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Nathalie Sari - Tiertraining & Verhaltensberatung

This article was written by TOBALIE in cooperation with Nathalie Sari - Tiertraining & Verhaltensberatung

Days before the shooting of fireworks starts and reaches its peak on New Year’s Eve. Fireworks, firecrackers and much more are blown up to the air. Some people find the colourful lights beautiful to look at, but for the animals the noise means pure stress, fear and even panic. Not only our domestic animals, also the wild animals are affected by it. How can you support your darling?

If your animal is sensitive to noise and is very afraid, especially on New Year’s Eve, you can only do management shortly before the big day. Please look for a trainer now to experience the turn of the year in a relaxed way next year.

Is my dog afraid?

Signs of it are:

  • Trembling
  • Panting
  • Increased showing of calming signals
  • Saliva
  • Retracted tail
  • Wide pupils, eyes ripped open
  • Creeping away
  • Feed refusal
  • Whimpering, barking/miaowing, growling and hissing
  • Tense muscles
  • Neck / back hair set up
  • “Misadventures” urine or excrement heel in the apartment
  • Diarrhoea
  • Etc.
buy safety harness for dog

How can i support my dog at new years’s eve?

There are many natural ways to relieve stress, but you have to start early enough. It is best to start before Christmas, as natural treatments take time to take full effect.

  • Bach – or bush flowers are individually adjusted and help mostly very well. More about Bach flowers.
  • Bach Flower Rescue drops (without alcohol) work against shock and stress.
  • Globules are also used individually and can support.
  • Herbs such as hops, balm, St. John’s wort, valerian or lavender. You can make a tea from them. Food supplements with herbs and L-tryptophan or vitamin B can also be fed to it.
  • CBD oils are good for anxiety, restlessness, inflammation and much more.
  • Aroma oils like lemon balm, lavender, rose, orange and many more can have a carefully dosed calming effect. Always add the scent to your pet in relaxed situations, so he associates the scent with calmness.
  • Colour green can support calmness and serenity.
  • The Yin Yang symbol also solves imbalances on all levels.
  • Synthetically reproduced mother pheromones, such as Adaptil or Feliway, have a relaxing effect on some animals. There are vaporizers (sockets), collars and sprays.
  • The Tellington Touch method works with targeted touches and special body bandages.
  • The Thundershirt can also have a relaxing effect, the tight shirt conveys a feeling of security, but not every animal feels comfortable with it.

What Medications can help?

Get in touch with your vet. Not every dog tolerates every medication, even the right dosage plays a big role. Do not give any medication on your own!

Attention: Please do not give any medicine with the active ingredient Acepromacin! This means that your animal can no longer move, appears calm, but experiences everything and has extreme panic. This worsens the fear of noise. Active ingredients such as dexmedetomidine hydrochloride or alprazolam can relieve anxiety.

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New Year’s Eve with dogs:

  • Never leave your anxious dog alone and of course don’t go out to the fireworks with him.
  • Take your dog for a walk with a safety harness and never leash him down because this could hurt him.
  • Is your pet chipped, registered and is your data (telephone number) still correct? If your pet escapes for any reason, this is the easiest way to contact you. An embroidered breast harness with your number is also useful.
  • If possible, go for a walk before nightfall, so as not to get into the loudest New Year’s Eve phase and then only when it gets quieter again.
  • Behave yourself quite normally and calmly.
  • Give your animal the security it needs. Some like to cuddle and stroke, others only body contact. You can’t increase the fear with your attention. Fear is a feeling and not a behaviour, so it can only get better through affection!
  • Lower the blinds and pull the curtains forward.
  • Familiar background noises such as radio or television can help you to notice less of the noise from outside.
  • Set up a retreat: Many animals want to crawl into a cave. You can also hang a blanket over a table or armchair and maybe put a cuddly blanket inside.
  • Chewing and licking is reassuring. On such days you don’t have to pay attention to calories. The better the treats, the better your treasure can accept them and, ideally, link the noises positively.
  • Try out whether your darling can be distracted by exercises because then he has to concentrate and is less aware of his surroundings. Reward him with extra good treats.
  • Maybe you have the possibility to go to countryside or near the airport where there is less banging.

Isn’t your dog scared? Perfect! Then don’t wait until it comes to that. Let your animal look for special treats, so your darling connects the noise positively from the beginning!

Wait till next year… No!

Start immediately with a behaviour training! Your dog learns to react more safely to environmental stimuli, to deal with stress, to develop coping strategies in internal and external conflicts, to build up/strengthen trust in you and much more. So the next New Year’s Eve will be more relaxed for all of you.

Silvester mit Hund

Summary

There are a lot of methods, remedies and tips on how to make your pet’s New Year’s Eve more relaxed. Training is always important to alleviate the fear of noise. Start as early as possible and test what helps your pet the best. Happy New Year to you and your darling! P.S.: Don’t buy fireworks or firecrackers for the sake of the animals and the environment!