How to Help your Hound through Anxiety Season

Often a dreaded time for hounds and their owners, ‘anxiety season’ is when there are a lot of loud noises and over stimulus… like fireworks!

As dogs have a far superior sense of hearing to humans, any noise that is loud to us is heightened for their sensitive ears.

To put it into perspective, humans can hear between 20 and 20,000 Hz while dogs can hear a frequency range of 40 to 60,000 Hz.

Some examples:

• A dog whistle is 20,000 Hz

• The lowest note on an 88-key piano: 28 Hz

• The highest note on an 88-key piano: 4,186 Hz

• The typical range of human conversation: 80–8,000 Hz (Fant, 2006, p. 218)

When it comes to Guy Fawkes night and fireworks season, it is overwhelming for some dogs and thus is best to be prepared and have everything set up to make your hound feel as comfortable and calm as possible.

We are all for natural remedies here at Sniffe & Likkit so it is important to bring your dogs comfort by taking them back to where they would rather be: a serene walk in the woods.
Our essential oils were carefully selected for their woody and grassy scents as well as the renowned calming and soothing benefits of each oil. However when it comes to anxiety in our pets it is a combination of methods to really help put their minds at ease.

Anna Webb, one of the UK’s leading dog behaviour and nutrition experts, loves a combination of aromatherapy and bonding - stroking your dog creates a calming atmosphere. Ensuring you are bringing familiar, comforting practises to your dog when they are stressed can reduce their stress levels.

So along with your natural solutions and comforting practises, there are some important tips to keep in mind...

How do you prepare in the lead up to the season?

1. Make sure your dog is microchipped and the information is up to date!

2. Ensure your backyard is sealed and escape proof

3. Draw the curtains to minimise the flashes of light from the fireworks

4. Stock up on your favourite treats or a long lasting chew for your hound to use

5. Follow whatever practises help your dog to be calm - we like to use aromatherapy to naturally soothe your dog (spritz our Give A Dog Cologne in their bed and around the house).

What do you do during the fireworks?

1. Do not let your dog outside

2. Create a safe space inside the home

3. Don’t confine your hound to one room - they may want to move around to wherever they feel safest

4. Keep a radio or the TV on, the sound can mask the loud bangs of the fireworks

5. Remain calm, if your dog sees that you are calm and not affected by the fireworks it may reduce their anxiety.

If you find your hound is still very upset when fireworks are going off, please consult your vet.

What do you find helps your hound the most when it comes to fireworks season?
Let us know in the comments.

Further reading:

https://www.battersea.org.uk/pet-advice/dog-care-advice/%E2%80%8Bdogs-and-fireworks

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/fireworks-calm-scared-dogs/

https://www.pethub.com/article/does-aromatherapy-really-calm-dogs