Table of contents
An animal-friendly New Year's celebration
What are the symptoms of horror?
Dogs and cats express themselves differently.
Dogs often become restless and extra attentive. Some pant and tremble, others bark. Dampening signals such as smacking, licking around the mouth and yawning can also be expressions of anxiety.
Cats like to hide and can cover their ears.
An important thing that applies to both dogs and cats is that they can escape. Therefore, keep the animals inside!
What preparations can you make?
Sound training
If you want to get the most out of sound training, you have to start early. There is a CD with the sound of fireworks, but you can also find audio files on YouTube and Spotify. Spotify has a playlist called "Dog training fireworks."
Start small with low volume and short snippets. Gradually increase volume and length. Simultaneous training or play can also be positive to make the sounds harmless.
Safe place inside
Does the dog or cat have its own place where it feels safe?
Cats like to be up high where they have a clear view, and dogs like to have a room or cage they can retreat to when they want to relax. It may be a good idea to set up such “charging stations” in a place where there is as little noise as possible – perhaps in a basement, a room that faces away from noise, etc.
Pheromones
Pheromones are scents that can help reduce stress. Pheromones also occur naturally and are used as communication between animals. Humans also excrete such substances.
You can buy Adaptil for dogs and Feliway for cats from us. They come in different versions such as spray, collar and diffuser for socket. We can help you find the type that suits you best. The purpose of the pheromones in Feliway and Adaptil is to create a safe atmosphere and reduce stress.
Anti-anxiety medications
If none of the above measures help, or perhaps they don't help enough on their own, anti-anxiety medications may be an alternative.
These are prescription medications. Please contact us well in advance of New Year's Eve to find out what is best for your animal.
Tips for New Year's Eve itself
Take your dog for a walk and feed it well before the fireworks start. Good walks in the days before New Year's Eve may also be a good idea. A tired body often relaxes better.
- NB. Keep the dog on a leash so that it doesn't run away if someone launches a rocket.
- Keep the cat indoors and make sure it has access to necessary facilities such as a litter box, water and food.
- Make an extra effort to create a good and positive atmosphere around the animal. Speak in a pleasant tone. Do not yell at the animal if it shows signs of anxiety. Yelling will only reinforce it.
- Act normally when there is a banging noise outside and don't give in to the temptation to comfort. This will only signal that there is cause for anxiety and that the noises are actually scary.
- Keep windows, doors and vents closed.
- Mask outside sounds by turning on background noise – preferably from multiple sources: TV and music.
