Safe New Year's Eve for the dog and cat!
Unfortunately, many dogs and cats are afraid of gunshots and bangs – especially on New Year's Eve. Some become so scared that they may react by eliminating inside. Some will try to burrow and run away. It can take several weeks to get over the trauma after New Year's celebrations.
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Training your dog or cat to avoid fireworks and rockets can be a time-consuming process – so it may be too late to start just before New Year's Eve. It's best to start training them at puppy/kitten stage.
How to get rid of the fear of fireworks?
There is a CD that can help you train your animals at home. It is important to follow the instructions that come with it. This is a CD that has recorded sounds from bangs and fireworks. You start at a very low level and gradually increase it. If you notice that the animal becomes anxious, you have set it too high – and you have to set it lower again. Gradually you try to increase the volume again – and you continue like this until the animal does not become anxious at a high volume. It is important not to go too fast – so you have to be patient. This CD can be purchased from us.
You can also train your dog to overcome fear outside. After a long training session with your dog, you can go to a place a good distance away – for example, a shooting range where you can just hear the gunshots. Feel free to end the training session here when the dog is calm and take a short break here before going home. The next day, do the same – just a few meters closer. Here, you must again step back a little if you notice that the dog reacts with stress/fear. This is something that must be started well in advance – as it can take a very long time for the fear to be trained away. During training, it is important that the owner remains calm. Dogs can sense if their owner is stressed – and this can make them anxious. Behave normally and do not show that you feel sorry for the dog by comforting it.
In the weeks before New Year's Eve, you should take long walks and make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise - so it doesn't have excess energy when the bangs start. If it has a lot of energy, the fear can be amplified.
It might be a good idea to let your neighbors know that you have a dog/cat that is very afraid of bangs – so if they can avoid sending up rockets before New Year’s Eve – that would be greatly appreciated. If they absolutely have to send them up, at least ask them to let you know – so you can be a little prepared.
On new Years Eve
Dogs/cats should never be left alone on New Year's Eve. Dogs can be taken on a trip to the cabin far from others to avoid as much gunfire and banging as possible. If this is not possible, keep the dog indoors – preferably in a room without windows or draw the curtains if this is not possible – and turn the TV and radio on at a fairly high volume. If possible, you can let the dog be with other dogs that are not afraid. Many people may feel tempted to take the dog outside if it does not react to the sounds inside – but this can lead to a dog going from a dog that can handle the banging to a dog that will be terrified later. It may also be a good idea to put cotton in the dog's ears so that they do not hear the banging as well. Feel free to give your dog a chew bone or something that distracts it. You should talk to your veterinarian about what kind of chew bone you can give – as many are prone to splintering.
Cats must also be kept indoors and must not be left alone at home on New Year's Eve. Make sure the cat flap is closed so they cannot get out if they are startled. Give your cat the opportunity to hide under furniture or on shelves that are slightly higher. Cats feel safer if they can sit up high and have an overview. Cats like to retreat when they are startled - so it is important to leave them alone. It is on days like this that it is extra important that your cat/dog is ID-tagged - as they can run away if they are startled.
Pheromones
You can also use pheromones – DAP for dogs and Feliway for cats – which have a calming effect on the animal. You can buy them from us. This is not a medicine – but a natural fragrance that the nursing mother produces. This has a calming effect on the puppies/kittens – and it can also have a calming effect on many adult animals. For dogs, you can use either a DAP collar or a diffuser. For cats, the diffuser is best. The diffuser is plugged into a socket in the room where the animal will be staying. This must be placed for two weeks before New Year's Eve and must be left on constantly until a week after New Year's. If you have both a dog and a cat, you need one for each. Pheromones are species-specific – so the same pheromones do not work on both dogs and cats.
Sedative medications
Many dogs need tranquilizers on New Year's Eve. It is also sometimes necessary for cats that are very scared. Talk to your vet about this well in advance of New Year's Eve - as starting the same day will not help. If this is the first time your animal is using the tablets, it is important to test them out with a very weak dose - as the tablets can have the opposite effect (they may become more stressed). The tranquilizer tablets only work to reduce anxiety. It is important not to give the animal medication that makes it more lethargic - as this can only make things worse and they may become more scared than they would be without the medication. The reason for this is that the sound experience is amplified and the animal will feel that they have no way to protect themselves. If you give tranquilizers, it is still just as important that the owner stays indoors with the dog/cat.
Sound sensitivity doesn't necessarily have to be due to fear. Dogs with ear pain – for example, due to an ear infection – may react to loud noises. If sound sensitivity is something your dog struggles with on a regular basis, it's a good idea to get checked out by a veterinarian.