4th of July is not a time when your dog will celebrate

4^th of July is not a time when your dog will celebrate

 

Although Bellingham City Council just passed the ban on consumer fireworks in Bellingham ( YAY!)  it won’t go into effect until next year and it may take a few years after that for things to actually begin to settle down.

 

Here is a good plan on what to do for your dog who might be noise phobic with fireworks or other stimuli like storms.

 

Counter Conditioning and Desensitization

These two techniques are often used to change unwanted behavior in animals. Just as the term implies, counter conditioning means conditioning (training) an animal to display a behavior that is counter to (mutually exclusive of) an unacceptable behavior in response to a particular stimulus.

Desensitization involves gradually exposing a pet to the sound of fireworks, without provoking the unwanted reaction. Use of firework sound cd’s at an almost inaudible level,  while feeding your dog amazing treats is a good place to start (no dry biscuits here… think cheese or meat)

Desensitization is the process of exposing an animal to a stimulus beginning at a very low intensity. So low that it does not result in the undesired behavior.  The stimulus intensity is then increased gradually, without eliciting the unwanted behavior. If at anytime your dog becomes stressed you are going way too fast.  This process can take weeks to months… not days.

If the incremental increases are too large, or occur too quickly, the techniques will either not be effective, or may even make the problem worse. Implementing a counter conditioning and desensitization program requires some thought and planning.

 

Be a home body

If you know your dog has a tendency to become stressed when  hearing  fireworks,  don’t leave your dog alone.  You have many things in your life:  work, friends, family, your dog… But your dog may just have you.  Trust me, everything is easier for them when you are there.  Even the scary stuff.

 

Helpful Tools

There are many items that can assist you in achieving a more relaxed state from your dog:  Thunder Shirts  www.thundershirt.com , 

Rescue Remedy www.bachrescueremedypet.com

Dog Appeasing Pheromones www.dapdiffuser.com

T-Touch  www.ttouch.com

White Noise cd’s or machine

 

Experiment, before you actually need it… test to see how your dog is effected so you are more prepared.

 

Reduce the Stimuli

Close the blinds/drapes to  shut out the visual effects (flashes of lighting, lights, or sparks of fireworks) that your dog associates as reliable predictors of the bad noise.

Close all the windows, and use fans to help circulate the air.

 

If it helps you… hug your dog

Its very important that you stay calm.  If it brings you comfort to hold and soothe your dog, then do it.  You may think its reinforcing a bad behavior, but if you are in the thick of it we need to manage the situation- so by all means, if it relaxes you and therefore can relax your dog, go for it.

 

Food Puzzles

If your dog is only mildly sensitive, you might find using a food puzzle can distract them a lot.  Try this: (it take about 4 days to prepare)

Using a small plastic container pour in one inch of chicken broth and freeze.  Once frozen layer in another flavor of low fat plain yogurt, freeze again.  Drop in some meat pieces,  or liver treats, again with some broth and freeze… get the picture?  We are making a layered puzzle.  Mix it up by putting  a bully stick or Greenie in the center and a layer of peanut butter around it and give it one more freezing. Pop this out and feed it in a crate or and area where it won’t be a big deal with the floor.  (in the summer, this makes for a great yard treat)

 

Drugs

Although I strongly caution against using certain types of  tranquilizers that act like dissociative anesthetics; (ones that alter perception), which may make the dog more fearful, you may find working with a veterinarian who has a good understanding of short acting  anti anxiety medications might be a good choice for your dog