Fireworks Night: How to Help Your Dog Stay Calm (and Why We Tire Them Out First) 🎆
Bonfire Night is on Thursday 5 November, and around here the fireworks usually carry on right through the weekend. For a lot of dogs, it’s the scariest few nights of the year.
Here’s how we approach it at daycare, plus the simple things that help most at home.
Our plan for Thursday: tired, happy dogs
We’re open on Thursday 5 November as usual, and our plan is simple: plenty of running, sniffing, games and fresh air, so everyone goes home properly tired. A dog who has spent the day exploring six acres of countryside is far more likely to settle when the bangs start than one who has been indoors all day.
Our afternoon returns finish by 5:30pm as normal, so your dog will be home before the evening really gets going.
Before the fireworks start
- Walk early, in daylight, and keep your dog on a lead. Even calm dogs can bolt at a sudden bang.
- Check their ID tag and microchip details are up to date, just in case.
- Feed a little earlier than usual, as nervous dogs often go off their food once it starts.
- Last toilet trip before dark, and if they need to go out later, stay with them on a lead.
- Shut doors, windows and garden gates before the first firework.
Make a safe, cosy den
Keep your home as quiet as you can. Close the curtains, put the lights on and set up a den in their favourite spot, with blankets and a favourite toy. If your dog wants to hide behind the sofa or under the bed, let them. It’s their way of feeling safe.
Stay calm and close by. Cuddling and comforting a frightened dog won’t make them more scared, so if they come to you for reassurance, give it. A long-lasting chew or a stuffed toy can be a great distraction too.
Some dogs also feel calmer in a snug-fitting wrap, like a ThunderShirt. Even a close-fitting t-shirt can help.
Put the radio on: Classic FM’s Pet Classics
Every year, Classic FM plays specially chosen calming music to help pets (and their owners) through fireworks season. This year, Pet Classics is on Thursday 5, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 November, from 5pm to 10pm.
Stick the radio on, settle in and make it a chill-out evening for everyone.
Find out more about Pet Classics
Gentle, natural support
We like to start with the gentlest options first. These are some of the natural approaches suggested by Dogs Naturally Magazine, where you’ll find more detail.
Chamomile
Chamomile is well known for soothing the digestive tract, but it can also help calm your dog. It’s a mild herb that can help them relax at stressful times, so it’s a good one to try before anything stronger. Start with a very small amount to make sure it suits your dog.
Valerian root
Valerian root is a stronger, well-known calming herb. Dogs Naturally suggests starting three days before, with 5 drops of valerian root tincture 3–4 times a day, for any size of dog.
Valerian cautions. It’s generally safe, but large doses can upset tummies. Don’t use it for pregnant dogs. And if your dog runs hot (always panting or looking for a cool spot), avoid it, as valerian is a warming herb.
Calming essential oils
Lavender, neroli, petitgrain and Roman chamomile are all known for their calming properties.
- Always dilute them in a carrier oil, such as almond oil. Never use essential oils neat on your dog, and never give them by mouth.
- Let your dog choose. Offer them a sniff of the closed bottle first. If they turn away, don’t use it.
- If you use a diffuser, make sure your dog can leave the room if they want to.
- Got a cat? Many essential oils are harmful to cats, so keep diffusers and oils well away from them.
Pet Remedy calming spray
If you’d rather not mix your own oils, Pet Remedy is a ready-made, water-based calming spray made with low levels of valerian, vetiver, sweet basil and clary sage. It’s a popular choice and widely used by vets. Mist it onto your dog’s bed, blanket or a bandana to help them settle when the bangs start. It pairs nicely with Classic FM.
CBD oil: well worth asking about
CBD oil is one of the most talked-about natural options for anxious dogs, and many owners find it makes a real difference, helping their dogs feel calmer and more settled. Early research is promising too, with studies finding it can reduce stress in dogs during car journeys and time alone.
In the UK, CBD for pets has to be prescribed by a vet, so if you’d like to try it, ask your vet. They can prescribe a suitable product and help you get the dose right for your dog. If fireworks are a big worry for your dog, it’s well worth having that conversation, whether in time for this week or ready for next year.
If your dog is on any medication, is pregnant or has a health condition, check with your vet before trying anything new. And if your dog gets very distressed by fireworks every year, it’s worth talking to them in plenty of time before next year.
Holding a display?
If you’re having fireworks at home, a quick word with your neighbours goes a long way, so they can get their pets settled in time. Please think of the animals who live outside too: horses and livestock in the fields around us, and wildlife. And always check your bonfire for sleeping hedgehogs before you light it.
Calm, cosy and worn out
We’ll do our bit on Thursday by sending everyone home happily tired. With a quiet evening, a cosy den and a bit of Classic FM, we hope your dog gets through the weekend snoozing. 😴