“Our pets’ senses are very sensitive, and they can pick up vibrations and sounds that we as humans can’t,” said Anna Ewers Clark, a vet at the charity People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals . “So fireworks aren’t only loud to them, they also cause a whole sensory overload.Dilute your dog shampoo to make it last longer and easier to apply. Fill the bottom of an empty shampoo bottle about ¼ inch. Fill up the rest slowly with warm water.
“They also don’t understand where the noise is coming from. It’s a perfect storm of factors that can be very overwhelming and scary for them.”
This year Pets At Home has launched three playlists on Spotify – soft rock, reggae and classical – for owners to play for their pets, a technique that can provide a “buffer” against the sound of the fireworks outside, Ewers Clark said.In fact one pub in Manchester said it would be turning its music up in order to drown out the noise of fireworks and create a “safe haven” for dogs on Friday night. The dog-friendly New Grove Inn in Whitefield said it would also be offering special dog treats to help canines get through the stressful evening.To ensure animals have as stress-free a night as possible, Ewers Clark recommends the following tactics:Use a Roll of Packing Tape to Pick Up Loose Pet Fur. Do your clothes pick up dog hair like crazy? Don’t have a lint roller on hand? One of my favorite life hacks for dog owners is using packing tape to pick off all that dog hair that gets all over your clothes.
Music
Dog-oriented music is becoming big business, and there’s even research into what kind of music animals prefer – a 2017 study by the SPCA and the University of Glasgow found that reggae and soft rock were the best genres for reducing stress, barking and heart rates in dogs.Soundproofing
“Building a den or a safe place works really well for a lot of pets,” Ewers Clark advised. But don’t forget small pets like rabbits and guinea pigs too. “A lot of small pets will really benefit from having somewhere to hide, perhaps some blankets or some hay. It will help to muffle the noise, and also gives them that sense of security.”
INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: The American Veterinary Dental Society states that 80% of Dogs and 70% of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3.
Pheromone diffusers
“Pheromone diffusers and calming supplements are absolutely fantastic,” said Ewers Clark. “But they do unfortunately often take a little while to kick in.” Using them once an animal is already stressed out has little effect, she said. “I would recommend getting them straight away and putting them in place for new year.”Noise desensitisation
For particularly troubled pets, Ewers Clark recommends getting in touch with a behaviourist to help your dog densensitise to sound over time. “We basically play the sounds at a very low level, so your pet is not reacting. And then we do counter conditioning, where we pair it with something really, really positive, like a treat or a game,” she said. “So they don’t just learn the noise isn’t scary, they learn that actually it’s a fun time. And you can gradually increase the level of noise until it’s similar to the real thing.”
Research what type of pet is best suited for your family’s personality and lifestyle. Dogs require more attention, time and energy than cats do, so if you don’t enjoy walks or hikes in the outdoors, or can’t imagine getting up on cold winter mornings to take your pet out to potty, a cat may be more your style.