Dogs Afraid Of Fireworks: Caution
The end of the year and São João are the two seasons with many fireworks and bonfires. Although for children they seem like fun parties, dogs afraid of fireworks are a real nightmare. In this situation, we’ll give you tips to overcome these tricky days for your pet:
Fear and its functioning
The fear of fireworks can be overcome, but it takes time and requires a competent educator who knows how to do the training. A few days before the holidays, we can only take precautions that will allow us to get through these days. These precautions are especially aimed at ensuring the safety of our dog and minimizing the effects that fireworks have on him.
When an animal is afraid, it has three options: flee, fight, or surrender. In the case of dogs, the first option will always be to flee, although in other situations he may try to fight. When dogs are afraid of firecrackers, we will almost always see the animal try to flee to its outhouse or under the bed and other furniture.
protect your home
We know there will be fireworks and that our dog can panic. First , we must ensure his safety and his home is the first place he should feel safe.
We must block access to the balconies and close the windows. Every year, there are stories of dogs that, afraid of fireworks, despair and jump out of the window. These dogs can suffer serious damage or even die if the fall is too high.
In houses with gardens, we must check the state of the fences. If there are holes under or between the fences, the dog can escape. Even so, if the fence is low, chances are he will jump and we can consider not allowing him to go into the garden on those days when there is a lot of noise.
In addition, dangerous elements that they can bite or gnaw on should not be within reach of dogs afraid of fireworks. Dogs unload a lot of stress through chewing. So if he needs to nibble on an object, it shouldn’t be toxic or dangerous for him.
A safe area for dogs afraid of fireworks
We can create a safe area inside our home that helps the dog get through the festive days. It must be a room or a place inside our house where nothing bad will happen to the dog. This area should be used for the animal to take refuge. Therefore, it must have the following characteristics:
- It must be accessible every day for 24 hours. For example, if the dog is hiding in the bathtub, the bathroom door must always be open, and when he is hiding, we must not stop him.
- If the dog does not choose any corner of the house, we can guide him towards a suitable place . Many scared dogs already have a preference for certain parts of the house, but if they are stressed, they wander around the house. We can create a safe area and friendly guide them to the place.
- It must be isolated from the outside of the house. It must not have windows open and, if possible, it must have shutters or curtains closed. Also, it should be a quiet place, and the less noise outside, the better.
- Once we’ve created the safe area, we can’t take it out. If the dog chooses to take refuge, we must offer water. When he’s panting, it’s a sign of fear. In addition, we must offer care and attention to the animal. However, we cannot ask him to leave his safe place. Much less should we stop him from going to his hiding place.
change the rides
We should check what noise there is during our dog’s walk and modify the path if necessary. We can reduce the number of tours or their duration if necessary. There are times in the day when there is less noise and we should take advantage of them.
It is better to take a short, silent walk rather than a long but fearful or frightening journey. If, for a week or a few days, the route is shorter or there are fewer walks, nothing bad will happen to the animal . Dogs scared of firecrackers will be happy not to be exposed to street noise.
control methods
For dogs afraid of fireworks, it is essential to review the control methods that will be used: wearing a harness is safer than regular collars. Collars with chokes only add to the fear that the dog already has by itself.
Everything you use on the street must be in good condition. If we run the risk of the dog moving with a noise, we can not risk the strap breaking or the harness buckle coming loose. The dog may end up running disoriented and not knowing how to get home. If we live in an area with busy roads, this could endanger the animal’s life.
A new harness or collar is not expensive and can be the difference between a safe dog or a lost dog. It’s worth renewing the pet’s items whenever necessary, especially during the festive seasons of the year.
extreme cases
There are some extreme cases of dogs with intense fear: dogs that become paralyzed – or are so afraid that they vomit or stop eating. In fact, some dogs may not need to take care of their needs for hours or days.
These extreme cases should be handled by a veterinarian. Faced with such a radical fear, it may be necessary to prescribe anti-anxiety medications – never sedatives – that will help you overcome these days. They won’t make the animal forget the fear, but it will allow them to survive the holiday season.
After the worst days of fireworks and fireworks are over, the dog should be seen and evaluated by a dog educator to help him deal with his fears. This is a treatment that can only be performed under the supervision of a professional. Finally, such an intense fear compromises the dog’s well-being and shouldn’t be neglected until the next fireworks party.
