Most people really enjoy fireworks. The colourful displays have a magical quality and those loud bangs create a sense of excitement. But most dogs don’t react well to aerial pyrotechnics and some are simply terrified by them. It is estimated that 40% of dogs are scared by fireworks to some degree. More canine runaways occur on nights when there are fireworks than at any other time and that means that displays are important issues which shouldn’t be ignored. But why are dogs so scared of fireworks?
Fireworks are very loud
Dogs have a more acute sense of hearing than people which makes those explosive sounds, crackles and whistles truly alarming for them.
Fireworks are unpredictable
People know when to expect fireworks. Bonfire night, Halloween, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are all days on which firework displays are common. When humans hear the familiar bangs and wizzes, they know what they are and will probably have known they were coming. Dogs won’t be expecting any loud noises and won’t understand what fireworks are. The explosive sounds begin without warning and the noises don’t come at regular intervals which prevents pooches from acclimatising to the sound effects. All of which presents a confusing situation to canines and that can inspire fear.
Fireworks are threatening
Loud noises which are unpredictable can leave pooches feeling threatened. They don’t know what the noises are, where they are coming from and what they mean. The confusion triggers a flight or fight response in some animals.
Fireworks leave dogs feeling trapped
When dogs hear loud noises their natural instinct will be to hide or flee but hiding won’t make the noises go away and if they are indoors, dogs have nowhere to run to. The result is that they feel trapped and may then panic.
Fireworks are not like thunder
Dogs are less likely to be sacred of thunder and this is because it is far away. Fireworks are much closer to the ground and so feel more threatening.
Fireworks aren’t all about the noise
If fireworks were merely noises, fewer dogs would be scared of them. But the bangs and whistles are accompanied by vibrations, bright lights and strange smells which create an assault on canine senses. As dogs rely so heavily on their senses, fireworks are the worse-case scenario.
Why are some dogs scared and others not so much?
While many dogs will start trembling and display a great deal of stress as soon as the first rocket takes to the skies, other dogs seem to barely notice the fireworks. Why is this?
Reacting to others
There could be several reasons why the behaviour of dogs varies so dramatically. Their owner’s reactions or the reactions of other dogs in the household could be a factor. After all, we humans tend to be sensitive to the responses of those around us and our pets are probably no different. If we are scared, annoyed or stressed by fireworks, our dogs will be too. If one dog in the household is spooked by the noise, other dogs may respond to that fear.
Prepare your dog in advance
If you think that your dog might be scared of fireworks, find out how you can keep your dog calm.