The banging has started again and will only increase in the coming days. For most dogs, this is traditionally the worst week of the year. Just how bad is evident from research by the dog grooming website www.petbnb.nl among 1,300 dog owners. As many as 4 in 5 dogs are bothered by fireworks. In the Netherlands, this therefore concerns an estimated 1.2 million dogs. In most cases, the complaints are qualified as very serious by owners.
Many owners try to escape the banging by going on vacation or at least getting out of town for a while at the turn of the year. Also, dog is taken to a quiet kennel or boarding house brought.
For stay-at-home owners, the turn of the year is also all about the dog. The dog is walked longer at quiet times. The curtains close (earlier) and the TV goes up a little louder. For 1 in 3 dogs, heavier artillery in the form of a sedative is needed. Several owners, by the way, swear by a little eggnog with whipped cream. This does not seem like a responsible solution but it does indicate that owners are willing to try anything.
What do owners who have dogs without fear advise? "The first few times your pup hears a bang, you should just ignore the startle reaction," she says. "This way you will teach your dog that a bang is not dangerous and so your dog will not become afraid of fireworks." Getting the dog used to bangs through training is also an option. Hunting dogs are "shot-proof" by training and do not get upset by fireworks. Some owners do DIY training by giving their dog a treat with every bang. The dog is then happy with each bang. "Just be careful your dog doesn't get too fat."
For that matter, many owners seem to be able to live with fireworks if they were limited to setting them off at the turn of the year. There is much less understanding of setting off fireworks in weeks before and after the turn of the year.
1,300 respondents participated in this survey in mid-November 2016 from www.petbnb.nl.
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