In India, festivals are always loud and bright and full of noise. It’s not just the fireworks that can sometimes scare you, it’s also the music and the shouting and the celebrating. Your pet is just as scared when this happens, sometimes more because it’s something out of the ordinary for them and that is never a good thing. These days, people do take more care to look after their dogs and make them comfortable during the festival time so that they don’t get scared and they don’t start behaving badly. But if you’re a new pet owner or you’ve never lived in an area that is filled with loud celebrations, here are some quick tips when caring for dogs during the festival season.
- Before the celebrations start, take your dog for a long and fun walk. Get all the excitement out of their system, make it a fun experience for both of you. It’ll help when the fireworks and loud music kicks in, because by then your dog might be too tired to react or all the pent up energy has already been spent.
- Do not, under any circumstances, let your pet stay outside. Keep them indoors and away from open windows or doors. Being inside muffles the sounds of the celebrations and won’t bother their ears as much. Pets have very sensitive ears and the last thing they need is to have their senses invaded by extremely loud noises.
- Keep your pet distracted during the festival. Whether you’re playing games or you’re just cuddling, it’s important to keep their focus elsewhere than on the noises outside. Often these celebrations last a long time and it might take a while before you or your pet can go out, but distraction is a great tool.
- If at any time your pet starts to act scared or react badly, do not try to pacify them. Your calmness will help them do the same and a reward for when they respond positively will only make them more aware of the importance of staying calm.
- As mentioned before, dogs have very sensitive ears and if you can’t soundproof your house completely, you can put cotton into your dogs ears to muffle the sounds as much as possible.
The most important tip is that you keep your dog away from anything that might be too much for them to handle. Festivals are a great time for us all, but it’s not as much fun for your pets and they shouldn’t have to suffer because of it.
