Dogs 101’s Andrea Arden: Fear Free Fireworks For Fido

Andrea Arden

Hey guys, Andrea Arden of Dogs 101 is a big fan of the Dog Files and I asked her if she could write about dogs and their fear of fireworks. As you can see below, she happily obliged! Thanks Andrea!

— Kenn

For most people the thunderous roar of fireworks and the cheers that follow elicit a sense of prideful patriotism. The Fourth of July is a day for parties, laughter, and celebration comparable to few other days of the year. It is also a day to celebrate that Summer is in full swing! Unfortunately, many canine citizens of the U.S.A. often have a very different reaction to the brouhaha that goes on. In fact, for some dogs, the Fourth of July is a day dreaded as much as those filled with thunder and lightning.

For those dogs which are reactive to fireworks (or their cousin…thunder) I suspect they experience something similar to what Tom Cruise faced in War of the Worlds. It seems a terrifying end is coming nearer and their only hope is to find a spot to hide, be it under a sofa, in a closet, or in most cases in a tiled bathroom. For our canine companions, shaking, panting, and drooling are the typical outward signs of falling apart inside (unlike Tom Cruise who makes it a habit to face his fears and save the day).

So, what is a family to do when worry for their dog’s well being squelches their hopes of celebrating this special day? As with most behavior modification, it is advisable to break things down into a two pronged approach. Of utmost importance is managing your dog’s environment and time in such a way so as to set them up for the best chance of making it through the night without incident. It is also wise to work on helping your dog become less reactive to loud noises.

You can help your dog to settle in by placing their bed or crate in a room that is as far removed from windows and doors as possible. This will help muffle sounds in addition to having a radio or television playing. Note, many dogs do best in a bathroom with tiling. Be sure your dog is securely contained indoors as the onset of fireworks induced panic can give dogs Superman strength and a Houdini-like drive to escape.

Plan to provide your dog with plenty of appropriate play time (i.e for their health and age) earlier in the day so they are ready to rest as you head out to celebrate.

You might also consider a calmative such as Rescue Remedy, melatonin, or Comfort Zone with DAP. This product mimics the pheromone a nursing mother dog releases to support bonding and comfort and to reassure her puppies and may help your dog cope in challenging or worrying situations.

The anxiety wrap is also an option. It provides a degree of subtle, maintained pressure across your dog’s torso which can help increase the calm factor.

If your dog has a rough go of it this Fourth of July, plan to work on the issue more thoroughly in the coming year so that next Fourth of July they can be most ready to express their patriotic pupness and experience fireworks fear free. Get a recording of fireworks and play it at low volume when your dog is eating, playing with you or their toys. Gradually increase the volume so as to desensitize your dog to these sounds.

If you are lucky enough to have a dog without firework fears, it is still highly advisable to keep them indoors when fireworks are ready to rocket. The loud, blaring sounds, and general over the top excitement of people can send even the calmest dog into an elevated state of arousal whereby their ‘normal’ behavior deteriorates. Further, fireworks are potentially dangerous for people, but are even more so for dogs. Goodness knows there are surely a few enthusiastic hounds out there who might chase sparks about and end up getting burned.

As a final word of caution, be aware that fireworks debris can be hazardous to your dog. So, keep an eye out for leftover parts and be sure to collect and dispose of them to protect your dog as well as other neighborhood animals and wildlife.

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THEQUEENSSERVANT
THEQUEENSSERVANT
12 years ago

I HAD A SLIGHT PROBLEM WITH THE ADVICE OF LEAVING A DOG ALONE WHO IS AFRAID OF FIREWORKS. A TILED BATHROOM AND HAVING THE DOG BE TIRED DOES NOT MAKE IT OKAY TO LEAVE YOUR DOG ALONE SO THAT YOU CAN ENJOY YOURSELF. ALTHOUGH I DO NOT PAMPER OR MAKE OVER MY DOG WHEN HE IS SCARED OF WHAT’S GOING ON, I AM WHERE HE CAN SEE ME AT ALL TIMES. I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MY DOG AND I GLADLY GIVE UP MY 4th EVERY YEAR TO BE A COMFORT TO HIM. WE HAVE DONE ALL THE ADVICE YOU GAVE AND HE IS STILL TERRIFIED. EVEN A SLIGHTLY SCARED DOG COULD INJURE ITSELF WHEN SO FRIGHTENED. WHY TAKE THE CHANCE? 

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Thanks for
the article. Very interesting. Especially liked 

this part “Plan to provide your dog with plenty of appropriate play time (i.e for
their health and age) earlier in the day so they are ready to rest as
you head out to celebrate.”

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12 years ago

What a lovely photo! Thank you for sharing with us this great article.

Irene
Irene
12 years ago

This article was very helpful. My 2yo  lab mix was quite frightened last night by all he firework noise (I wish my husband and I had read this article before last night…). As he has always been a very happy dog with his tail always up, after last night I’m afraid he is suffering PTSD. He still eats and is gentle and responsive but he obviously has some anxiety still. He has not raised his tail since the first sound off last night.  How long will it take for him to return to normal and what can I do to help facilitate that?

Anonymous
Anonymous
11 years ago

Thank you for mentioning the Anxiety Wrap®, my preferred pressure wrap product. The Anxiety Wrap® is the original pressure wrap and the only patented pressure wrap. It has been shown to be clinically effective in 89% of dogs with thunderstorm phobia in a recent study performed at Tufts University by Dr. N. Dodman.  In my own professional practice I have found the Anxiety Wrap® to be consistently effective in all kinds of anxiety. Another product which you alluded to are sound recordings for desensitization. I have listened to the latest recordings produced by Through A Dog’s Ear to use with dogs that are frightened of thunderstorms and fireworks. I have not tried them myself yet, but lent my copy of the thunderstorm recording with background music to a client after listening to it myself. To my knowledge she hasn’t tried it yet because the Anxiety Wrap was so effective, but the instructions that come with the CD seem easy to follow and it’s worth mentioning as something to try.  Cindy Ludwig, M.A., KPA-CTP

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