10 Tips To Help Your Dog on Fireworks Night

Whenever it’s fireworks night, we pet parents know that it’s often not just for one night but for a few nights after, which means that this can be a distressing time for our beloved pups.

We’ve previously written on how to help prepare your dog for bonfire night, and following our conversation with the CityDogExpert, we’ve learnt that preparation in advance is key. But we’ve also decided to share our top 10 tips to help your dog on fireworks night, on the actual night itself.

10 Tips To Help Your Dog on Fireworks Night

Preparation before Dark

Tire your dog out before dark.
Give your dog a good run out or play some games, anything to wear them out, so they have less energy and are more likely to nap or at least have less energy for stressing through the evening.

Avoid taking your dog out once it gets dark.
Take them for toileting before it gets dark and then once again after the fireworks have stopped going off (legally, this can be up to 12am on the 5th of November).

Escape-proofing
Make sure your home and garden areas are escape-proof, as November 5th is the day when most dogs go missing.

Feed Them Early
Stress can stop dogs from eating, so get their evening meal out of the way early.

Creating a Doggy Den
Creating a doggy den where your dog likes to settle is an excellent way to help them feel safer.
Here’s a youtube video from Dog’s Trust on setting one up quickly and easily:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SqyFgrg1FE&ab_channel=DogsTrust

After Dark

Draw the Curtains
Get the blinds pulled down or the curtains drawn in every room so the flashes aren’t as bright and the sounds are more muffled.

TV, Podcasts, Netflix, Music Up
Get your TV or speakers on loudly; make them much louder than usual to help drown out the sounds from outside.

Distract
Give your dog chews, encourage them to play with their toys if possible, do things to help distract them.

Comforting and Calm
Provide all the comfort your dog needs from you while appearing unworried by all the noise. In this way, your dog is more likely to follow your lead and be less concerned than they otherwise would have been.

Let your dog move freely within the house.
Don’t confine your dog to a room or force them out of a particular spot. Let them choose where they feel safest.