Fireworks Season: We're Over it!

Another  year has absolutely flown by, and with it comes another fireworks  season.  While there was the occasional little bang with the clock  changes, Halloween brought about the official start of what is the most  dreaded time of year for many hound owners.

An  absolute bane, this time of year can be incredibly stressful both for  the dogs but also their owners as they watch on unable to help them  understand.  No amount of love or consoling them help them come to terms  with the constant fear this time of year brings.

This  is especially true for all the beautiful hounds that have been adopted  over the course of this year, particularly in the last three months, who  are not only going to be experiencing fireworks for the first time in  their lives but on top of already dealing with the stress of settling  into home life.
Though even for those who are well  settled and adapted to home life, fireworks season can have massive  impact on a hound’s behaviour at this time of year.  It can result in  house training regression, freezing or reactivity on walks, being afraid  to go in the garden, going off their food, amongst other things…

It  is all really very distressing, but is there a way to help them?   Technically, there are countless ways to help a hound cope, but every  dog responds to fireworks differently.  There are no right or wrong  answers when it comes to helping them when the banging begins, you must  find what works for your hound…and on top of that, you also have to also  keep them safe!

- First and foremost, make sure your dog’s microchip and ID tag on their collar are up to date! This is so very important!

Regardless  of it being a legal requirement, if your dog escapes the house, garden  or spooks and slips their collar on a walk and starts running in fear  because of the banging…you aren’t going to catch them!

It  is essential that their microchips have the correct contact details so  that if someone does find them, in taking them to the vet, dog warden or  local rescue group, a quick scan will have your dog swiftly and safely  returned to your care!

If you do  not have an ID tag for their collar, you might want to get that done  asap! It is a legal requirement for your dog to always wear a collar  with ID tag when in public. This means that regardless of how you walk  them, be it by collar, slip lead, harness, or off lead, they must have a  collar with tag on…and if they don’t, you can get quite a hefty fine!

-  When taking your dog out to the garden, particularly if they are known  to be frightened of the fireworks, it is advisable to keep them on the  lead or long line. While this may seem a bit extreme, a dog can escape  even the most secure garden if suitably motivated! Don’t forget that  greyhounds can quite effortlessly clear a 6ft fence, or higher, if they  wanted to!

Apart from their  agility, staying beside them while they’re doing their business in the  garden can give them a lot of reassurance.  Many a hound have been  frightened during toileting and subsequently refused to go toilet in the  garden ever again…so help them out and stay by their side to give them a  little confidence boost!

- While  there are some dog owners who believe they have to force dogs to face  their fears, and insist on taking their dogs out on walks during  fireworks, it can quite spectacularly backfire! This is especially true  for newly adopted greyhounds, as they are a sensitive breed, and a  negative experience on a walk can long impact their walking habits which  we have discussed at length in previous posts.

But  in short, skip the evening walks!  Why risk losing and/or traumatising  your dog? Try and get your dog out for a walk during daylight hours, for  instance give them a longer morning walk if you know you aren’t going  to be able to do an evening walk.  Then, after dark, provide alternative  forms of stimulation such as food-based enrichment!

-  Don’t go out and leave them behind!  While it may be tempting to go to  any local fireworks events, it is much kinder to stay home with your  hound to keep them safe and reassured by your presence.
Close  the windows and the curtains, and make sure that you yourself keep  calm, if you’re stressing, you’ll add stress onto your dog!

-  Provide a safe space for them by creating little hide aways where they  can feel secure. Be it a covered crate, a little blanket fort or a bed  in the bathtub…if your dog is fearful of fireworks, you will want places  that they can retreat to in order to feel safe.

Try  and help drown out the noise from the fireworks by having the TV or  Radio on and turned up. Give them things to keep their brains busy and  focused, such as puzzle feeders, kongs or other long-lasting chews to  try and distract from the noise.

-  Consult with a behaviourist or follow firework desensitisation  tutorials online and pre-prepare your dog’s safe space in advance to  help prepare them to cope with the noise.  Firework phobias in dogs can  be treated, but professional help may be needed for severe cases.

You can also use calming sprays or plug ins to assist or there are numerous calming treats and supplements available.

- Do whatever you think is best! You know your dog better than anyone else, so you’ll know what they need!

-  Sign petitions or contact your local MP to have firework regulations  come into effect to control the sale, use and noise of fireworks to  create a safer and happier life for your four-legged friends! The RSPCA  are working to have legislation brought in with their #bangoutoforder campaign! You can find out more here:
https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/fireworks

While  any combination of these might help your hound, there are many hounds  out there that cannot cope with fireworks at all and end up as  hyperventilating, uncontrollably shaking, dribbling messes in the  corner…In cases like these you can speak to your vet about the  anti-anxiety medications to take the edge off and help them through it.

We hope that all your beautiful houndies stay safe over the coming weeks!