How to Calm Dogs During Fireworks: Tips for a Stress-Free Night

Dogs and fireworks don’t mix well. While we often enjoy the spectacle, our pets can experience intense fear and stress. Understanding why dogs are scared of fireworks and how to help them is essential for every pet parent, especially around Bonfire Night, New Year’s Eve, Diwali, and Chinese New Year.

Petgevity expert, Philippa Short, a certified dog trainer and behaviourist has shared her advice on how to calm dogs during fireworks, and also the activities to categorically avoid.

Some of the key signs that your dog is scared of fireworks and feeling anxious include:

• Shaking and trembling
• Drooling and panting
• Hiding and nesting behaviour
• Vocalising – this could range from your dog barking at fireworks, as well as whining and howling
• Pacing
• Destructive escape behaviour
• Toileting in the house

However, fireworks don’t just scare dogs – they trigger real biological stress reactions in the body. These can include:

• Heart rate and blood pressure increase sharply
• Respiration rate rises
• Pupils dilate
• Digestion slows down
• Muscles tense up and the dog stays alert

How to Calm Dogs During Fireworks with a Safe Space

Creating a safe space should be the first step to calm a stressed dog. The goal is for your dog to not even notice that anything is happening outside, so there are things you can do inside to help:

• Closing all windows, doors, and curtains to try and create a barrier between any noise or visual triggers and your dog.
• Making sure the house is secure could also help prevent your dog from escaping if they feel scared, so remember to close any gates and doors.
• Dens are a simple way of creating a calm and safe space for your pet. You could place a blanket over two chairs or their crate to create a safe space for your dog.
• Leave the crate door open so they can leave and move around as they wish.
• Create several different safe spaces for them so that they have choice to move between dens.

Common Mistakes That Make Things Worse for a Dog Scared of Fireworks

• Walking your dog at night. There are new smells and sounds, and bigger crowds of people than normal. It is highly unadvisable to take your dog out for a walk when fireworks are known to be going off, even if you think your dog is comfortable they can very easily become hypersensitive to them.
• Leaving dogs unattended in the garden. When toileting or exercising at night, make sure your dog is on a lead. Ensure fences are secure and garden gates closed.
• Forcing hugs, unless your dog makes it known that they need comforting. Hugging them if they’re calm could make them think there’s something to worry about and hugging them when stressed could make them feel constricted in their movement and breathing.
• ‘Flooding’ is a technique that forces your dog to face their fear. This may cause your dog a great deal of suffering and could actually make their fear worse.

How to Calm a Stressed Dog During Fireworks

If your dog is distressed, remain calm. Being over-sensitive to your dog can make them sense your stress. You can comfort your dog with a cuddle but do it calmly, and always allow your dog to come to you, they need to know that you are their safe space.

Remember that your dog is not choosing to be scared of fireworks, it is a physiological response. So their barking at fireworks may be driving you crazy but try not to focus on the barking itself but focus on trying to calm them in general with all of the above tips – a calm dog will not need to bark.

If you know your neighbour is planning a firework display, consider taking your dog to a family member’s home for the evening – ideally somewhere familiar and comforting to help reduce stress. For those hosting fireworks, being mindful of the impact loud noises can have on pets is important. Wherever possible, explore quieter alternatives such as silent fireworks, which offer visual enjoyment without the disruptive bangs.

Some top tips that can help calm a stressed dog:

• Play games with them to distract from any noises. Puzzle toys which use treats as incentives are great at doing this.
• Chew toys which state that they are long-lasting – just monitor your dog carefully and discard the toy when it shows signs of damage.
• Talk to them as normal.
• Have the TV on and turn the volume up higher than normal.
• If your dog isn’t too stressed, try positive reinforcement. Have a bowl of high-value food such as chicken or cheese pieces and when a firework goes off, say ‘yay’ and give them a piece.
• You could try and gradually desensitise your dog to fireworks before nights such as Bonfire Night using CDs or video clips online. Play these very quietly to start and slowly increase volume over time, but never above more than they’re visibly comfortable with.

Should your dog become overwhelmed with fear and distress, please speak to your vet. They may recommend specific anxiety medication, which can be given mid-afternoon and early evening to help your dog cope better.

It’s always wise to have pet insurance for older dogs or those with pre-existing conditions in place to mitigate the risk on occasions such as these. If your dog needs medication or vet support due to fireworks anxiety, having insurance can ease the worry about unexpected costs.