How to help your dog cope with fireworks

Fireworks might be exciting for us, but they can be pretty scary for our dogs. Your dog’s just trying to chill at home and suddenly they hear lots of loud, sudden bangs. They don’t understand what’s happening or why. And the fireworks last for hours, sometimes every night for weeks on end. Your dog can’t rest or sleep because there’s so much noise. So it’s no surprise even the most confident dogs struggle with fireworks.

We can’t stop our dogs hearing the fireworks, but we can help them feel less scared when they happen. People set off fireworks for lots of occasions so we can’t always know when our dogs will hear fireworks. But there are some dates we can expect them: Bonfire Night, New Years Eve and, depending on where you live, Chinese New Year, Diwali and Eid. And unfortunately usually the weekends on either side of these days too. So when one of these days is coming up, make sure you plan and prepare to help your dog cope with the fireworks as well as possible.

Give your dog a safe space

Your dog will cope better with the fireworks if you give them a space they can go to to feel safe. Choose somewhere near to where you’ll be (so you can stay with your dog). And ideally away from outside walls (so your dog’s as far as possible from the bangs). Put your dog’s bed (or crate if they use one) in their safe space with lots of blankets they can hide under if they want. Make sure your dog has food, water and chews in their safe space so they don’t need to leave it to eat and drink. And if your dog has a favourite toy or anything else they find comforting, put that there too.

Bring your dog's bed next to your sofa so you can comfort them if they get scared

As it gets dark, close all the curtains which will help to quieten the bangs and will prevent your dog seeing any fireworks which could scare them too. Turn on the TV, radio or some music. If you sit in silence, the sound of the fireworks will stand out, making them scarier. Any noise in your house will help to make the bangs seem quieter. Choose what you listen to carefully, you don’t want anything with lots of loud, sudden noises. And you’ll want to seem relaxed to help your dog - so no horror movies.

Comfort your dog if they’re scared

If you’ve ever been told that giving your dog attention when they’re scared will increase their fear - that’s a complete myth. Your dog isn’t going to learn to bark, whine or look scared because you’re giving them a cuddle when they’re feeling anxious. Comforting your dog will only help them feel safer. So if your dog comes to you when they’re scared, please give them the emotional support they’re asking for.

If your dog is hiding and doesn’t want to interact with you, that’s ok. All dogs cope differently and some don’t want to snuggle when they’re scared. But still stay in the room with your dog. Then they know you’re there if they do decide they need you to comfort them. And just being near you will help them feel less scared. Your dog might not look like they need you close - but scary things are even more scary when you’re alone.

Walk your dog before it gets dark

Even dogs who are not normally anxious can panic when they hear fireworks. And dogs who panic can run off and get lost and could get injured. People usually wait until it gets dark to set off fireworks. So to keep your dog safe, make sure you walk them while it’s still light any day you expect fireworks. If you won’t have time to walk your dog during the day, don’t feel guilty. It’s ok for your dog to miss their walk sometimes to keep them safe. If your dog will go stir crazy without a walk, try practising some tricks or give them a food puzzle to keep them busy.

Sniffing for treats will occupy your dog if you can't walk them while it's still light

You’ll probably need to still take your dog out to the toilet once it’s dark. Even if you’ve got a secure garden, put your dog on their lead to take them out to the garden to keep them safe. They could still hurt themselves in your garden if they get scared. Keep toilet trips as short as possible so your dog doesn’t get too anxious. And if a firework does frighten your dog, give them lots of fuss to reassure them.

Get support for your vet and behaviourist

All dogs cope with fireworks differently. Some will just bark a few times and need a cuddle, but others will bark, shake, whine and pant for hours in extreme fear. If your dog was terrified the last time they heard fireworks or is particularly anxious in general, get help to reduce their stress. There are short-term anxiety medications that can help terrified dogs cope better with fireworks. Contact your vet to see if they think these medications are right for your dog. Even if you’ve got less than a week before you expect fireworks, get in touch with your vet because they may still be able to prescribe medication.

Working with a qualified behaviourist can help your dog feel less anxious about fireworks in the future. This can take a long time so if you’ve got a few weeks or less to the next round of fireworks you’re unlikely to see any improvement until then. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t contact a behaviourist. There will always be more fireworks and if you get help now, hopefully your dog will feel less anxious next fireworks night.

After the fireworks

After a scary event, your dog’s stress levels will stay higher for a few days. And this could last even longer if you’ve had several days (or sometimes even weeks) of fireworks. This will affect your dog’s behaviour and they might seem worried by things they’d usually be able to cope with. So don’t be surprised if your dog doesn’t seem like themselves for a few days after the fireworks.

Slow, sniffy walks will help your dog destress after a scary fireworks season

Try to take your dog on quieter walks, ideally in the countryside, and encourage them to spend their walks sniffing. This will help them relax after the stress of the fireworks. Don’t focus on training because your dog might struggle to focus and learn if they’re still stressed. But if your dog knows some fun tricks they love, you can practise those. Give your dog some easy food puzzles to keep them busy and, of course, give them lots of cuddles and fuss if they want it.

Written by Juniper Indigo, dog trainer in Tiverton and Exeter