In their latest dog wellbeing column, Hunters Dog Holidays shares some positive actions you can take to prepare your canine companions for the noises and bangs of the fireworks season.
It’s almost that time of year again, when the skies are filled with exciting colours and loud bangs. While exciting for some, it’s less so for our dogs, many of whom find it a stressful and frightening time. Many owners will have seen their dogs struggle to cope with fireworks and often have tried all the tricks in the book to help, but I have one option that many people may have overlooked.
Of course, there is no replacement for early desensitisation and this should always be a top priority for young pups. Slowly increasing the volume of firework and thunder sounds to new puppies, whilst using lots of positive reinforcement, helps them to learn coping strategies early and sets the foundations for stress resilience. However, on the occasions where we know fireworks are coming, preparation is the key to success.
A morning walk is still a good idea, but running them to the point of exhaustion and hoping they will be too tired to care may not be the answer. In most cases, I would in fact highly recommend the absolute opposite. Instead, try and spend the day decompressing your dog and helping them to stay relaxed. Do you find it easier to cope with stressful situations after a hard day at work, or when you have been to a spa, read a book and been pampered into a tranquil state of bliss?
How then do we turn our dogs into spa-induced, relaxed, fluffy, calm meditation gurus?
Here are a few techniques to try:
Sniffing: For dogs, sniffing is a self-soothing, anxiety-reducing exercise that is as good for their mental health as Pilates is for ours. It is mentally stimulating and increases the dogs respiration rate so they will still be feeling physically worked out as well as mentally stimulated. Try a morning sniffy long-lead walk rather than the usual high energy run. Set a few ‘special hidden finds’ along the way and some in your home too, lots of fun for you both!
Licking: Try a few long-lasting licking games throughout the day. Kongs and Licki mats are great tools that give your dog time to decompress, releasing endorphins that calm and relax them. Continuous licking also releases dopamine, a happy hormone that puts your dog into a state of euphoria. Lucky dogs!
Touch: For those of you who are a little more time invested, try Tellington Touch. A series of gentle touches and strokes that help to relax your dog – think reiki rather than deep tissue massage. You can take a course or find a few techniques on YouTube.
Follow their lead: Comforting your dog is not forbidden, just try and establish how it is feeling. Make sure they have a safe space they can take themselves to when the fireworks start and if they don’t want to be touched or want to be alone, give them space and use your calm, soft voice as a comforter instead.
The list of decompressing activities is too long for this article, but hopefully these extra techniques will help both you and your dog, have a more relaxing experience and prepare for the fireworks season!
Laura Varney is the Head of Training at Hunter’s Dog Holidays. The Burnham-based company is looking for new members to join its network of trusted, vetted, licensed dog boarders providing homes-from-home to dogs on holiday. Find out more about becoming a member here.
