Is Your Dog Scared of Fireworks? Yeah! Mine too…

1. Is Your Dog Scared of Fireworks? Yeah! Mine too… Meta-Description: Your little furry friend might not be able to join you and your family for a night of fireworks but that doesn’t mean that they need to live in fear of them. You might agree with me when I say that the fireworks are more of a two-legged variety thing, you know the excitement and all. But for our four-legged furry friends, its a time of stress and anxiety. Well, he isn’t alone, in case you are thinking. The fear of fireworks is pretty much a normal canine reaction. Why are dogs scared of fireworks? The reason being the acute sense of hearing in dogs which makes the experience much more intense. Even the unique odor of fireworks doesn’t help the case either since dogs being more sensitive to smell makes it that much worse to bear.

2. Hard to imagine how that might feel? Think of the numerous times you were startled by a loud, unexpected noise. Yes, your heart began racing, all those adrenaline juices started flowing, who knew, you might even have let out a little scream. The same happens with your dog every time he hears one loud firework explosion after another. Why thunderstorms don’t have the same effect? And yet you wonder sometimes why your dog who remains unaffected during the thunderstorms get so easily spooked at the sound of fireworks. Well, I can explain that too. The thing is, storms appear frequently which our dogs can sense through the change in wind and barometric pressure whereas fireworks happen infrequently and come with no such warning making it almost impossible to predict. Tips on Calming Your Dog Down Create a safe heaven for him Needless to say, noise or no noise, every dog or cat must have at least one cozy corner to escape to, filled with a warm blanket and his favorite toys to snuggle with. Make sure you don’t have any loud TV or radio playing near the area otherwise the whole idea of offering him a comfy spot will be pretty useless, don’t you think? Avoid cuddling him during the fireworks No, I am not trying to turn you against him or something, just hear me out. If you try to comfort your dog the panic time, it will do nothing more than reinforcing their belief that something is actually wrong. What you can do instead is to behave normally around them. And never ever punish them for trying to get your attention during their anxiety. Play soothing music for them Recent studies have shown that sometimes playing calming music or white noise in a small room helps soothe your panicked dog or cat. The one thing you need to keep in mind here is to play the music as needed and not continuously, otherwise, there are chances your pet might become desensitized by them. You can also try distracting them Yes, you can try distracting them, and it works fine too. First of all, close the curtains and the doors and windows to block away the sound. Then you can try playing games with him or a puzzle treat. Lastly, you can try making an anti-anxiety wrap out of an elastic bandage or something. Even keeping him on a leash during fireworks help. Lastly, if nothing else works, try medicating them

3. This should be taken as a last resort and only when everything else fails. There is anti- anxiety medication available which can be administered for short and long-term relief. But keep one thing in mind, never attempt to give your dog or cat any over-the-counter or prescription medication without consulting your veterinarian. Closing In: Honestly, we know little about why some dogs are more afraid of fireworks and other loud noises than others but now, at least you know how to work on his stress and help him calm down. Understanding the factors that trigger fear in your dog is one step closer to helping him cope up with his anxiety. Author Bio: Rubin Stoller is a dog blogger with a deep knowledge of caring pets with ease. He works in a Dog poop clean up Services. He imparts his knowledge with pet owners about the pet’s health and happiness.