How to keep your pet calm during the fireworks in Lancaster and Morecambe this year.

Posted on Saturday, November 4, 2023

Boots hates fireworks. She also hates gunshots. Sadly we get pheasant shooters in the fields close to home. It really does scare her. Her tail goes down, she starts to shake and she goes to hide in either the utility room or the en-suite bathroom. John normally goes with her to keep her comforted. We take her blankets, her favourite bear and we’ve also been known to play music for her to listen to try and distract her from hearing the sounds.

When November 5th starts to approach, we have to plan for Boots being scared. It’s all about making it as easy as possible for her. After all, she is a very important member of our little family.

We thought we would share our top tips with you.

Check the dates of any displays close to home

We always check the dates of any local public displays which are close to home and we check with the neighbours to see if they plan to have a home display. One of my neighbours tends to do so. By checking this we can take Boots out in the car. We tend to take her somewhere quiet - in the past, a country pub has done the trick and we get to have dinner out too! Another friend goes to the motorway services - fireworks aren’t allowed close to motorways. It might be what we will be doing this year!

Walkies

Always take your doggie for a walk before dark. We aim to walk Boots before 5 pm. If you can, take them for a longer walk than normal in order to tire them out. Fireworks often go on until late in the night. In the UK, the law states there should be no fireworks after 11 pm, however, this extended until midnight on November 5th.

Close your blinds and curtains

We always close the blinds and curtains. As well as loud noises, fireworks put flashes of colour and lighten the night sky, which can cause Boots to get upset. These flashes draw her attention to the noises. We try to make our home feel as cosy and relaxing as possible for her.

Play music or have the TV on

We were advised to make sure we have noise on in the house. This can be turning the Tv up or even playing music. If you ask Alexa - she can play classical calming music for dogs. It seems to work. Boots likes it. We have also been known to play George Ezara to her. It seems to be a favourite of hers!

Name tags and microchipping

Is your dog microchipped? At some point during the evening, your dog may want to go to the bathroom. I always make sure Boots is on her lead for this when it is firework season as my garden isn’t fully secure. Please make sure if your garden isn’t, you do similar. I want to make sure her name tag is on her, just to make sure double sure!

This year, some of the big fire events have been cancelled. This doesn’t mean though that people won’t have private displays as people find different ways to celebrate. If you have pets, please check with your neighbours if they have plans and hopefully by following our tips, it will help keep your pets safe.

Thanks for reading

Michelle & Boots x x x