Helping dogs to overcome noise sensitivity such as fireworks or storms
Dogs will often react to the noise from fireworks, storms, aeroplanes etc. This is natural, even we jump at sudden noises, but with the fireworks season now stretching over several weeks this constant exposure can lead to stress related problems, such as fear and even life affecting phobias. This can be a difficult time for both dog and owners.
Remember that a panicking dog will not think about its actions, many dogs escape from their owners or the garden during the firework season. Do not leave your dog alone during fireworks season. Use a lead to keep them safe in the garden. Keep all doors and windows securely locked. Make sure that your dog is wearing a tag and collar at all times, and has an identification chip (which is now a legal requirement for all dogs in the UK) so that if they do become lost you are more likely to get them home again.
Remember that even a dog that has shown no fear before can become sensitive to noise.
Dogs who suddenly develop noise sensitivity may have a medical reason, so check this with your vet.
The owner’s response to signs of nervousness may make the dog feel worse. If an owner reacts (either angrily or worriedly) the dog will increase their response to these stimuli making each subsequent event more stressful for both the dog and the owners.
It is important to be there and to offer reassurance to your dog, but it is extremely important that you stay calm so that your dog can also learn to be calm.
There are several methods available to help reduce the dogs’ response to fireworks.
EARLY PREPARATION:
Many things trigger the dog that fireworks or thunderstorms are about to happen; the smell of home fires, the changes in air pressure, darker/colder nights. Dogs will become sensitive to all the changes which happen at about the same time as the thing which they fear, they may begin to act fearfully long before the event, and even become afraid of new things which remind them of fireworks (e.g. the sound of a sizzling pan or mobile phone sounds) – do as much as you can to make life appear as normal as possible, and if necessary start medical treatment early. Early exposure to all sorts of noises and smells as a puppy grows, paired with nice experiences, can help to prevent problems from developing later in life.
BE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR DOG – BUT STAY CALM!
Stay calm and offer your dog calming comfort. Dogs often do not respond to human attempts to comfort them in the way that you might think. It is best to allow your dog to learn to deal with the thing that is scaring them in their own way. Remember that some forms of attention may make matters worse. If you are worried by your dogs’ behaviour then you will look and sound worried to your dog, but the dog will assume that you are also afraid of the thing which is scaring them. Speak to your dog in a gentle, calm voice while they are afraid. If they need to be held by you then do so, but try to gently encourage them not to cling to you. If you are able to distract them for example by playing games, then do so, but if they just want to hide then it is important that you let them do that. Do not panic!! It is better for them if you to try to continue with your normal routines. If you are feeling stressed, or are also afraid of fireworks, do not try to soothe or comfort your dog, and remember you need to provide the calming influence here. Do not get angry with your dog, they will not be able to control their reactions, it is better to distract them, or if necessary to ignore them than to tell them off.
HELPING YOUR DOG TO RELAX
Make sure that your dog has had a really good walk during the day. About half an hour before the fireworks usually start feed your dog a ‘stodgy’ meal (pasta or cooked potato) this will make your dog feel sleepy. Remember that if you are using medication that these will be more effective if given early (half an hour to an hour before fireworks are expected).
PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE
Dogs who are phobic of fireworks and storms will often try to escape from the thing that is scaring them. Provide your dog with a den (a small dark enclosed area in a quiet place) with blankets or your old clothes to bury themselves under. Providing them with a safe place will help them to relax. The safe place should be situated where the dog tends to lie to relax in normal circumstances or a place that they seem to want to go to when they are afraid e.g. under your bed or behind the sofa. If your dog doesn’t already have a safe place you could make one, it is best to position this in a room or area of the house without or away from windows, if you have a basement then this is perfect. Make this a happy place to go to, put their favourite chews and toys in to there for them to find them. Make sure that this place can always be accessed. Your dog should come to understand that this is their own space. Do not try to make them go there, and never trap them in there, but if they are in there leave them alone completely, do not pull them out. During a storm, or fireworks it is best for the room to have the curtains drawn, for loud rhythmical music to be played e.g. Beethoven (as long as your dog likes it), for the lights to be left on and scented candles burning (be aware some scents are toxic to dogs). All of these things will mask the amount of light, noise and smell entering the room from outside.
