How To Keep Your Pet Calm During The Firework Season

Bonfire night can be great fun for us, but for our pets it can be incredibly stressful. The loud, sudden bangs, flashes of light and strange smells can cause fear and anxiety. There are, however, a number of things we can do to help our furry friends stay calm during the festivities:

  1. In the week leading up to Bonfire night create a safe “den” or hiding place. Ideally this should be in a room in the centre of the house where outdoor noise is least heard. Place blankets, beds, and toys in there and at least 3 times a day hide treats in there to help your pet associate the area with positive, happy feelings. 
  2. Take dogs for a walk before dark. This will help them to feel more relaxed in the evening.
  3. Close windows and curtains.
  4. Use soft lighting and play calming music or leave the TV on to help create a normal calm environment and mask the firework noise. Dogs Trust has created a sound blanket with a playlist designed with calming natural sounds, see here for more details.
  5. Using games, puzzles, chews can distract your pet from the noise. Remain calm and behave as normally as possible. Avoid comforting your pet as they will sense distress in you which will make their own stress worse. 
  6. Use pheromone treatments such as Adaptil, Feliway, and Zenifel/Zenidog for at least 2 weeks prior to Bonfire night to help your pet feel more relaxed generally.
  7. Sadly despite these measures, some animals, remain very distressed during noisy events. We can advise and prescribe medication which can help to reduce the stress for your pet and for you during these times. Please do not hesitate to call us or book an appointment online.