Although Halloween and Bonfire Night can be an exciting time for us humans, this time of year can be super stressful for your doggies. With kiddies knocking on your doors at Halloween and fireworks squealing on and around Bonfire Night, it’s really important to understand abnormal dog behaviour, so that you can help to relieve your pooches anxieties when it comes to lots of loud noises.
With firework night becoming more and more of an occasion every year, the noise, sparklers and mushy peas seem to start at the end of October and linger in the air well after the 5th November. Here at Good Boy we understand “normal” behaviour in dogs and most importantly how you can make this time of year as stress-less as possible when it comes to dog care.
Prepare them ahead of time…
Sound training is a really great way to prepare your doggy before the big bangs start. We would recommend starting this at the very beginning of October, this will then give you lots of time to study their reaction and understand your dogs’ behaviour ahead of Bonfire Night. You will be able to find videos and sound effects online to play for your dogs, getting them used to these abnormal noises.
Turn up your TV!
You may well be used to telling your kids to turn the television down…well we’re saying that’s it’s a great idea to leave the volume up higher than usual around this time of year. Yes, your neighbours may not thank you, but this will really help to drown out some of the noise outside and therefore help to calm your fur-pal. Also, if you need to pop out in the evenings surrounding the 5th November and are unsure if there may be fireworks squealing, leave a radio on for your dog.
Keep the windows closed
Leaving the windows open will just lead to unnecessary noise inside your home. Creating a den or hideaway of some sort for your doggy to retreat to when they are feeling stressed is a fantastic idea. This will make a really nice little home for them, with some cuddly toys and a bed inside. You can also make their crate cosy by covering with a blanket – making for a lovely retreat.
Walk them nice and early
If possible, you should try to walk your pooch before it gets dark and the fireworks begin – ideally before 5pm. If you can go for walkies in the morning or early afternoon that’s even better! It’s still super important that you try not to disturb your doggies routine too much as this will only trigger any anxieties. Just try and keep their daily life as normal as possible.
Keep them distracted!
Does your doggy have a favourite game? Keep them distracted with playtime and training tricks. Reward them with their favourite treats which will help to keep them occupied. We would recommend a long-lasting treat for them to take into their den to keep them occupied – our Mega Chewy Chicken Twist is great for Medium to Large dogs, or try a Good Boy Chewy Treat which are great for any breed of dog!
Look out for abnormal dog behaviour and if your doggy is showing signs of severe stress or anxiety you might also need to try a plug in anti-anxiety diffuser to help calm your dog down.
It may sound obvious, but make sure you don’t take your dogs’ to any firework displays. If at all possible, try and make sure that someone stays at home with them to give lots of cuddles and dish out treats, especially on November 5th!
We know exactly how important it is to try and calm your dog down and understanding your dogs anxieties is the first step in making sure they are safe on Halloween and Bonfire Night.
