There are times of celebration where fireworks tend to go off. Whether it’s the fourth of July or any other occasion, it may seem like a festive time to set them off or watch them in the sky. However, there are plenty of dogs that find them as a source of stress, fear, and anxiety. That’s why it may be a good idea to keep them calm during fireworks displays that can be happening near you.
We will give you the best steps on ideas to make sure they stay calm from start to finish. Once you are finished, you’ll have an action plan ready to allow you to make plans to provide your dog with a safe and calm environment. Let’s begin with what you need to know.
Understand Why Fireworks Scare Dogs
The important thing we start off with is understanding why the sound of fireworks has a tendency to scare dogs of any breed. The one thing to note is that a dog’s senses are much more heightened compared to their human counterparts (including their sense of hearing). When the loud noises and sudden sounds of fireworks begin, that’s when the dog will feel so overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious. In addition to the noise, the strong smells and the bright light flashes can also overload the dogs senses causing even more confusion.
There are plenty of activities your dog may do during fireworks including a display of anxiety with such signs including:
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Excessive barking
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Hiding
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Trembling
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Making attempts to escape
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Pacing
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Panting
If your dog is displaying these signs during a fireworks display, you’ll know that they are not comfortable with them in the slightest. From there, it will be ideal for you to make sure you create a safe and secure environment for them where they remain calm at all times.
Preparing Your Dog In Advance
Making plans in advance for your dog before a fireworks display happens in your area will be key for pet parents like yourself. Your community could be holding events with a scheduled date and time. Once you are aware of it going on, that’s when you’ll need to go into planning mode. Please note that fireworks displays could be subject to change due to weather conditions or events outside of one’s control, meaning they may postpone them on a later date. You should pay attention to any schedule changes (should they arise).
In any event, once the time comes, it may be a good idea to perform the following tasks to help keep your dog calm before, during, and after fireworks (if you are able). They include the following steps:
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Create a safe space
This first step in knowing how to calm a dog during fireworks is creating a safe space. If you create a designated safe area for your dog, chances are they will have a place to retreat to when fireworks begin nearby. This can include a crate with a blanket covered over it, a corner of a room or a bed with their favorite toys. Having a safe space with a place they can go to during fireworks will give them a chance to retreat to that spot as opposed to trying to escape.
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Use Calming Supplements
Under The Weather is proud to offer numerous supplements pertaining to your dog’s health. In this situation where you want to keep them calm, we have Calming Soft Chews for Dogs made from natural ingredients such as ginger, chamomile, and tryptophan. Also available are soft chews with our hemp blend. Either way, you can use these to ensure that your dog is getting the supplementation they need to remain calm especially during times of fireworks displays where the noises can be frequently loud.
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Desensitize Your Dog to Fireworks
This can be a bit of a risky approach. If your dog is already dealing with chronic health issues, this may not be the best idea. One foster family of dogs have claimed that one of their dogs who had suffered from a weak heart may have died due to fireworks noises and the discomfort it had caused. It’s better to err on the side of caution when it comes to calming your dog down through other approaches.
With this in mind, gradually exposing your dog to fireworks sounds in a controlled environment may be possible. This includes playing recordings of fireworks at a low volume while you and your dog perform other activities. Be sure to increase the volume slowly over time until your dog feels more comfortable.
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Establish a routine
If there is one thing your dog loves, it’s having a routine. In particular, it should be a routine that includes regular walking, feeding, and bedtime schedules (especially in seasons where fireworks will be most active). The key here is making sure that the dog has a routine that is familiar and predictable to them, providing you and your dog with stability.
How To Calm A Dog During Fireworks: Best Strategies
While the preparations are key, it is important to make sure that keeping your dog calm is a continuous task. We will break it down step by step so you can easily know how to calm a dog during fireworks, whenever they may happen. Let’s take a look at the following steps right here:
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Keep calm yourself
When it comes to your own emotions, your dog will more than likely be attuned to them as well. If you are stressed and anxious yourself, they will have the ability to pick up on it quickly. As such, make sure you remain calm and reassuring. Relax your body language and speak to your dog in a gentle voice and let them know that everything is fine.
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Provide distractions
Of course, one of the best things you can do for your dog is keep them busy and distracted. The goal here is to make sure that their attention is diverted away from the noise. There are numerous options at your disposal including puzzle feeders or interactive toys. Of course, when looking for distractions like these, make sure that they are safe for your dog’s chewing style and their size.
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Fill the room with soothing sounds
Use calming music, white noise machines, or even the sound of a fan. Either way, these will be soothing and loud enough to mask the fireworks noises. If you have a streaming platform like YouTube, you can use classical music playlists that will be designed to calm your pets. Strategically choose the videos or noises and add them to the playlist.
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Use Anxiety Wraps
Yet, anxiety wraps like ThunderShirts can be useful for the purpose of adding gentle but constant pressure on some dogs. What makes these shirts stand out is that they mimic swaddling. So it will be an excellent thing to have on hand in the event of fireworks or even thunderstorms.
Post-Fireworks Care
After the fireworks have concluded, this will be a crucial period to bring your dog back to a normal state. It is important to follow these steps as part of your post-fireworks care plan. They include but are not limited to the following:
Offer comfort and praise
Your dog should be reassured with gentle pets, praise, and yes even treats as well. Reward them on a job well-done for how calm they’ve kept and let them know that they are safe. Even if they haven’t remained calm, be sure to reassure them while thinking about what may have gone wrong.
Keep an eye out for any lingering anxiety
Even after the fireworks have ended, some dogs may remain anxious. If this is the case, make sure that you watch for any signs of stress. Use the necessary calming strategies above if possible. You may also have some of our Calming Soft Dog Chews handy. Be sure to follow the directions and note the time and dosage you have given them as too much may trigger side effects.
Reflect what has worked
It is important to make sure that you make a note on what has worked for your dog during fireworks. If there are techniques that have been effective, consider using them in the future. Please realize that each dog is different when it comes to the calming techniques you’ve implemented. If there are techniques that didn’t work, it may not be a good idea to utilize them in the future. If necessary, consider making adjustments to some of the techniques that may have worked whether it’s knowing when to give treats or adjusting the routines based on your own daily schedule (if any changes were to arise).
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to calm a dog during fireworks can be easy now that you know the steps and suggestions laid out in this guide. Be sure to plan ahead of time whenever necessary to ensure that your dog stays calm and the techniques we’ve laid out are successful. There may be times when your neighborhood may have unscheduled fireworks displays, meaning you will need to be prepared to move your dog to a safe space and implement the steps above when they happen.
