It’s getting close to that time of year again. If you live anywhere like we do, the booming and banging will start mid-June and go as long as August, even into September! With graduations, weddings, and BBQ parties throughout the summer, fireworks can go off any given night. Although we might enjoy the pretty colors and flashy lights, our pets could experience an extremely high level of anxiety. We see ads everywhere this time of year, like the one above, that tell us what to do during the firework display, but what if we prepared before the light and bang show? Just like an actor practices to perfection before opening night, a dog needs practice to feel comfortable in new situations.
I have had dogs in my life as far back as I can remember. In my 40-odd years, I have never owned a dog who was scared of fireworks! Yet I had not purposely trained them to be conditioned to them, so, I got to thinking why that was. It is actually very common for dogs to be anxious during fireworks – varying degrees of anxiety, of course. One thing all my dogs had in common was ME! What was I doing to condition them without knowing it? Anyone that knows me knows I love my music and I love it loud. That was it!! My dogs have always gone everywhere with me, and I always turn a good song up. With the BOOM! BOOM! of the bass and the TING! TING! of the highs I was conditioning my dogs for the main event, having absolutely no clue that I was even doing so!
Those of us that live in an area where fireworks can go off any night of the week, now is the time to start preparing! Simple things, like turning the TV a little louder every day – even purposely watching movies or shows with a lot of loud commotion. Play your music louder every day for 30-60 minutes or take your dog on a country drive with your favorite jams playing. If you want to speed up the training, you can play videos of fireworks, slowly increasing the volume, and giving high-value treats. Start training doing simple skills like sits and downs. The louder the fireworks get on the video, the higher value of reward you give them. This is also a great time to play “Rev Up/Settle Down.” Get them playing while the video is going and then put them in a sit. Wait a few seconds, then praise them! Then get them playing again for another 30-45 seconds, then repeat the sit. Doing these types of exercises daily will create a solid, confident dog that won’t be phased by the booming light show. When doing these exercises, pay attention to your pups. Their body language will tell you if they are getting anxious in any way. If they start showing signs of anxiety or stress, back off a little or take a break and try again later. Baby steps are key to not stressing the pups out and keeping it fun for everyone. If you have any questions or need help, you can reach us through our website TDForeverHomeTrainig.com
