Take the fear out of Bonfire Night for your dog

Bonfire toffee, the Guy, fireworks – and stress. All the ingredients of another scary Bonfire Night for your dog. However, rather than simply shutting them in and ignoring the distress, there are a number of ways to reduce the impact the noise and lights of fireworks may have on your canine companion.

Bonfire Night is the single most stressful day in the year for your pet. With their highly acute hearing, the whistle and loud bang of fireworks can be unbearable for dogs.  Even the strange smells, particularly of smoke which invokes danger to most animals, contribute to a level of tension and fear way beyond their normal experience.

To minimise the impact of Bonfire Night on your dog, Caroline Grant managing director of Canine World,  recommends creating a ‘safe house’ for your dog under a bed, for example, which will give them somewhere to hide if they get frightened.

In the safe house area, you can also decrease the stress levels of your pet by using a Pet Remedy Calming Spray or a plug-in diffuser, an easy and effective way to soothe your dog. It uses a blend of essential oils to promote the action of a natural neurotransmitter in the dog which sends calming messages to the nerves. Available online at www.canine-world.co.uk

Alternatively Thundershirts, which act like swaddling to comfort the dog, can be very effective. The gentle pressure of the Thundershirt provides a dramatic calming effect and is proven to show significant improvement in over 80{afd41c4ab3623e68baffe29f6190c4c16e77cb65ef9a747ad10afe8b083b250d} of dogs.

Once the fireworks begin, close your windows and curtains to keep your dog secure in the house. Stay calm and act naturally, and if you normally have third-party sounds – such as the television or radio – put them on but not too loudly.

 “It’s not such a good idea to take your dog to a bonfire party, one of the worst things you can do is either tie him up or keep him on a lead during the firework displays. Your canine companion will be far happier staying in a familiar environment, and a new toy to create a distraction wouldn’t go amiss” says Caroline.