New Year’s Eve Safety for Dogs
If your dog is fearful of loud sounds, such as fireworks, then staying home and celebrating New Year’s Eve in your recliner is an excellent choice for you and your dogs. Now, staying home won’t reduce your dog’s fear of fireworks or loud New Year’s Eve noises; it’s comforting, but not a solution. For best results, follow these dog safety tips, so your entire household is relaxed and cozy while the rest of the world celebrates the New Year. Plus, you can easily rotate between food stuffed toys, chewies and games for younger dogs.
Freeze Food Stuffed Toys
A day or two before New Year’s Eve, stuff several of your dog’s food stuffed toys and freeze for at least 24 hours. Food toys keep your dog’s brain busy by making him focus on the yummy food inside the toy, which makes him forget about the fireworks and loud sounds outdoors. Don’t forget: make sure the stuffing you use inside the toy is super yummy. Check out my favorite recipe here.
On average, one frozen food stuffed toy will last your dog 15 to 20 minutes, depending on his puzzle skill level. Afterwards, your dog will usually sleep for one to two hours. It’s hard work thinking and licking a toy. 🙂 Based on this average, I would estimate two food stuffed toys for New Year’s Eve, as most fireworks begin at dusk.
Provide Yummy Chewies
Chewing provides tons of mental stimulation, which is key to keeping your dog relaxed and cozy while the world celebrates New Year’s Eve with a bang.
Since you’ll be home, try giving your dog a super yummy chew, such as a bully stick. Any and all chews must be supervised, as it’s so easy for dogs to swallow them accidentally or choke on a large piece. Skip rawhide chews and choose bully sticks instead. Bully sticks are easily digestible and don’t break into large knots. Plus, you can easily trim any chewed fringes away before your dog swallows them.
Keep the TV On
Music and TV sounds will help keep outside noise levels to a minimum, especially during the midnight explosion. If it gets super noisy, turn your volume up a bit to drown out the sounds. If your dog looks a bit stressed, give him another food stuffed toy or chew. By pairing something fun with something scary, you’ll change your dog’s perception over time.
Leash Your Dog to Potty Outside
When taking your dog outside to potty, especially when festivities are at their peak, please leash your dog. I know you probably have a six-foot privacy fence, but it just takes a stray firecracker to pop too close to your yard, causing your dog to panic. A panicking dog won’t hear your comforting words or take treats; he is freaked out and wants to find safety now. Sometimes, finding safety means jumping over, under or through the fence. Every year, local shelters and animal controls are flooded with dogs that have escaped their own yards even when pet owners were present.
Block access to your dog’s doggie door. He shouldn’t be out in the yard without you. Instead, take him out on leash, so you can keep him calm if something scary happens.
Consider Medications and Supplements
Some dogs are very fearful of fireworks (or any loud sound), so chat with your veterinarian ahead of time. Ask for medication that will keep your dog calm, but not tranquilized during the festivities. By far, trazodone and alprazolam (Xanax) work best. Stay away from acepromazine. Ace basically traps your dog’s scared brain in a body he can’t move.
Don’t forget about supplements! They work well for mildly frightened dogs. Just make sure to give your dog the supplements at least 20 minutes before it gets dark or loud.
Following these simple dog safety tips will most certainly keep everyone safe on New Year’s Eve and keep your dog’s fears from worsening. Happy New Year!
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