The festive season is upon us, and with that comes various celebrations.
Today, we celebrate Diwali, and it’s bound to get ‘noisy’ with the fireworks.
Therefore, it’s important to take your fur friends into consideration.
You might have noticed that during thunderstorms, many pets suffer from the sound. Hence, the bright flashes of light that accompany fireworks can add to their stress and anxiety.
According to Marycke Ackhurst, a pet behaviour expert from Hill’s Pet Nutrition, there are precautions you can take to help pets who are reactive to fireworks.
• Keep familiar noises or sounds playing in the house, such as the TV and some background music. The more it seems like an everyday, normal situation, the better.
• Create a comfortable, smaller space in the house for your dog or cat to retreat to when they’re feeling anxious. As a distraction from any loud noises, provide them with a tasty chew toy.
• Keep outside noises and bright lights at bay by closing the windows, doors, and curtains at home.
• If you can’t stay at home with your pets, make sure someone else they trust is there to calm and reassure them – the fewer changes during this time, the better.
‘’Don't take your dog to a fireworks display. Leave them at home. Dogs and fireworks don’t pair well.
“It's only natural to want to include your dog in festive outdoor fun, but pets and fireworks just don't make the best match. Don't let your pup tag along to a fireworks display — no matter how much you'd love for them to be there,’’ said Ackhurst.
In addition, Ackhurst added that a dog’s hearing is far sharper and much more sensitive than ours, so even if there is loud noise quite a fair distance from your home, it could still trigger an anxious reaction.
The key is to keep your dog distracted and to give them a little extra love and cuddles during this time.