Content
- Why is the dog afraid of fireworks?
- The importance of our reaction
- Removing the fear of fires through awareness
- 1. Choose a booster for your puppy
- 2. relax the dog
- 3. Prepare a video with fireworks
- 4. Continue with the search game and video for 5 minutes
- 5. Practice daily
- Advice for the dog not to be afraid of fires
- Severe cases of fear of fires
Take away the fear of dog fires it will not always be possible, especially if you have unpredictable or deeply rooted reactions in your behavior. However, working with him gradually sensitization is possible and there is also some advice that can help make the puppy calmer and calmer.
These are very useful and simple tricks to carry out, suitable for times of fireworks, so that our dog feels comfort and security while redirecting its behavior to something more appropriate.
Keep reading and find out what to do if the dog is afraid of fires.
Why is the dog afraid of fireworks?
It is completely normal for a dog to be startled by loud noises. In the most serious cases, these animals have the impulse to run away, to hide, bark, drool, shiver and even break objects. But why do they do this?
Among the most common causes we find the bad experiences, an aspect of the dog's own personality (he is very shy, suspicious and fearful) or on the other hand a weak socialization related to the lack of habit in the face of loud noises and pyrotechnics.
However, the fear of fires can also develop without bad experiences, even if the dog since a puppy has been well socialized with these types of noises and situations. Some illnesses or the loss of some of your senses (deafness, blindness...) can encourage the appearance of fears and phobias.
The importance of our reaction
Although I don't believe it, the reaction to the dog's behavior is fundamental for the acquisition of phobias. Running away at full speed with him, petting him, dedicating words of tranquility to him, etc., are acts that reinforce the behavior that the dog is having without us noticing. by trying to reassure, we are only reinforcing an attitude of fear and avoidance that does not benefit our best friend at all.
It's best to try keep a normal attitude (As far as possible) trying to ignore fearful behaviors the dog may have, doing so with a calm, calm attitude. We must not touch, caress or reward it in any case.
Removing the fear of fires through awareness
If we have time before the parties arrive, we can try to carry out a process of gradual awareness that will help us to get the puppy used to the presence of fires, noises and lights in general.
This process is suitable for many different types of phobias and fears, but we must be very careful and go through it step by step with great care. Never follow this process if your dog reacts aggressively or unpredictably to fires.. Discover how to sensitize your puppy step by step:
1. Choose a booster for your puppy
Since we are going to work on sensitization using positive reinforcement, it is essential to have a powerful motivation for the puppy at our fingertips. A handful of dog snacks is usually enough, but it can also be useful to use your toys. You should always choose taking into account the dog's preferences.
2. relax the dog
Before starting the sensitization session we must prepare the puppy so that he is calm and relaxed. This will favor the acceptance of the stimulus to which we intend to accustom you. For that, we can carry out a search game, which consists of scattering pieces of food, which we chose earlier, on the floor. The puppy will spend time sniffing and searching and this provides relaxation and well-being. The caresses, the kisses and a very positive attitude can not miss. You can also help yourself with the use of synthetic pheromones.
3. Prepare a video with fireworks
It is important that you prepare in advance so that the volume is not at its maximum and causes fear and confusion to the dog. Choose a video where you can clearly hear the fireworks, but leave the very low volume, barely noticeable. These Japanese fireworks can help.
4. Continue with the search game and video for 5 minutes
Re-spread pieces of food on the floor so that the dog keeps looking for the food and does not focus its attention on the noise of the fireworks. Do not try to caress or reward directly. This process will help keep you distracted and connect fireworks with a reward fantastic. After 5 minutes, turn off the video or audio and continue as if nothing has happened. Our attitude must be calm and calm.
Probably in this first session your puppy can get a little scared and suspicious and will not achieve a 100% relaxed state. It doesn't matter, it's better to advance a little than not to advance at all, be satisfied if for a moment he was distracted from the noise and continued looking for food.
5. Practice daily
The key to sensitization is to continue the process for as long as necessary: a week, a fortnight, a month... It doesn't matter what time it is, but that the puppy feels comfortable, safe and rewarded at all times.
Sessions should last a few 5 minutes to overload or overstimulate the puppy. It is very important that we bear in mind that this is a gradual process that can take time and effort on our part.
Finally, we recommend that you interrupt the session if at any time you observe an aggressive, excessively altered or inappropriate attitude on the part of your dog. Your puppy's well-being and yours must come first.
Advice for the dog not to be afraid of fires
However, if you don't have time to follow an awareness process or you do not have the skills to do so, you can follow these advice for the day of fireworks:
- For a start it is recommended not to leave a dog alone with fears, especially if it is a serious case, as we run the risk of an accident. More than just a destroyed piece of furniture, real panic can wreak havoc on your home and lead to a domestic accident. It is better that you accompany him these days or supervise him every x time.
- Choose the most peaceful place in the house to create a "nest" where you can retreat. You can use your own bed, a blanket and a couple of large pillows to create a makeshift hideaway for yourself. It is very useful as you will feel comfortable. In this quiet place there should be no shortage of water and food, they should be close so you don't have to move around the house.
- keep it away from the noise lowering the blinds and preparing a playlist with relaxing music.
- Do not reinforce fearful behavior with treats or petting. Pay him attention only when you're calm and try playing with the ball or playing brain games to distract him.
Following these tricks will isolate the dog from the environment, favoring a state of calm and relaxation, away from the stress of end-of-year parties or June parties.
Severe cases of fear of fires
In these situations the ideal is resort to a professional, whether it's a veterinarian, a dog educator, an ethologist or a trainer. It is very important to turn to people who have been specifically trained for this if we fear a bad reaction or if our dog's well-being is severely affected showing symptoms of stress and anxiety.
Generally recommended specific medication or homeopathic remedies that relax our dog under such circumstances.
