How Movies Can Save Your Dog From Panic Over Fireworks
Every July 4th, when fireworks explode in the night sky, millions of dogs run for cover or bark and howl in confusion at the noise reaching their sensitive canine ears. The fireworks scare and disorient the dogs, who are unaware that the cacophony outside celebrates “freedom” rather than threatening their hearth and home.
Since your dog is just a helpless bystander here, you will be doing him a great favor by preparing him for the trauma caused by the season of fireworks. There are many methods you can consider to deal with stress, from wearing a weighted vest to taking medication for anxiety, but exposure therapy may be the simplest. In the days (and weeks, if you have time) until 4:00, get in the habit of putting on a loud, explosive movie when it gets dark. If your dog gets used to hearing cinematic explosions (or another bombastic soundtrack likeYouTubevideos of fireworks ) before the chaos begins, he can hopefully survive the holiday without mistaking noise for the collapse of civilization. …
Why are dogs so afraid of fireworks?
Your dog is not a hypochondriac. In the same way that their sense of smell is different from yours, their hearing is also much better and more sensitive. Dogs can hear decibels so high that humans cannot hear them, and sounds are so quiet that humans cannot hear them. It makes sense that ultra-loud noises without a visible source might scare them, but that doesn’t fully explain why dogs are so excited by the explosion of fireworks.
Chances are, many of them make your dog shiver when the celebration begins. “It could be a smell; It could be noise or flashes of light, ” Veterinarian Judy Morgan told Kenel Club of America . In some dogs, traumatic associations with loud noises can occur at all. Smithsonian Magazine details how a dog can learn to associate the loud noises of a construction crew with abandonment:
If, for example, a construction worker knocked on the wall in a neighboring apartment with a hammer while the puppy was left alone at home, this puppy might associate the knocking with abandonment – and the owner did not even know that this had happened.
However, dogs tend to be afraid of the noise of fireworks shows, regardless of their life experience. One 2019 study found that 52% of dog owners surveyed said their pet was affected by the noise of fireworks, with “nearly a third of dogs getting the highest score possible.”
Dog panic during fireworks is very varied, but they are all bad. Jennifer Greene, veterinary director of the Australian University Camden Teaching Veterinary Clinic, told Phys.Org what behavior a dog owner can expect from an alarmed puppy on July 4th or even during a severe thunderstorm:
This can be shortness of breath, walking, nagging, drooling, hiding and destroying things in the house. They are often so scared that they try to escape. Many dogs go missing during storms or fireworks.
Taking steps to prepare your puppy for an upcoming injury can calm your puppy’s nerves in many ways.
So turn on a loud movie or white noise before the show
You can adapt your dog to a racket outside by creating a smaller racket inside your house. One option is to find a high-profile movie – perhaps with a lot of special effects and explosions – to play regularly before the holiday explosives detonate. The goal is to desensitize your dog to outside noise and reassure him that he has nothing to fear, or confuse him so that he cannot distinguish between the noise outside and what is coming from your TV. You can also combine the noisy soundtrack with one of your dog’s favorite treats to create a pleasant association.
Jenn Stanley, a canine behavior consultant, gave the American Kennel Club detailed instructions on how to do this:
The volume should be low enough for your dog to notice, but should not show signs of stress such as shortness of breath, walking, walking out of the area or trying to hide. We call this keeping the dog “below the threshold” and it makes training possible. If the dog is overwhelmed, it tries to avoid the situation and is unlikely to be able to understand that it is not a threat.
Remember, the goal is to normalize the sound of the fireworks to the point where your dog starts to find explosions and explosions harmless. It will pay dividends as the fireworks season usually lasts much longer than July 4th.