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Firework Phobia
As vets and dog owners ourselves, we are only too well aware of the distress caused to pets every year by fireworks. Evidence suggests that 50% or more of pet-owning households have a pet that is afraid of fireworks: it is a huge problem that is a distressing situation for owners and pets alike.
For many years, the only recourse we had was sedative and tranquillising drugs. Their use is undesirable (though short-term sedation can be helpful) and with the prolonged firework season these days we cannot sedate our pets for months on end.
Behavioural modification
We all want to comfort our pet when frightened. "There's a good boy, everything will be OK". What you are actually telling your pet is that it is OK to be frightened. A different approach is required.
Sound de-sensitisation
We can supply you with a CD of a bonfire party as it happened, with all the bangs, whizzes, pops and squeaks, some distant, some closer to. The idea is that you play this on a regular basis, starting at a very low intensity, increasing the volume over a period of time. You aim to never upset your pet. Over a number of weeks, your pet will become less responsive to these sounds. Play the CD in the evening when the fireworks are going off and it will also mask the sounds outside.
Pheromones
Pheromones are natural chemical messengers, with very powerful actions. In dogs, bitches with pups produce a pheromone from the mammary gland that re-assures pups that the breast area is a safe and comfortable zone.
This effect continues into adulthood. Scientists have isolated this chemical, and produced a product that works via a vapouriser (D.A.P. Vapouriser), plugged into an electrical socket.