Dog owners know the problem: while people celebrate happily, many animals suffer from the loud noises of rockets and firecrackers. They whine, tremble and run around restlessly. Spending New Year’s Eve with the dog can be very difficult. Find out here how you can make the New Year celebrations as stress-free as possible for your four-legged friend.
Why do dogs get scared on New Year’s Eve?
The loud noises of the rockets and firecrackers on New Year’s Eve can quickly upset even relaxed dogs. The reason for this are the sensory organs of the dog. Dogs hear and smell better than humans and are also more sensitive to light. The colorful rockets and exploding firecrackers cause sensory overload, which causes the animals to panic.
Sensitive hearing
Dogs hear much better than humans. You hear frequencies between 15 and 50,000 hertz. For comparison: Humans hear between 20 and 20,000 Hertz. Dogs also hear high-pitched sounds that we humans can no longer recognize.
So the sounds of the rockets and firecrackers are not necessarily louder, but dogs hear a lot more sounds.
Also, dogs never completely turn off their hearing. The smallest noises bring the four-legged friends out of a sound sleep, so that they are wide awake immediately.
The sounds of rockets and firecrackers are perceived by dogs as a possible danger.
Sensitive olfactory organ
Many people only think of the sounds and the lights when they think of fireworks. For dogs, the smell of the fireworks plays a particularly important role. Dogs have 125 to 220 million olfactory cells. For comparison: Humans have 5 to 20 million olfactory cells.
Dogs mainly use their sense of smell to orient themselves, which on New Year’s Eve leads to further sensory overload in the dog and thus to a stress factor.
New Year’s Eve with a dog: How do I recognize my dog’s fear?
A dog’s reaction to New Year’s Eve fireworks can vary. While some withdraw or seek protection from their owner and snuggle up to them, others panic.
The causes of the reactions can also be different. Some dog breeds generally have a sensitive character and react to loud, unfamiliar noises by barking loudly or hiding under the sofa with their tails drawn in. Other dogs associate the New Year’s noise with negative experiences from the past. Especially with dogs from animal welfare, you don’t know what bad experiences the four-legged friends have gone through.
Typical signs of anxiety in dogs are:
- restlessness
- loss of appetite
- tremble
- strong panting
- laid ears
- dilated pupils
If the dog exhibits one or more of these symptoms, you should support them.
The dog’s reaction to the New Year’s noise does not have to be the same every year. It can also happen that the dog has always seemed relaxed on New Year’s Eve, but is suddenly very anxious the next year.
How do I deal with my dog’s anxiety on New Year’s Eve?
Many owners wonder what to do when their dog is showing signs of stress or anxiety. In such cases, it is particularly important that the dog is not ignored, but receives support from the dog owner. An attempt should be made to take away the dog’s fear and to minimize the risks for him. The following aspects can help:
Always keep your dog on a leash on New Year’s Eve
Of course, dogs must also be allowed to exercise on New Year’s Eve. Since every year there are people who start firecrackers hours before the turn of the year, the walk can be very stressful. In order to make the walk as stress-free as possible, it is best to take the walk during the day and in quiet places. This can be a forest, for example. Big cities should be avoided.
On New Year’s Eve and afterwards, attention should be paid to rubbish, broken glass and duds.
In addition, the dog should always be leashed on these days so that it cannot run away if it is startled by a loud bang. The danger that the dog will run away when frightened, not find its way back or even run onto a busy road should not be underestimated.
Go indoors with the dog
With increasing darkness, the noise of the first New Year’s rockets usually increases. It is recommended to be back in the apartment at this time.
Even during the New Year, it is recommended to stay indoors with your dog instead of going out on the street. The dog should not be left alone indoors in its anxious state either, as the closeness of the owner often gives the dogs security.
Close doors, windows, and shutters
Closed doors, windows, and shutters can dampen the noise of the rockets and firecrackers. Even if the loud bangs still penetrate, many dogs calm down by doing so. With the doors and windows closed, the dog can at least no longer perceive the bright flashes of light in the sky, whereupon they also react nervously.
