How to Prepare Your Dog for Firework Season

Sound therapy – Get your dog used to firework noises

The idea is to start preparing your dog to hear fireworks while creating a positive association with them. A great place to find all sorts of noises and sounds is the Dogs Trust website, but YouTube, Spotify, and Soundcloud can also be great places where to go.

You want to start playing any sound at a VERY LOW volume to begin with and to keep monitoring your dog’s body language and reactions all the way through.

The idea is for your dog to be 100% relaxed as the sounds are playing in the background: if you notice they are getting a bit unsettled or starting to pay too much attention to the sounds, you want to turn the volume right down.

As your pup gets used to firework sounds playing at a low volume in the background, you can then start to increase the volume, but only if and as your dog remains relaxed.

You might also want to give your dog something fun to do whilst the sounds are playing to create a positive association between the sounds and something like an enrichment toy and/or treats, for example.

Remember that your dog will dictate the pace at which you progress.

Don’t be tempted to rush through it: less is more, and patience is key!

Make your home firework-proofed

Preparing your house for events such as bonfire night and New Year’s Eve will be extremely beneficial. 

How you go about it will depend on your individual dog, as dogs are all different and what suits one dog might not suit the other.

Does your dog like to get under blankets or in tiny spaces when they feel a bit worried? Then preparing a little den with some blankets can be a great idea. 

If your dog doesn’t like to be in confined or covered-up spaces and is happier chilling next to you on the sofa, then go with that!

My suggestion is to have a few different things and locations for your dog to go to, so you can be covered and prepared for all eventualities.

Other little things you can do around the house include:

Shutting curtains to block out the lights.

Playing some soothing background noise.

Using plug-ins such as Adaptil and Pet-Remedy on the run-up to bonfire night.

If you decide to give things like Adaptil and Pet-Remedy a go, I advise trying them in advance to ensure they are helping your dog feel calmer rather than making them feel more unsettled.

Whatever you do, make sure you don’t force your dog to do anything they don’t want to do or to go anywhere they don’t want to go – and be ready to offer reassurance should they ask for it.

On this note: should you reassure your dog if and when they get worried?

A myth says that if you reassure a scared dog, you are reinforcing their fear. This is wrong, as you can only reinforce behaviours and not emotions! If your dog is worried and trying to get to you for reassurance, don’t think twice and reassure them.

Be aware of local fireworks displays

A good idea is to find out when and where your local organised public firework displays will take place, so asking schools, community centres, and sports centres if and when they are planning something can help you prepare and plan accordingly.

Don’t forget to ask your neighbours if they will also have a private firework display in their garden.

Do NOT take your puppy or dog to a firework display, and don’t keep them outside in the garden during one.

Indeed, although it might be tempting to think that exposing a puppy to a firework display at a young age will help them get used to them, the experience will be too intense and likely have the opposite effect.

Keep your dog inside during a firework display at all times, and make sure that you adjust your routine accordingly to allow them to have toilet breaks and walks when it’s quiet outside (see below).