Fireworks and dogs in Metro Vancouver: What you need to know
Credit to Author: Stephanie Ip| Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2019 23:51:19 +0000
For some, Halloween is a fun night of candy, costumes and fireworks.
For dog owners, it’s one of the most stressful and dreaded nights of the year for their canine companions. The loud bangs and flashes of light can send even the bravest of pooches scrambling to hide.
Here’s a few things to know about how to prepare your home and your pooch for a less frightful Halloween.
“As humans, we forget just how hard city life can be on our dogs,” said Drew Warner, lead trainer with the Vancouver-based Canine Solutions.
“There’s a lot of industrialized sounds in the city that are abnormal to a dog and really, there’s nothing more abnormal than the sound of a firework.”
Fireworks are overwhelming due to their unpredictable nature, said Warner, citing a firework’s unnatural pattern of sounds and irregular occurrence at different times of year.
Warner also pointed out that a dog’s sense of hearing is heightened so what sounds like a small pop a block or two away to a human, can sound much louder and closer to a dog, and even the smell of a firework going off can be frightening.
“All these factors can frighten and overwhelm our dog, so just unnatural things in their environment that they don’t experience on a daily basis.”
To ensure your dog is calm during fireworks, make sure to keep them inside in a quiet and comfortable place with their toys and treats.
“We absolutely have a blind spot sometimes with fireworks and we don’t realize until it’s too late that our dogs are afraid,” said Warner.
In an ideal situation, preparing for unexpected situations such as fireworks would be something incorporated into a puppy’s training early on over time.
Warner has worked with owners to replicate the sound of fireworks or doorbells in a controlled training environment, to familiarize a dog to the sound before they are exposed to an overwhelming night like Halloween.
For dogs with existing phobias of fireworks, Warner said training would include counter conditioning, to help change the way a dog feels about a certain trigger and to gradually change their response to the trigger over a longer period of time.
Take your dog for a walk earlier in the day before it’s dark and the fireworks come out. A tired dog is more calm and happy.
Exhaust your dog.
Warner suggests taking your dog for an extra long walk earlier in the day before it gets dark.
“One of the things I tell people is to drain your dog’s energy,” he said. “A tired dog is a happier and a calmer dog.”
Ensure their ID is up-to-date in case they get lost.
Lorie Chortyk with the B.C. SPCA says the organization typically sees a boost in lost and stray pets coming into their shelters following events with firecrackers and fireworks.
Ensure your dog is on a leash, microchipped and even consider a light-up collar, in case a firework goes off unexpectedly and your dog runs off while spooked. The B.C. SPCA also invites owners to register their dog with the organization, which is accessible to vets and shelters across the province and internationally, which can help reunite lost dogs.
If your dog does get spooked and runs off, Chortyk recommended checking your local SPCA, your city’s animal control or local vet clinics to see if your pup has turned up.
“Look close to home for lost pets – cats in particular are usually found within a radius of a house or two from their home – but they will be hiding if stressed and may not respond to their name so look under bushes and other hiding spots,” said Chortyk. “Ask neighbours to contact you if they see your pet.”
Keep your dog at home.
Otherwise, both Warner and the B.C. SPCA recommends keeping your dog inside for the evening and in a quiet and comfortable place surrounded by favourite toys and treats. Warner also suggested some white noise, either leaving the TV or some music on to help drown out the fireworks. The B.C. SPCA suggests checking doors and windows to make sure they are closed.
Consider alternatives like a thunder jacket or sedation.
Thunder jackets are also a popular option though each dog is different and while it works for some dogs, it may not work for every dog. There’s nothing to lose, however, other than the cost of the jacket, said Warner, who suggested trying it out several days in advance of when fireworks are expected.
There are also healthy sedation options but owners should speak with a vet before buying or attempting any sort of product for your dog.
“Check with your vet about prescribing some anti-anxiety medication for your pet during the firework,” said Chortyk.
Get out of town for the night.
If your neighbourhood is particularly susceptible to fireworks on Halloween, it may be worth considering leaving town for a night with your dog, visiting a friend or relative who lives in a quieter neighbourhood or even boarding your dog for the night.
Fireworks are also banned near the Vancouver Airport so if you’re truly desperate for a safe haven, consider booking a pet-friendly, soundproof suite at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport.
VANCOUVER, B.C.: OCTOBER 15, 2017 – Felix the dog is a Ghost Buster. People dress up for the Halloween Parade in downtown Vancouver, B.C., October 15, 2017.
Most importantly, owners need to keep their own Halloween spirit in check if they want to help their dogs stay calm.
“Typically on like Halloween, everybody’s routines are thrown off, your doorbell is going off non-stop, there’s a lot of frantic energy and we’re so responsive to energy that we may not even realize we’re in a frenetic and hyper sort of mode or maybe we’re anxious too because we’re worried about our dog,” said Warner.
“So humans have to realize that … they have to communicate with their dogs with their energy. So if they want their dog to be calm, they have to stay calm themselves.”
If you plan to hand out candy on Halloween, Warner suggested taking time in advance to practice responding to a ringing doorbell while your dog is around, so that the sound becomes familiar to your dog and so that owners can practice remaining calm as well.