Dog owners should begin de-sensitising pets to fireworks now, charity urges

Josie Clarke, Press Association Consumer Affairs Correspondent

Dog owners should begin de-sensitising their pets to the sound of fireworks now, in preparation for Bonfire Night, a charity has advised.

Guide Dogs has launched The National Fireworks Archive, a free training video of fireworks footage filmed by the public to help owners gradually introduce their pets to the associated sounds.

The charity created the tool after finding that the average UK adult has seven minutes of fireworks footage saved on their phone.

Almost two thirds (63%) of the UK’s dogs – an estimated 9.9 million animals – are affected by fireworks anxiety, according to research by Guide Dogs.

However 79% of dog owners say they do not do anything to prepare for Bonfire Night, with 35% saying they did not know that dogs could be desensitised to fireworks.

Guide Dogs said they hoped to expand the training archive with a greater variety of clips, recorded from different distances and locations and capturing the whistles and crackles of screechers and Catherine wheels and the sudden bangs of rockets and larger displays.

Those who are able to contribute to the archive can email videos to press@guidedogs.org.uk.

Haley Andrews, a Guide Dogs expert, said: “Fireworks night is just round the corner but there’s still time to start desensitising beloved pets now.

“It’s straightforward, relatively easy to do and can help avoid the heartache, expense and disruption so many dog owners experience in the weeks running up to and even after Bonfire Night on November 5.

“By introducing the sounds gradually, at a level their dog can cope with, owners can give their pet, and their household, the best possible chance of having a calmer Bonfire Night.”

Guide Dogs recommended that owners start early with desensitisation, beginning at the lowest volume and keeping sessions short at about two to five minutes, once or twice a day to begin with.

The volume can be increased only when the dog remains relaxed, and different sounds should be introduced carefully.

Households should create a quiet, cosy den with blankets, toys and familiar scents, with treats hidden inside throughout the day so the dog learns to associate it with feeling safe.

On the night itself, owners should take their dog out for a final toilet break before dark, close the curtains, turn on the TV or radio, prepare a food item and let the dog choose where to settle.