It’s that time of year when a dog with a firework phobia struggles. Along with New Year’s Eve, the coming fireworks night is likely to be your dog’s most hated night of the year. Phobias and anxiety are really common in dogs and you will likely find every dog has struggled at some point with either car anxiety or firework phobia.

Understanding and handling these conditions can be challenging, and it’s important to tailor treatment plans to each dog. Some of the changes you can make as an owner can make to help your dog overcome their fears. If not overcome it will at least help your dog tolerate the fireworks noises.

It’s not just the dogs we need to consider as cats on fireworks night need to be kept safe too. They are equally as prone to having the same fears and anxieties as dogs.

If the fear is extreme and you are unable to manage it, plan ahead and get some veterinary help with medication.

Dog With A Firework Phobia

Why is my dog scared of fireworks?

Understanding the causes of dogs’ fears about fireworks can help us appreciate their behaviour. A dog with a firework phobia is more common than not and so many of us dog owners are trying our best to ease our dog’s fears.

Some breeds are more prone to anxiety. They also tend to develop certain fears, such as noise phobias. In addition, the fear of loud noises is a normal adaptive response in dogs. It is not all down to breed, as your dog’s personality plays a big part in their tolerance levels.

All animals have their version of fear. We are programmed to be afraid of things that are not familiar to us. A fear of fireworks is normal behaviour for dogs and should be expected from any dog owner. With more people getting dogs over the last few years than ever before knowing what to do over the firework period is often an issue.

When dogs are exposed to a certain type of stimulus, their senses go into an accelerated state of alert. This is because their autonomic nervous system, which is known to respond to the fight or flight response, produces a heightened awareness of the surroundings. This can make them feel scared or anxious. Some dogs might become aggressive due to the phobia and want to be left alone completely.

When fireworks phobia is triggered, the dog will associate all of the sensory aspects of fireworks with their general fear. This includes the noise, the smell, and the vibration of fireworks. Although noise is the most important component of the stimulus, other senses such as light flashes and sound waves can also be utilised.

The various components of a fireworks-related stimulus can help build a dog’s general fear. For instance, if your dog has been exposed to other objects that are not related to fireworks, such as the place where they first heard them, they might associate these with the event.

How to stop my dog from being scared of fireworks?

The best way to prevent your dog from being scared of the fireworks is to try and blank them out, and act like they aren’t happening. Try and make sure your dog isn’t exposed to the noise and the lights they create.

Playing music that has a heavy bass will cover the explosive sounds of fireworks. This will work as long as the fireworks are in the distance and not in your neighbouring gardens. If they are in neighbouring gardens you will need to play the music louder to try and mask the fireworks. Sadly, the closer the fireworks are to you, the harder it is to drown them out.

Make your dog a den or cover their crate to attempt to muffle the bangs. Giving them the option to go into a place they feel safe and covered if they so wish to do so. If you provide them with plenty of stimuli too this should help keep their minds occupied and off the noise.

Ignore the anxious behaviour by trying to act normal. You are likely to want to comfort your dog, but doing this will not help in the long run, as your dog will learn to depend on you rather than learn to ignore them.

Let them hide if they want to and just make sure you check on them without a fuss. Cuddling up to them and trying to pacify them will only mark their behaviour and associate it with getting attention. Telling them they are a good dog or saying it’s okay will not help ease their fears. You do not tell a dog they are being good when they are scared, as that is marking scared behaviour as a good thing.

Fireworks checklist for dogs

• Give your dog an earlier than normal dinner. They are less likely to be sick if they have anxiety if they eat early.
• Take your dog for their evening walk earlier, before it gets dark.
• Close your curtains or blinds around the house before it gets dark to ensure no flashing lights can be seen.
• Have a noise source playing in the home. The TV acts as a visual aid and having this on alongside the radio is a good idea.

Over time if you maintain these steps you should see the fear regress. This is not categoric as some dogs are just generally more anxious and harder to condition.

Remember to never tell your dog off for acting scared, it is a natural behaviour. Also, never leave your dog at home alone during the fireworks season if you know they have a fear.

In extreme cases, you can talk to a veterinary professional for medical aid.

Like in all dog training situations the more time you spend doing it the quicker they learn it. This is the same for preparing your dog for going back to the office, practise your new routine sooner rather than later.

You can pin this image to refer to this post again later