There are many festivities in our calendar that include fireworks during the celebrations. Firecrackers or fireworks can become a nightmare for many furry friends. There is no miracle to combat this phobia quickly, easily and fully effectively, but there are some things we can do to help them get through this moment with minimum suffering.
Hereunder are 4 simple steps you can carry out to help your furry friend cope with the situation.
- CREATE A SAFE SPACE AT HOME
Find a quiet room, a place that your furry animal likes, if possible, where outside noise is least heard.
Put there a bed that remains a bit protected, where he can be comfortable, the idea is to create a cozy corner where the dog can feel covered, create a small lair for him. - MAKE THE SAFE SPACE POSITIVE
Put him a blanket with his smell so that he understands that it is his hideout. You can hide kibbles from his feed there, leave him a toy or treat to bite, or hide his favorite interactive toy inside so he can find it.
The objective is to create as much as possible a positive hideout of safety. We must avoid at all costs forcing the dog to put himself there: the best thing is to leave positive elements so that he can discover them autonomously. - NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS
There are several all-natural products that can help keep the dog in a calmer state. Supplements based on plant extracts, synthetic pheromone diffusers, aromatherapy … there are multiple formats that can be useful for this purpose. Your trusted vet or specialized store will give you all the information about it. - NORMALITY AND CALM
When the dreaded day comes, the best strategy to follow is to stay calm and act naturally. Take him for a good walk before the roar begins if possible. After the walk, give him his portion of food and fresh water so that he is most pleased and can relax then.
When the time comes, let your pet take refuge in his safe hideout. Ideally, you should be present to make him feel protected, but without overly comforting him as you could be reinforcing his fear.
It is important that you do not leave him alone and make sure that he cannot escape. Be understanding and be patient, given that what your furry friend does right now is a consequence of his state of panic. He needs your love and support to overcome this situation.