch your lights on to mask any flashes outside and use blankets to cover any gaps around doors to dampen the sound.

Playing calming music or having the television on can help provide background noise.

You could try a calming spray or plug-in to help relax your dog.

Avoid leaving your pet at home on evenings when fireworks are likely to be going off and try to keep things as calm and normal as possible.

If you are worried about the level of distress your pet is displaying due to a noise phobia, you should speak to your vet. In severe cases it may be necessary to prescribe sedatives.