My Dog is Afraid of Fireworks and Thunderstorms

Over the last several months, I’ve heard many people question what they could do to help reduce (or eliminate) their dogs fear of fireworks. A stressed out dog usually leads to a stressed out mom or dad. Here are a few ideas to help you and your dog de-stress because we can’t always get away from some noises or situations.

One option is to try desensitization. There are firework cds to play for your dog(s). The idea is you start the fireworks on low volume and slowly work it up. Hopefully, eventually, the dog becomes use to the sounds and it isn’t so scary.

Other ways of calming a stressed dog would be to try lavender essential oil (I cannot say enough good about lavender oil. I absolutely love it! Not only is it calming, but it’s beneficial to owies too), bach’s rescue remedy, Tranquility Blend or melatonin. Each of these can be found at your local health food store. If you are going to purchase a larger quantity, look it up online where you will likely find the larger quantity to be much more price efficient. Stay calm yourself and go about your normal routine – or take a time out and do some relaxing with your dog.

Combine one of the natural remedies with the noise cd and possibly the two together will make for an easier de-stressing experience.

Try the Calming Cap™ it’s “a behavior management aid that is designed to lessen a dog’s anxiety or aggression in high-stress situations”.

The Anxiety Wrap is said to be a wonderful tool that helps animals to cope & overcome their past and present issues. It aids an animal’s ability to focus & remain calm and compliments the use of gentle training methods. “When used properly it has proven positive to increase balance, self-confidence, focus, preparation for and during training, animal to animal socialization, animal to human socialization, bonding, relaxation, and gait awareness. As well as helping to end dog and cat aggression, shyness, nervousness, releasing stress & tension, end jumping, stop destructive chewing, fear biting, car sickness, unnecessary barking, shyness, fear of loud noises, thunderstorm fear, sensitivity to touch, sensitive to sound, aloofness, emotional upset, hyperactivity, grooming issues and other anxieties. ”

Soundproofing part of your house might be an option… or maybe just soundproofing the dog crate. Or you could try a pair of soundproofing earmuffs for dogs. Dog Hearing Protection – Mutt Muff. Probably not something most people will want to try just for the local fireworks, but hey… it just might be the right fix.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!