Why should we do desensitisation to fireworks dog training exercises with our dogs? Dogs have sensitive hearing, and the unexpected loud bangs and flashing lights associated with fireworks can trigger fear and anxiety. This fear can lead to a range of stress-related behaviors, from hiding and trembling to excessive barking and destructive behavior. We want to prepare our dogs for the fact that loud sounds will occur in the environment, and they don't have to be afraid. "Big noise" stops being a source of panic but rather a trigger to look at the human for help on how to behave. We are going to use this dog training exercise on desensitisation to fireworks to reduce the dog's fear of fireworks over time. By pairing the treats and exposing them to the sound in a controlled and gradual process to gradually increase their tolerance and emotional response to the firework.
*You can get fireworks and other scary sound recordings on Spotify or on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AINzMizjDvw&t=27s How to do the exercise: 1) Get some high value treats ready to hand out to your dog
2) Play Fireworks sound at a barely audible volume
3) Give your dog a few treats with no sound
4) Play the sounds whilst feeding your dog a treat
5) If your dog takes the treat, tell them they are a good dog*
6) Repeat 10 times at the same volume
Once your dog is comfortable with the current volume, feel free to increase it *If your dog refuses the treat, they are feeling anxious, it’s best to end the session and allow your dog to relax. In the next session you will want to implement one or more of the following : put the firwork noise on a lower volume, play the noise from a different room or put on the TV or radio to offer background noise. Find the level where your dog feels comfortable and start from there. Capturing: Have some treats around the house or on your person to reward the dog for hearing a loud noise and looking at you and remaining calm.
Habituation: Get your dog accustomed to the sound by playing or training your dog while the sound is on
Get in contact with us if you need extra help. We offer one to one training sessions and behavioural consultations

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