04/11/2020
🎇🎆🎇🎆ALERT!!!! ALERT!!!!🎆🎇🎆🎇
Bonfire night is upon us and as we all know the majority of animals are scared of fireworks. Even if they don’t visually show they are anxious, they still could internally be very stressed.
I have added a few pictures to try to help all of your lovely pets, some with information on how to spot even the most subtle signs of anxiety, tips to help your pet cope with the night, and useful products that can help in the more extreme cases of stress behaviours and anxiety.
The most important tip I would give would be to ensure your dog has a safe space they can go to, this could be a crate covered with blankets, or just a space where their bed could go where you can make it a den with blankets etc, add their favourite blanket, toys and treats to help them feel as comfortable as possible. For some dogs the safe space is best located away from everyone, but most dogs find more comfort in being near you and hearing your voices. Slow, circular, repetitive strokes on the chest can really help to sooth an anxious dog.
A lot of dogs won’t eat when they are scared, so if possible give them their daily food allowance before it starts to get dark. Also ensure there is plenty of water down at all times, because stressed dogs pant a lot more and become thirsty a lot quicker than normal. Same with walks, a lot of dogs will not want to go outside and the worst thing you could do is try to force them outside.
Most importantly, do NOT punish any “fear” behaviours they might exhibit, such as; barking, whining, pacing etc. This is their way of telling you that they are scared and need some help and reassurance from you. Use soft and calming voices and try to talk to them as much as you can. Try distract them as much as possible with toys, treats, games and cuddles (whatever works best for your individual pet).
For the more extreme cases of stress behaviours and anxiety just these techniques alone will not help completely. But don’t worry there are a few things you can try that can help further, the cheapest being the bandage swaddle that acts like the thunder shirt. You can do it yourself and save a lot of money. (See picture for instructions). Then; the thunder shirt itself and Adaptil or Pet Remedy, these release the pheromones that their mother would have released to give a natural calming response (Comes in a spray, tablet, collar and plug in diffuser).
Hope this advice helps you all, any questions feel free to message me. Stay safe everyone 🥰 Love and cuddles to all your lovely pooches 🐶🐾
