With Halloween and bonfire night fast approaching it’s important to get things in place for our pets. Strangers coming to the door in masks whilst possibly making noise can upset dogs and cats. If you’re expecting trick-or-treaters and your pet usually rests near the door, it may be worth relocating them to a quieter place for the evening.
With bonfire night closely following the disturbance on Halloween, many animals may already be over aroused and anxious. With dogs, making sure they’re walked earlier and during daylight hours, before fireworks are set off would be advisable and be wary of letting them off lead just in case a firework is let off early and spooks them. As stated by the Control of Dogs Act 1992, ensure your dogs tag is up to date with your surname, the first line of your address and postcode, and we would always advise you put contact telephone numbers on there too.
Once home, make sure your dog, or cat, has somewhere to go where they feel safe, whether that be their usual crate or bed or a purpose built den, and keep windows and door closed to not only help prevent noise, but to stop them bolting. Keeping the TV or radio on for them can also help and block out some of the noise, but don’t have it too loud as this may also spook them! If you’re staying at home with your pet, monitor them and offer comfort if needed and if they come to you for reassurance. If your dog or cat would rather pace and / or hide than come to you, then let them! If they come to you for comfort, then stroke and cuddle them (if that’s what they like) and praise calm behaviours. Despite things said in the past, comforting a frightened animal won’t encourage the behaviour, it will reassure them that you are there to protect and look after them!
Don’t forget about your smaller animals too! Rabbits, guinea pigs, hamster, birds and ferrets may get frightened by the noises and smells of bonfire night, so temporarily relocating hutches and cages to a quieter place would be advisable but not always doable, so if moving them to a quiet room in the house or into the garage or shed isn’t an option then covering it (allowing for ventilation) will help a little to block out the smell and noise. Whether relocating them or not, giving your small pets extra bedding so they can burrow and feel safe will help them feel secure and therefore less frightened. Remember to check fences and gates too, just in case your pet does manage to escape their cage, kennel or hutch, and always keep microchip and tag information up to date.
Here at Leading the Way, we offer a range of services including home visits. Most new puppy owners have to return to work (or other commitments) sooner or later, so one of the many services we offer is designed to help you and your puppy settle into your new routine together. We can give you evidence-based advice, offer your puppy a toilet break or some extra training, or simply provide them with some company, together with the chance to learn some life skills. Once old enough, your puppy can join our walking service which can also help them to develop their life skills in the outside world.
If you would like more information on any of the services that Leading the Way Pet Care provides, please contact us via please contact us via email or phone us on 0800 027 9846.