Fireworks cause anxiety for a lot of dogs and cats, and summer is the season of fireworks. Even aside from official 4th of July displays and ballgames, this is the time of year bottle rockets somehow sound off every night, filling the air with unpredictable sights, sounds, and smells.

When the noise, flashes, and smoke of fireworks become overwhelming, animals may hide, destroy things, and have bathroom accidents. Some pets grow so fearful that they run away.

How can we help our furry friends cope with the fear and anxiety that can accompany fireworks? 

Do

Talk to Your Vet

The place to begin with all pet concerns is with your veterinarian. Not only will they recommend safe and helpful tips (some of which we share below), but they know your pet and likely already know what might work best and what to avoid.

Create a Safe Space

Just like bringing your pet home for the first time, it’s important to create a space for your pet that feels completely safe and totally their own.

Cats typically like resting places where they can observe what’s going on. Sometimes, they prefer a high resting place when they’re scared, but cats also love their privacy and they like to have an enclosed space that’s just their size. Be sure to research how to create a safe space for your cat.

Dogs like a safe space that they can enter and exit on their own, and that isn’t too isolated from their humans. Crate-trained dogs may see their crate as their safe space. In the case of fireworks, storms and unexpected scary events, places like bathrooms or inner rooms that are more insulated from noise are ideal. Fans and white noise machines can help mask the sounds.

Also, always make sure that your pets are registered and tagged or chipped in the event that they do panic and make an escape.

Try Gentle Behavior Modification

Experts often recommend desensitizing your pet to fireworks through a gradual and gentle process of exposing them to the experience. This works best with dogs.

Get or make a recording of fireworks and begin by playing it at very low volumes — so low that you can barely hear it. Observe your pet’s behavior. While the recording plays, offer your pup a treat or play a game with them.

With every successive session, increase the volume gradually. If your pooch responds fearfully, stop immediately. In the next session, lower the volume again.

Over time, your pet will be able to respond to the sounds with less fear. As always, consult with your veterinarian for expert tips before trying a new training regimen.

Consider a Calming Wrap

Pets often respond well to a soothing wrap or vest when dealing with anxiety. You may have noticed that your dog responds differently to a hug or to firm, slow pets than it does to quick scratches and pats on the head.

That’s because the pressure from a hug or firm strokes releases calming endorphins in your pup. Anxiety vests and wraps work on the same principle. Many pet owners swear by them and, while you may associate them with dogs, it’s been shown that cats respond to them as well.

There’s a wide array of calming wraps available on the market, but you can also make your own.

Try Soothing Supplements

Just as we sometimes look to supplements like valerian, ashwagandha, and CBD when we’re feeling stressed, there are natural remedies that our pets can benefit from, as well.

CBD is an increasingly popular supplement for frantic felines and perturbed pups. Animals, like humans, have an endocannabinoid system that responds to cannabidiol (CBD) for therapeutic effects. CBD interacts with receptors throughout this system, which is closely connected to the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Since our pets can’t tell us what does and doesn’t work for them, it can be intimidating to figure out what to try, and how much of it to give them. Remove some of the guesswork by choosing a CBD tincture formulated specifically for pets of certain sizes. 

Treats for stress and anxiety with CBD, chamomile, and valerian are another excellent CBD option and can be used in your desensitization training, too. Again, always consult with your vet before trying a new supplement.

Don’t 

Here are some behaviors to avoid when your pet is handling stress and fear from fireworks.

First, never punish your pet for being afraid. This only makes them more afraid, and they can’t understand what’s happening. Instead, stay calm and reassuring. Speak slowly and calmly, and avoid raising your voice or shouting.

The Humane Society suggests not trying to reassure your pet with treats when they’re afraid, because it could be interpreted as a reward for fear. That said, vets agree that you should comfort your frightened pet with soothing, slow pets and by keeping yourself calm. If you get frantic, your pet will only get more so.

Also, if your dog isn’t crate trained, do not put them in a crate during fireworks or storms. They could panic and hurt themselves trying to escape.

Finally, don’t try to force your pet to be cool with something that scares them. Don’t take them to a fireworks display or intentionally expose them to noises and sights that they find threatening or overwhelming.

Keeping your fur babies calm and safe during fireworks displays, thunderstorms, and other anxiety-inducing situations can be a real challenge. But with some planning and a cool head, it’s also an opportunity to strengthen your bond with your pet. 

Creating a safe environment, staying calm and gentle, and planning ahead to provide a fear-free experience are as important as providing good nutrition and a warm bed. Your pet’s wellness is in your hands, and your pet will give you a lifetime of love in return.

Need to prep your pet for the fireworks? 

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