Many dog owners are not working on it now but they should be: the dog’s fear of fireworks. In about three months things start to go bang again with many frightened animals as a result. Your dog does not need to be afraid though, you can get him over his fear provided you start preparing for it now! For most dogs the fear of fireworks can be drastically reduced when the owner puts some time and effort into training. There are no guarantees that all the unease will disappear, but it is often quite possible to get rid of the sharp edges of panic, which means the reaction will be less severe.

It is a good idea to use an audio CD for this kind of training. There are several of these CDs around and there are differences in quality. I use the audio CDs developed by renowned English behavioural experts Sarah Heath and Jon Bowen, that come with comprehensive technical instructions as to where to put your loudspeakers and such for maximum effect. Vibrations, smell and light flashes can play a part in the fear of fireworks as well of course. When you feel the audio CD does not do enough to assuage the fear in your dog, you can focus your attention on these aspects in the training.

When you start the training, two things are important: • Play the sounds of fireworks when the dog is relaxed and at a level that does not frighten the dog (watch for signs of stress!). • Do something with or for the dog that he likes in order to create a positive association. This means that you start to play a fun game with him or that you give him his bowl of food while the sound plays at a volume that he can handle or that you do some exercises with him that he experiences as fun to do. Just as long as he enjoys what he is doing and the sound level remains below the level that would cause him stress.

During this kind of training it is vitally important that you can read the body language of your dog. Because if you accidentally raise the sound level while the dog does not yet show fear but does feel uncomfortable, you run the risk of making the fear worse! This is also the reason why I am not a proponent of special fireworks group courses. As a trainer, no matter how good you are it is simply impossible to observe every dog’s reaction to a sound perfectly. So it is quite possible that the instructor fails to notice a stress signal and raises the volume while one of the dogs is not ready for it. This can lead to adverse results.

When you and your dog have had some fun while the CD plays at a certain level and the dog does not exhibit signs of fear, you raise the volume a little. Be vigilant and look for stress signals like panting, trembling, yawning, lifting a paw or lip and nose licking. One or two stress signals after which playing or eating commences? No problem yet. But if you see more stress signals or see the same ones more often, step back a little!

What to do in case of fear of fireworks: • Know that there is not one miracle cure that makes the fear go away. The solution can usually be found in a combination of training, management and possibly supported by regular and/or natural calming products; • Start training NOW; • Buy a good quality audio CD; • Know the signs of stress and how to recognise them in your dog; • Slowly build the sound level while doing something that your dog likes or feeding him; • When the CD does not work sufficiently, train using smell, vibration and light; • Ask for expert help.

What not to do in case of fear for fireworks: • Wait too long with the start of training; • Training in groups. Individual training courses are fine, naturally; • Cranking up the sound level too high; • Raising the sound level before the dog is ready for the next level.

This article was written by Monique Bladder, behavioural therapist for dogs. This article may not be copied without prior consent. Links to this article are allowed.