What do I do if my dog is scared of fireworks?

It's really common for dogs to be fearful of fireworks. When you think about it, it makes total sense to be scared of loud noises you don't know the source of. But if this was the only reason dogs become fearful of fireworks then all dogs would be scared of them right? And there are lots of dogs who are not scared of fireworks at all. So what influences whether or not your dog is likely to be fearful of fireworks?

Early exposure
Your best defence against firework fears developing is preparation when you dog is a puppy. Playing firework sounds regularly to help them get used to it.

Negative experiences
Dogs can experience something called 'single event learning'. This is when something is so impactful that it only takes one event to cement an emotional response. With fireworks, dogs can have just one negative experience which can cement their fear.

Physical discomfort
There is a really strong link between sound sensitivity and physical pain in dogs. This is because when dogs are experiencing chronic pain their nervous system can go into overdrive and they can start to experience non painful stimulus as painful. In addition, when dogs are experiencing pain, the sound of a firework can make then jump which will then exacerbate any pre existing pain. 

So how can we help them?
There is so much conflicting advice online about what works and what doesn't which makes deciding what to do for the best super overwhelming.

This is why I created our fireworks survival guide. It's a series of video lessons and resources that I put together after working through firework fears with my own dog Luna.

She developed a fear of fireworks in 2022 after previously having been completely unphased. I won't pretend it was easy, but we've worked through it together and for the last three years she's slept soundly through November 5th (and 6th and 7th and 8th...) Yes even when our neighbours had an hour long display on the green across the road!

I've done the research, applied my dog behaviour knowledge, spoken to vets, tested the products, and put all of that together in one place to give you the tools and information you need to help make fireworks season less stressful.

So if you need help surviving fireworks season, check out our online course by clicking on the button below.