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In preparation for "Oiche Samhain" as its known in Irish, here are some measures you can take to minimize the effects of Halloween on your working dog or pet pooch.
- Limit or prevent exposure to the experience.
- Plenty of exercise before dark will minimize the exposure and tire your dog so that they will be more relaxed and more likely to sleep through the evening.
- After dark, keep your dogs indoors as much as possible. Confine your pets to the general living areas rather than quieter areas such as hallways or bedrooms.
- Leave the radio and TV on to drown out some of the external noises.
- Curtains pulled can help reduce visual exposure to fireworks.
- Don’t scold or fuss over your dog if they're nervous as this only exacerbates the situation and can reinforce the behavior.
If a dog is particularly stressed, we recommend using a natural remedy such as Bach Flower Remedies or Serene-UM, a natural food supplement which is widely available from vets and pharmacies.
Now also on the market is a product called DAP (Dog Appeasing Pheromone). It is a plug-in vapour diffuser which releases a canine appeasing pheromone, which is produced in the bitch to reassure her offspring. The use of DAP in adult dogs is effective in preventing fear and stress during stressful periods such as fireworks. These treatments can be given a number of days prior to any stressful event. This is also available from veterinary surgeries.
We hope that these tips are helpful and make for a Happy Halloween for both you and your dog!