PROVIDE MENTAL STIMULATION
Using your brain makes you tired. If you are tired you have less energy to react. Feeding your dog in ways which stimulate their foraging instincts is a good way to burn off energy and it will release ‘happy hormones’ into their brain. Feed from Kong toys, Buster Cubes, Lickimat etc (see Facebook groups – Canine Enrichment or Beyond the Bowl for other ideas).
HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES
Many people have reported good effects from homeopathic remedies, such as Pet Remedy. Which comes in the form of a plug in or a spray. For best effect start using the remedy when your dog is relaxed, preferably several weeks before the fearful event so that the smell of the remedy also reminds them to feel relaxed. It works without the side effects of sedatives and can be used in combination with the other treatments mentioned below.
OVER THE COUNTER THERAPIES
Zylkene – a product which produces a natural calming effect in your dogs’ brain by partially blocking one of the chemicals which are released during a fear inducing situation, this treatment is best started several days before the event, but can be safely continued for as long as the effect is required. This product is also an extremely useful tool when used in combination with behavioural therapy to retrain a dog’s response to frightening situations.
ADAPTIL – a synthetic pheromone mimicking that produced by the bitch when she is feeding the puppies. It has been nick named “the contentment pheromone”. It has been widely tested and shown to give an improvement to some degree in many cases (especially when used in combination with training). It comes in the form of a plug-in diffuser or as a collar which the dog can wear. The diffuser is best used close to the dogs’ safe place in a small room where the concentration of the pheromone will be high. It is safe to use throughout the often-long period of fireworks activity.
For best effect it should be started some time (at least 2 weeks) before the ‘bad period’ is expected and left on all the times.
Scullcap and Vallarian – a herbal sedative available from a veterinary practice or from your health food store. This does have significant side effects, and will not help your dog to be less fearful in the future please discuss with a vet or veterinary nurse first.
Nutri-calm – a food which has good effect for many dogs with anxiety problems.
Calmex – a nutritional supplement which helps to increase calm behaviour.
Help My Pet: Nerves – a herbal feed supplement, which helps animals with anxiety, and is therefore very useful for many dogs with fear of fireworks (check with your vet/nurse first if your dog is on other medication and read the label carefully).
Feelwells Goodnight Treats – with Valerian extract, tastes good and works well.
PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES
If your dog does not respond to any of the methods above there are other medical treatments available e.g. SILEO or a benzodiazepine (the use of ACP is no longer supported by the RCVS). The veterinary surgeon must examine your dog before they can be prescribed as many drugs are not suitable for dogs who may have other medical conditions.
WHAT ABOUT NEXT YEAR?
Each exposure to fireworks or thunderstorms has the potential to make your dog more afraid, they may even start to react to noises, sights or smells which are similar. If your dog develops a true phobia then they will not be able to act normally in any situation where something reminds them of fireworks or thunderstorms. It is possible for your dog to learn that fireworks and thunderstorms noise can be ignored. Therapy is much more effective if you start early or when you first notice that your dog is sensitive to noise. Puppies can easily be taught to ignore strange and new experiences if they are exposed to them early enough and at an intensity which does not cause a fear response, especially if this experience is paired with something nice e.g. food or play. There is an App for your phone called Sound Proof Puppy which will allow you to play sounds of fireworks while your pup is doing something that they enjoy. Older dogs can be desensitised to fireworks or thunderstorm noises. The easiest way to start this treatment is to use a Sounds Sociable from Dogs Trust. Using the CD the dog is carefully exposed to low levels of fireworks or thunderstorm noise slowly increasing in intensity over several weeks (sometimes months) as the dog shows signs of learning to cope (not reacting at all to the noise). This process may also require the use of medication to help the dog to be calm during exposure. Once the dog has learned to cope with low levels of exposure a method called counter-conditioning can be used to make your dog link the exposure to noise to something which they enjoy. This over time will change the dogs’ response to the fireworks noise making them anticipate something good instead of reacting fearfully.
If you require further assistance or advice regarding your pets’ behaviour please speak to
Julie Brewer Msc
Clinical Animal Behaviour, Dip Companion Animal Behaviour and Training, Advanced Veterinary Nurse.
Little Tykes Dog Hub, Email: tykesdoghub@gmail.com, Tel: 07532022509
https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/general/fireworks
https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/advice-for-owners/fireworks
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