Celebrating fireworks can be an amazing sight for humans, but for many dogs, it’s an absolute nightmare.
New Year’s Eve and the Fourth of July are two major holidays where bright lights and loud noises fill the air as people gaze in awe at the amazing creatures in the sky. Our furry friends, on the other hand, get scared by the sound of fireworks and start shaking or trying to run away. In this article, we will delve into the world of dog psychology to find out the reasons behind their fear of fireworks. In addition to learning about the causes of these common dog behaviors, we’ll give you some practical tips and strategies you can implement to ease your fears and make this scary experience a more comfortable one.
Understanding why dogs are afraid of fireworks
Scared dog hiding under the blanket of the bed
Dogs have a natural tendency to fear loud noises and sudden flashes of light. In 2013, the University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Clinical Medicine conducted a study on behavioral signs of fear and anxiety in dogs when exposed to loud noises.
The researchers found that about half of the dog owners who responded said their dogs showed signs of habitual anxiety when exposed to loud noises such as fireworks, lightning or gunshots. [1]
Dr. Gary Richter, D.V.M., says, “Fireworks create loud and unfamiliar noises that the dog does not understand, and they perceive them as signs of danger.”
The loud sounds of fireworks can trigger the dog’s fight-or-flight response, or in most cases, a natural reaction to run or hide, and try to find a safe haven.This kind of behavior is so common in dogs that over the years, July 5th, the day after the biggest fireworks display in the country, has become the busiest day for animal shelters. The new infographic from 2015 shows that animal control officials from all over the country have reported a 30% increase in pet loss each year between the 4th and 6th of July. [2]
Fireworks Are Unpredictable
Although to we humans, fireworks for holidays such as New Year’s and the Fourth of July are normal and very much predictable, but to our dogs, they are not. They don’t have the ability to know when such things are going to happen, which results in even more fear.
Fireworks Are Loud
It is well known that dogs and many other animals have much better hearing than humans. Dogs can hear nearly twice as many frequencies than humans, and frequencies that are far too high-pitched for us. Moreover, they can hear sounds that are four times further away, so they’ll often hear things that you can’t. If fireworks are loud to you, then you can imagine how much louder they are to your furry friends.
Fireworks Are Fearsome
As I have already mentioned, the loud sounds of fireworks, combined with unfamiliarity and unpredictability, can easily trigger a fight-or-flight response. Your dog might react by barking at it, but in most cases, it will be so terrified that it will try to run away and hide. Some other signs of anxiety related to the fear of fireworks and loud sounds include trembling, panting, loss of appetite, inability to relax, uncontrollable shaking, and even having accidents in the house.
Coping With Canine Fear
Fireworks can be very stressful, but thankfully, there are some things that you can do to prevent the fear and ensure a calmer and more comforting experience for your beloved four-legged companion.
- Protect your pet even before the fireworks begin – Make sure that your dog is microchipped and wearing a collar with ID tags, and that the security information is up to date.
- Try to act normal – Try to act as normal as possible because dogs take a lot of cues from you and their surroundings. If you’re acting out of the ordinary, it may only increase their anxiety.
- Keep your dog inside – During fireworks, it is very important to keep your dogs inside the house because it decreases the chance of them running away. Also, try to mask the outside noise by keeping the windows closed and turning on the TV.
- Make your dog feel safe/create a safe place – This TikTok creator has come up with some great ways to keep their rescue dog feeling safe, such as creating a safe and quiet room, using a comfort blanket, giving their dog his favorite treats, and purchasing some quiet ears.
@mykomushroom
What do you think? How do you help your pets when they’re scared? We’d do anything for him. 🥺 #rescuedog #dogsoftiktok #puppydog #fireworks♬ Yellow – Coldplay
- Desensitize – This is a process that you should start way before any fireworks-related holidays. It basically means that you try to get your dog used to these kinds of sounds slowly over time. For example, you can start by playing some fireworks sounds for your dog at a low level and then increasing the sound slowly over time.
Not all dogs are scared of fireworks, but the truth is that the majority of them are. Try not to ignore it, and address your dog’s fear and anxiety before it is too late.
Make sure your dog is safe and has a great holiday season.
