A shade over 400 years ago a bloke called Fawkes was caught trying to blow up the House of Lords in England and got into a fair bit of trouble. It’s kind of a fun story I’ll admit, but I really can’t quite understand how we got from there; into a global tradition of ignoring safety warnings on explosives.

Nevertheless, we’re here for the moment, which makes it our job at this time of year to protect our canine charges as best we can from the annual night of terror – and all jokes aside now – for them it really can be a night of terror.

Just imagine for a moment that your hearing was about 5 times more sensitive, that you had absolutely no concept of ‘harmless’ fireworks and then suddenly one night the whole world around you lit up with random explosions and scary flashes in the sky.

In that situation a dog without assistance, or comfort can go into flight mode, jumping or squeezing through gaps in fences to try and put distance between themselves and the noise. It’s no wonder that Guy Fawkes and other traditional fireworks holidays are some of the busiest days for animal welfare organizations all over the world and many of those dogs never make it back home.

So what should we be doing to help our pets through this stressful holiday?

Firstly depending on your living circumstances prevention is an option. Fireworks are controlled by local bylaws in South Africa so check what they are for your region and what your neighbours are allowed to do.

Diplomacy with neighbour’s is always the first resort, but standing in the back garden and yelling really loudly “If another cracker goes off I’m calling the cops!” has also had positive results for me in the past.

If you can’t prevent the stupidity; we have some strategies you can use to help them. Remember some dogs cope better than others with stress and loud noises, so pick the strategies that are practical for you, and match your dog’s stress level.

• You never know what might go wrong, so even if your property is really secure always make sure that your dog has an up to date micro-chip and a tagged collar in case they panic and bolt.
• Play some music, turn up the TV, close all the doors and windows if you can and do as much as possible to dampen and break up the noises outside.
• Create a den-like safe space for your dog to go into. If they are crate trained this is ideal, otherwise put some blankets in an empty cupboard, or maybe in a corner next to the bed or couch.
• Make sure you have some tasty, long-lasting chews or stuffed kong’s to keep them busy. Chewing is not just a distraction – eating tasty treats triggers brain chemistry, that counteracts fear/stress reactions, and creates positive associations with the noises.
• Stay home, keep your dog close to you and find ways to engage their brains to distract them from the fireworks. Do some training, or play stimulating games like ‘find it’ inside.
• You can’t reinforce fear and don’t believe anyone who tells you otherwise. Comfort and cuddles on the bed/couch with you, are absolutely fine. Keep some tasty treats handy. Every time there is a loud bang you can feed a treat, thereby creating a positive association to the noise.
• If your dog is really fearful Calm Eze or Nutricalm are very safe options, and available over the counter at vets or vet shops. Don’t wait for Guy Fawkes – start dosing them the day before and keep it up for a day or two after. The neurotransmitters released during a fear/panic reaction can stay in the system for up to 72 hours after an incident.
• You might also want to consider a T-Touch wrap, as demonstrated in this video  or a thunder shirt might not be a bad investment if your dog also has fearful reactions at other times, such as stormy weather.

If you really want your scout badge for Guy Fawkes preparedness, you can start planning ahead for next year.

Get a CD, or download some fireworks and explosion sound effects. Start off at a low volume working with your dog near the noises, reward them for positive and relaxed behavior and gradually (over days and weeks – not in one session) work on increasing the volume to desensitize them. Feed times are a good way to do this too.

Please be very clear this is not a ‘flooding’ technique where you put your dog in a closed space with sensory over load, and tell them to ‘get over it’. Those techniques are nothing short of abuse.

Work slowly, desensitize gradually and make sure you are not causing any fear, or discomfort for your dog.

Putting in the effort on desensitizing like this can really help to reduce fear reactions and
build confidence and will pay off for the rest of your dog’s life.