If there are no shutters on the windows, at least the curtains should be drawn.
Turn on the TV or radio
To calm the dog, you can also try to drown out the noise of the firecrackers and rockets with noises that are familiar to the dog. This can be the radio, music or television.
You should only pay attention to the volume so that the dog is not additionally unsettled.
Distract with smells or special treats
Some dogs that are not overly stressed will sometimes allow themselves to be distracted by other smells or treats. The aim here is that the dog’s concentration is directed to the sense of smell and taste and not to the sense of hearing.
Radiate calm and serenity
But the most important thing is that the dog owner himself is calm and composed. If the dog owner is restless or exudes fear, the dog will become increasingly restless. The dog should be given a signal that everything is fine and that the noises outside are normal. If the dog owner becomes nervous and hectic because of the dog’s reactions, all other help is in vain.
Can I give my dog tranquilizers on New Year’s Eve?
Some dog owners repeatedly consider giving their dog tranquilizers on New Year’s Eve – especially if the dog is having panic attacks on New Year’s Eve. Such means are generally not recommended and should only be the very last choice. Because there are sedatives that only calm the dog down, but he still feels afraid! The dogs no longer have the opportunity to move or withdraw from the loud noises, which tends to frighten most animals even more.
You should stay away from such medications so that the dog’s panic is not aggravated. It is best to discuss the medication with the vet beforehand. This also applies to the administration of herbal preparations for calming.
Dog training to prevent New Year’s stress
Anxiety in dogs can be cured with therapy and enough patience. Most of the time, dogs that are scared of fireworks on New Year’s Eve will also go on the alert at other noises, such as a thunderstorm.
In order to better prepare the dog for the New Year celebrations, the dog can be trained all year round. The aim is that the four-legged friend reacts less to the noise of the rockets and firecrackers and can reduce the stress better. There are, for example, special CDs with authentic New Year’s Eve noises that the dog can use to get used to them so that they no longer perceive the noise on New Year’s Eve as extremely.
Only if the dog manages to stay calm should it be positively encouraged in this behavior. On the other hand, if he becomes nervous or anxious, he should be ignored at first. In this way, the dog can gradually desensitize itself to the noise of the firecrackers. Such a method requires sufficient time and should be started several weeks before the big fireworks on New Year’s Eve. If the dog is very afraid, it often helps if a dog trainer is there to help with desensitization.
New Year’s Eve with a dog: Further measures against fear
In addition to the options already listed to counter the dog’s fear, there are numerous other methods that are intended to take the dog’s fear of fireworks away. Even if it cannot always be guaranteed that the method will be successful with the respective dog, it is worth trying. For example, there are scent atomizers for the socket, sprays, or collars that spread artificial pheromones and are supposed to calm the dog.
Furthermore, some dog trainers work with the TTouch method, based on the Canadian Linda Tellington-Jones. With special touches of the hands, tensions in the animal are to be released and self-healing powers set in motion.
Some dog owners also use body bandages that are supposed to give the dog a feeling of stability and thus security. The so-called “Thundershirt”, which is made of solid material and is tied tightly around the dog’s body, has a similar effect. The gentle, continuous pressure has a calming effect on many dogs.
Where can my dog stay on New Year’s Eve?
In the best case, the dog spends this evening at his owner’s home, because he feels most comfortable here. If possible, the days off can also be used to go on holiday with the dog. How about a short break with friends in the country? Or a holiday apartment far away from all the hustle and bustle? In the best case, you should find out about the location in advance, because in some regions only controlled fireworks are allowed.
If the New Year’s party is at home, it is best to give the four-legged friend “free choice of place”, even if he is looking for hiding places under the couch or the bed. The dog reacts instinctively and looks for the place where it feels most secure. It is very important not to leave him alone or lock him in a room! The four-legged friend wants to be with his “pack” even in a stressful situation.
