Wondering how your new rescue dog will do with fireworks? Read on. (Photo: fireworks over the water)
Are you unsure of how your new rescue dog will respond to fireworks? Are you nervous about what might happen?
Check out these tips to help enjoy Canada Day with your new best friend.
#1. Stay home. I can’t tell you how many clients I have helped who have adopted a rescue dog, crated them, and left home on day one of the relationship. These clients struggled with crate training and separation anxiety issues because they left the dog alone before they earned their trust. If you have a new rescue dog, stay home on Canada Day and lay the foundation of your relationship. Next year, you can attend a Canada Day party, or maybe even host one, but this year you need to teach your dog how to be calm and neutral during fireworks. And yes, there’s a good chance that they will be completely unfazed by the fireworks. I have clients who sailed through the May 24 weekend with their brand new rescue dog. He didn’t bat an eye, so they all enjoyed a nice evening at home together.
You will have an amazing Canada Day at home with your new dog. Promise! Get creative and have fun. (Photo: person holding a Canadian flag behind his body like wings)
#2. Don’t Host A Party. If you have a brand new rescue dog, don’t host a party until you have built a solid foundation with your new dog. The last thing you want to have happen is to overwhelm your dog with lots of people, especially if he isn’t crate trained yet. By “crate trained,” I mean he loves his crate and enjoys napping in there. The other thing you want to avoid is learning that your new rescue dog is scared of fireworks and Aunt Emily assures you that she’s the Dog Whisperer and cuddles your trembling dog all night. Not only will this teach your dog that fireworks are indeed something to be suspicious about, it’s a great way for Aunt Emily to get bitten by trapping the dog in an unwanted hug while it feels nervous and tense. This leads us back to #1. If you have a new rescue dog, stay home and train/lay a solid foundation of trust with your new dog. You will never regret missing a random Canada Day party. You will regret Aunt Emily getting bitten in the face, or Aunt Emily teaching your dog to be scared of fireworks.
You’ll never regret staying home, keeping it simple, and training your dog how to respond (calmly) around fireworks (Photo: two hands doing a cheers with sparklers)
#3. Stay calm. Our job as humans is to teach our dogs to be calm and neutral around things in the human world. We want them to be calm and neutral when we watch our kid’s soccer games; while we picnic in a busy park; and when our swimming pool is full of screaming children. You can build up to these three things gradually, using distance and patience as your guides. If you’ve adopted your rescue dog on July 1st (Canada Day,) then you don’t have much time to gradually introduce fireworks sounds (using videos on Youtube.) Don’t panic. Stay calm and neutral when the fireworks begin. Keep your dog on a leash in your home. Don’t overreact when they notice the fireworks.
Extra Tip:
Keep a radio on during the day and while the fireworks begin. This can mask some of the fireworks sound.
You’re going to do great! (Photo: bright pink fireworks heart)
Will these tips help my rescue dog who is afraid of fireworks?
Yes. We have used all three of these tools to help our clients help their rescue dogs over their fear of fireworks. Staying home with them and staying calm really does work. It isn’t easy, but nothing worth doing is easy.
Happy Canada Day, Dog Leaders!
Alyssa
Photos by: Ray Hennessy
@rayhennessy (fireworks over the water,) Redd @reddalec (person holding a Canadian flag behind his body like wings,) Ian Schneider @goian (two hands doing a cheers with sparklers,) Jamie Street @jamie452 (bright pink fireworks heart.)