Halloween brings yummy treats and ghostly fun for humans but what about our dogs? Halloween can be a hard time of year for many dogs. As a kid, my Chow Chow was so scared of fireworks that she would bury herself in the dark corner of our laundry room, under a pile of blankets.  If your dog also finds Halloween stressful, please check out our safety tips:

            1. Increase your dog’s exercise and walk him earlier in the day before the kids are out trick-o-treating. If your dog is exhausted, she has less pent up energy in which to react to the startling fireworks and freaky costumes.

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  Many dogs experience fear and anxiety with Halloween fireworks. When dogs are in an anxious state from the startling noise of fireworks, they may attempt to flee to escape the noise or become destructive thru digging, chewing or other negative behaviours. These destructive behaviours may put your dog at risk for injuries. When I was growing up, my dog was so scared of fireworks that she would bury herself in the dark corner of our laundry room, under piles of blankets and comforters. I didn’t know how to help her but luckily she didn’t become destructive to the point of hurting herself but many dogs do.

In regards to firework therapy, think about short-term management techniques as well as longer-term behaviour ......