Unfortunately, many dogs and cats are fearful of gunshots and bangs. Some become so scared that they may react by eliminating inside. Some will burrow and try to run away. It can take several weeks to get over the trauma.
Training dogs and cats to overcome their fear of rockets can be a time-consuming process, so it may be too late to start this just before New Year's Eve. It's best to start training them already at the puppy and kitten stages.
Table of contents
How to train away the fear?
There is a CD that you can buy from us that can help you train your animals at home. It is important to follow the instructions that come with it. This is a CD with 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 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.
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 before going home. The next day, do the same, just a few meters closer. Here again, you have to step back a little if you notice that the dog reacts with stress or fear. This is something that you have to start with well in advance as it can take a very long time before the fear is trained away. During training, it is important that the owner stays 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.
Now, in the weeks before New Year's Eve, you should go for long walks and make sure that the dog gets plenty of exercise, so that he is not left with excess energy when the barking starts. If it has a lot of energy, the fear can be intensified.
It may be a good idea to let your neighbors know that you have a dog or cat that is very afraid of bangs, so if they can avoid sending up rockets before New Year's Eve, this will be greatly appreciated. If they absolutely must send them up, at least ask them to let you know, so you can be a little prepared.
Never be alone
Dogs and 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 splinters easily.
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 that 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 or dog is ID-tagged as they can run away if they are startled.
Calming 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 puppies and kittens and 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 put in place 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. You can buy calming pheromones at the A-Vet Shop.
Sedative medications
Many dogs need tranquilizers on New Year's Eve. It is also sometimes necessary for cats that are very fearful. Talk to your veterinarian 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 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 fearful 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 of protecting themselves. If you give tranquilizer tablets, it is still just as important that the owner stays indoors with the dog or cat.
Check the sound sensitivity
Sound sensitivity does not necessarily have to be due to fear. Dogs with ear pain, for example due to ear infections, may react to loud noises. If sound sensitivity is something your dog struggles with on a regular basis, it is a good idea to have a check-up with a veterinarian.