08/10/2023
So great advice from The Mutty Professor in preparation for next month...
💥 FIREWORKS 💥 Be proactive, not reactive!
Fireworks season is approaching and for most dogs with behaviour problems, this time of year can really set things back. It is not uncommon for us to have cases who report a more serious incident (involving other dogs or humans) or increased fearful behaviour following the 5th of November.
Do remember the delayed effects of stress. Behaviour is also at risk of escalating when the body and brain is trying to recover from a stressor- rather than only reacting during the stressful event.
🗣️ “Yeah, well…..my dog's fine with fireworks"
Even if your dog has not shown a negative response to fireworks previously it’s sensible to be prepared.
Dogs who react to other sounds around the home may generalise this behaviour to fireworks. Alternatively, exposure to fireworks may escalate or intensify their response to other sounds.
My experience is that many dogs show an increase in sensitivity to fireworks at 2-3 years of age onwards and we know from research (Mills 2018) that the risk of developing sound sensitivity increases with age, which may likely related to pain (flinching/startling hurts so negative associations are made with the sound!).
⚠️ Please do not consider your dog fireworks proof based on their early years.
All dogs’ behaviour is vulnerable to change and 10-12 months is a long period of time to pass since the last fireworks event. Please don't assume your dog will be fine this year, although hopefully they will be!
👀 It's sensible to get observable evidence that they are coping and relax proactive protective strategies accordingly.
I encourage my clients to proactively protect their dogs from fireworks rather than to action things once their dog is stressed and scared.
Here's some strategies you can do to proactively protect your dog from developing a fear of fireworks or to prevent existing anxieties and fears escalating:
🔊 Wall of sound
Playing brown noise, relaxing music, tv etc every evening from around mid-october onwards (area dependent of course, may need to be earlier or later in the month based on where you are).
🪟 Drawing curtains/blinds before it gets dark.
🌚 Avoiding walks in the dark
You'd be amazed at how many dogs develop a fear of fireworks based on one going off while they were out on a walk. Daylight walks or early morning walks are safest, and ensure your dog has toileted before 6pm early October and 4pm late October onwards. This is so they can avoid the garden until their pre-bedtime wee.
🎶 Playing music on your phone whilst you take dogs out for their bed time toilet visit can reduce exposure or intensity to some fireworks.
🧘♀️ Promoting Relaxation
Giving chews, lickimats, kongs, snuffle boxes/mats and treat searches around the house can all help facilitate a calmer state. Your dog may then be more likely to enjoy an exercise such as settle on a mat, where you can build relaxation.
Start these strategies and training as soon as possible so you do not ask them of your dog when they are stressed and scared.
Some dogs also enjoy a den like environment in a small or covered space. For such dogs, creating a den that is somewhat insulated from sound (thick heavy blanket, under the stairs/table etc) may be helpful.
❗️Remember ❗️A place is only a safe place if one chooses to be in there and can leave at any time. For e.g., A shut crate may appear to work- because your dog may appear to be resting in there. However, they could be interanlising their stress and more likely to communicate how they truly feel for being given the opportunity to express themselves more.
🎶 ➕🍖 Ad hoc counter conditioning
If you see your dog detect a firework and consider reacting (ears twitch or pulled back, sudden head lift or turn, getting up and standing still) - quickly praise and treat. Do the same with other noises that are similar.
One study (Reimer 2020) found that relaxation training, adhoc counter conditioning and situational anxiety medication in combination had the best effect on dogs.
👩⚕️ Speak to your vet!
Please consider getting situational anxiety medication lined up for the 4-6th November. Dogs with intense fears may benefit from a longer period. These medications can decrease in availability this time of year due to demand, so please speak to your vet about it now.
You will need to do a baseline test at home away from firework noises (and children and other dogs) so you can assess how your dog responds to the medication.
Tests are needed as sometimes dogs can become excited on the wrong dose (not helpful) and there is a risk of disinhibition with some drugs. This means that dogs who use warning signals may be more likely to escalate to biting (because they loose that inhibition). Hence why we recommend no children or other dogs close by as a precaution.
Please be reassured, negative effects of these drugs are relatively uncommon. More often than not- situational anxiety medication does what it's supposed to do and dogs become a bit d***y and sometimes even hungry (useful for counter conditioning). 69% of cases in the Reimer study reported an improvement.
🧠 Another benefit is that some medications can inhibit/block memory of an event, which is great at preventing existing fears escalating.
For those whose dogs are already on medication, there are many situational anxiety drugs that work well in combination with others- so please do talk to your vet!
I will be medicating my own dog Kanita on the 5th to protect her from becoming stressed by the fireworks and have found this has had a huge impact on her tolerance to them when she detects them outside of this date, as well as reducing her sensitivity to the sounds of gunshots (Note, I do not live in the hood, I live rurally! 🤣 ).
🪴 The Reimer study found neutraceuticals and herbal remedies did not report enough improvement to rule out the placebo effect. For dogs with a more strong sensitivity to sound, I do not recommend neutraceuticals as an alternative to medication- as it's not worth the risk of it not working in my opinion.
🏡 🌳 For dogs who have severe fireworks phobias or who are extra vulnerable (health conditions etc) - try get away somewhere remote for the peak time and book yourself into somewhere remote for a few days break! Do this ASAP if not already!
Sound sensitivity is a tricky thing for dogs to fully overcome, especially as it so often increases with age until the hearing starts to dwindle.
I recommend being proactive in protecting your dogs regardless of whether they have an established fear or not.
I’ll share some more tips and strategies you can do to protect your dogs in a couple of weeks 👍
