Firework Fright: How to Start Preparing Your Dog Now

It is knocking on to that time of year again, with bangs and flashes and celebration for all except those dogs with fear and phobia, and the owners who would rather not leave them alone because of the anxiety it brings. There are counter conditioning and desensitisation programmes that can help a great deal, though commitment is required, and if you are up for the challenge there are some things you can do to prepare. What follows is a handful of snippets from the full programme, which is a course in its own right, but it should be enough to get you started.

Begin with the sound, and begin today

The simplest start is to find some long firework videos on YouTube and play them in the background at a low volume, audible but never causing distress, then raise the volume gradually over the following days until the dogs begin to screen the noise out as a non-threatening stimulus even when it is loud. This is possible because dogs are extremely adaptable. Aim for at least half an hour a day, perhaps while you prepare food and feed them, because a dog who can eat is a dog who is not unduly worried, and the food begins to join up with the sounds as well. If a dog seems a little on edge that is fine and will pass quickly as he adapts, but if he is genuinely afraid you have moved too fast, so turn it down and go more slowly.

Hands off, and why it matters

Every instinct tells us to cuddle a worried dog and talk to him softly, but soft words and touch reward the behaviour at the very moment he feels afraid and tie the emotion to the sounds, which uses operant and classical learning together in a rather efficient way of building a phobia. Cuddling a fearful dog tends to make us feel better without helping the dog much at all. Carry on with your day in a matter of fact way, with no anxious staring and no worry in your voice, because dogs value our confidence in times of uncertainty and learn by watching us that there is nothing to be concerned about.

Why fireworks are such a difficult problem for a dog

Dogs habituate to a stimulus that stays around long enough without anything dreadful happening, and they repeat whatever is rewarding. Fireworks upset both of these. They arrive as sporadic bursts with long silences in between, so the dog is on a roller coaster of anxiety and relaxation and never gets the chance to adapt, and since they come only once a year there is little opportunity to practise. On top of that, the urge to run from a possible threat is followed by a flood of relief when the noise stops, which reinforces the fear and the flight together, and that is why playback alone seldom does the whole job.

Making the bangs the best part of the day

Once the recorded sounds can be played loudly with a neutral response, the classical counter conditioning begins, and this is the fun part. Every loud bang or fizzle becomes the signal for a small celebration, with very smelly treats cascading from the air, a game of ball or a lap round the garden, whatever your dog loves most, and then back to ignoring him until the next bang. A cue word of your own, such as 'bingo', thrown in each time helps the association carry over when the real thing arrives and the pressure is on.

Setting him up on the night

Preparation on the day makes a real difference. Walk him well before the noise starts, then feed a good sized poultry based meal with some carbohydrate, since the tryptophan in poultry supports the serotonin that calms and relaxes a dog, and the carbohydrate gives him that after Christmas dinner feeling when all he wants is a sleep. A den in the family room with something to chew helps with any residual anxiety, puzzle and mental work toys keep him thinking rather than slipping into self preservation mode, and a movie night with the volume up and the curtains closed does a surprising amount of the work. There is even a case for a dog party, with a few unworried dogs on the guest list so that yours can see everyone having a lovely time, and the wine reserved strictly for the owners.

There is a good deal more to a proper firework programme than a blog post can hold, and commitment in advance is what makes it work, so find a playlist and get started. If your dog needs more help than this, firework fear is something I see a great deal of through Balance Behaviour, and you are welcome to ring me on 07920 464120.

Julia Langlands ACFBA