Dog's fear of fireworks

Fireworks are spectacular to watch for many people. Impressive, flourishing, colorful, and smoky fireworks are a particularly big part of the New Year's celebration. Fireworks may also be present at private events, like weddings. So, there’s no shortage of noise and flashes. However, for many pets, and even wildlife, fireworks can be an incredibly frightening experience. How can we help?

How Do I Know if My Pet Is Afraid?

Each animal reacts to fear in its own way. For dogs, fear can be indicated if the dog seeks out its owner – or alternatively hides in the farthest corner of the house. Loss of appetite, trembling, drooling, panting, vocalization, and restlessness can all be clear signs of fear. Essentially, any unusual behavior in an animal could be a sign of fear.

How Can I Help My Pet in a Scary Situation?

For example, it’s possible—and necessary—to prepare in advance for New Year’s fireworks. Here are a few tips from our blog on how to help your frightened pet.

Calming the Home Environment

It’s not recommended to leave a noise-sensitive pet home alone, so you can monitor its behavior. It’s also easier to distract the pet from the noises outside when the owner is present. Distractions can include chewing on a bone, using interactive toys, playing, or other enjoyable activities. Close doors and windows securely, and close the curtains to block out the flashes of fireworks. The sound of a TV or radio can help cover up the noise. If the pet wants to hide in a dark bedroom, allow it to do so.

Pets pick up a lot from their owners’ behavior, so staying calm and behaving normally helps to calm the pet too.

Moving to Another Location

If you know in advance that there will be a lot of fireworks near your home, it may be a good idea to consider heading to the peaceful countryside. If cottage life isn’t an option, check out hotel and other accommodation options. Many places offer pet-friendly, fireworks-free lodging, especially for New Year’s.

Timing Walks

In many countries, there are designated legal hours for New Year’s fireworks, and the worst noise tends to fall within these times. It’s best to avoid walking a sensitive pet during these hours and instead plan walks before or after. Unfortunately, people often ignore the general guidelines, so you might hear sporadic fireworks outside the permitted hours as well. For this reason, it’s best not to let your dog off-leash even in a fenced yard throughout New Year’s, and when out walking, ensure that the dog cannot slip out of its harness or collar and escape.

Checking Equipment

For a dog’s outdoor gear, it’s wise to use a double leash attached to both the collar and harness. This gives you an extra layer of safety in case one fails, allowing you time to react if the dog tries to bolt.

In addition to a harness, it’s a good idea to use a waist lock for harness. This goes around the dog’s waist and connects to the harness—a great safety measure for everyday use!

FINNERO RESCUE Waist Lock For Dog Harness

Using Pheromone and Natural Products

There are many natural calming products for pets available at pharmacies and pet stores. These products typically work by using calming pheromones, valerian (valeriana officinalis), or tryptophan, an amino acid that maintains serotonin production in the pet’s body. Note that it’s best to start using these products even a couple of weeks before the main event.

Compression Shirt and Half Wrap

A compression shirt is a garment sold in pet stores that fits snugly on the pet. The gentle pressure it provides can help calm the dog. It’s advisable to get the pet accustomed to the compression shirt in a stress-free environment so it doesn’t associate it with the source of fear.

As a home remedy, you can make a similar wrap using a “half wrap.” This involves gently wrapping a scarf around the pet’s body, but never too tightly to restrict movement—it should feel like a gentle hug. Like the pressure shirt, it’s good to get the pet used to the wrap in advance.

Steps for tying a half wrap:

1. Place the scarf across the pet’s chest and cross the ends over its back.
2. Bring the scarf ends down along the sides.
3. Cross the ends under the belly and bring them back up.
4. Tie the scarf on the back.

If Your Pet Escapes

If the worst happens and your pet gets away, the contact information for agencies that help in the search for lost pets is very important. Find out in advance if there are search dogs and experts near you that you can turn to in times of need.

Recover the scent!

Experts working with search dogs recommend keeping a scent sample from the pet. It's easy: put a small amount of fur in a clean, resealable bag or glass jar, then seal it tightly. For hairless pets, you can wipe the skin with a cotton pad.

You can also take a scent sample from the collar, but if the dog has run away with the collar, this won't help.

It is recommended to replace the scent sample with a new one every six months.

Managing Fear

Every pet is unique. One pet may be fearless, while another might react to the slightest sound. Helping a pet overcome the fear of new situations, sounds, and smells involves training—exposure to new things from an early age builds confidence.

Desensitizing a pet to fear is a patience-requiring process in which the pet is gradually encouraged to focus on relaxing, playing, or other positive experiences instead of fear. Learning may take time, but the owner’s commitment is well worth it.