Follow these ten top tips to help your pet cope with firework fears:
- Ensure your pet is safely inside and secure doors, windows and cat flaps
- Allow your dog or cat to hide in a bolthole where they feel safe. You can further increase this feeling of security by plugging in a D.A.P.® or Feliway ® Diffuser
- Make sure your dog or cat is microchipped. If they do escape, frightened animals can easily get lost
- In the run up to the firework season, ensure dogs are used to being taken for walks early in the evening and cats are provided with litter trays
- Ignore any fearful behaviour and do not try to comfort your pet. A dog may pick up on your anxiety and this can make the problem worse. Cats prefer to be left to cope on their own
- Don’t get cross or punish your pet, regardless of his behaviour, as it will only make him more distressed
- Try not to leave your pet alone when fireworks are going off. Pets may hurt themselves or cause damage if they are not supervised
- Speak to your vet. D.A.P. Spray can be used to give dogs additional support on the night of the event
- After the firework season contact your vet to ask about treatment for your dog’s fear of fireworks. D.A.P.® and the Sounds Scary ® CD therapy pack have been scientifically proven to be an effective combination for treating firework phobias in dogs (www.soundtherapy4pets.com). Your vet may also wish to refer you to a qualified behavioural therapist
