Every year, dog and cat owners ask themselves the same question: How do I get my pet through New Year’s Eve calmly? While people look forward to the colorful firecrackers on New Year’s Eve weeks in advance, dogs and cats already suffer from the first fireworks at Christmas. For them, New Year’s Eve is primarily associated with stress and danger. The reason for this is the finely tuned hearing of the four-legged friends. The noise, which goes out anyway already from fireworks, puts them therefore in naked panic. In addition, it can come on New Year’s Eve quickly to cuts or burns. Can dog or cat owners leave their pets alone on a day like this? Here’s how to celebrate a hazard-free New Year’s Eve with cat or New Year’s Eve with dog:

Pets As Guardians Of The House On New Year’s Eve?

When dogs hear New Year’s Eve firecrackers, they usually start shaking and get heart palpitations. Often, even on tranquilizers, they can go into shock. Dogs and cats should not be left alone at home on New Year’s Eve. On the contrary, as owners, you must ensure, as best you can, that your four-legged friends feel safe and protected, despite the deafening noise. A part of their fear is already taken away from your pet, if you are as a familiar person in the proximity. After all, unknown situations and fear are not a good combination for humans either.

Take Precautions For New Year’s Eve With Cat Or Dog

Many dog and cat owners are already dreading New Year’s Eve. The pet can not be completely protected from the noise, the party invitations flutter into the house and the dog has already almost stormed last year. So what to do?

Familiarize Your Pet With The Surroundings

If you’re planning to party at an unfamiliar place, such as a friend’s house, it can help to familiarize your dog with the surroundings before the 31st. Describe the situation to your friend and have them invite you plus the dog or cat to the location ahead of time. It’s best to play a fun game with your pet and reward the dog or cat with new treats. This way, the cat already associates the place with something positive and New Year’s Eve with cat will be relaxed for you, too.

If Nothing Helps At All: Tranquilizers For Cats/Dogs

If you have already experienced various horror scenarios on New Year’s Eve with cat or dog, there is still the possibility to consult your veterinarian. Pets that struggle with anxiety attacks every year can be prescribed special tranquilizers for cats and dogs by the doctor. Most often, doctors recommend homeopathic remedies from Bach flowers. Still, you shouldn’t give your pet anything without a doctor’s advice. Homeopathic remedies can also be dangerous if taken incorrectly. It is also important that you take care of the tranquilizers early. Usually dogs and cats have to start taking them a week before the New Year.

In general, though, you should only resort to medicine if your New Year’s Eve with dog or cat turns out to be nearly impossible because your pet is suffering from massive anxiety attacks.

Training And Earmuffs

Special therapy CDs are used to familiarize dogs and cats with the sounds of fireworks. This allows anxious pets to get used to the loud noises in advance. In addition, hearing protection or silicone earplugs can be purchased especially for pets. These are designed to serve as noise protection on New Year’s Eve. If you choose this option, be sure to accustom the animals to it beforehand. Otherwise, the headphones may make the cat or dog even more nervous. This is not right for every animal.

The Day Before New Year’s Eve With Cat Or Dog

Already on the days before the big fireworks, many ignite the first test bangers. Therefore, the following applies: In the week before New Year’s Eve, you should walk with your dog only on a leash, if possible. If you have a free-roaming cat, it is helpful to bring it back into the house a few days before the big night.

However, New Year’s Eve poses other dangers for cats and dogs besides loud fireworks. On New Year’s Eve with a dog or cat, sparklers can also quickly lead to panic or anxiety attacks. Test beforehand how your pet reacts to the flickering candles. If it is spooked, sparklers must be lit out of sight of the animal on New Year’s Eve. You should also be careful when pouring lead, because lead is highly toxic to animals. So leash your dog when doing this or just think about another New Year’s Eve game.

Party on New Year’s Eve With Dog And Cat

On the evening itself, there are several things you should keep in mind as a pet owner:

Stay Indoors

Your cat or dog should stay inside throughout the evening. Outside, there is a risk of burns from the fireworks, and besides, the firecracker noise is much louder than through the protective house. In addition, you may not be able to keep an eye on your pet when you’re drunk on beer and champagne. Even on a leash, it can quickly become dangerous. Out of fear, the dog could break free and run away. Especially if many people, are around you, this can lead to a great stress and panic.

To muffle the noise, you should close the windows and doors. As an extra precaution, you should equip your dog or cat with a collar with an address and phone number. If something does go wrong, the little rascal will quickly find his way home.

Leash

Even in the house, the noises are usually still very loud to hear. If your dog is very skittish, you should keep him on a leash throughout the evening. This is quite helpful in the hustle and bustle of the party anyway. In order for your dog not to be afraid, he needs to feel safe. Therefore, create a relaxed and quiet place for him away from the hustle and bustle of the party, even if you are celebrating at a friend’s house. Here you can bring the food bowl and favorite toys to create a homey feeling in the animal. Of course, the amount of effort you have to put in varies from dog to dog. Some four-legged friends can quickly get used to strangers and are hardly sensitive to noise, while others are already highly sensitive to new smells. As far as this is concerned, you know your dog best. You know how and where he feels safe and secure.

Distraction

Once the cat has panicked, it will be difficult to calm it down again. This is where early distraction is the best tool. Even before the fireworks start, you should find your dog or cat something to do. Familiar play rituals are particularly suitable for this. Besides all the unfamiliar impressions, this is something the animal already knows. This normality calms most pets. Particularly well against fear helps with animals also strong concentration. Through search games or chewing material you can successfully distract the quadrupeds from the firecracker noise. Of course, there is then a treat for the concentrated animals as a reward.

Quiet Counter Noises

If you turn on soft music or television, this will distract your cat or dog from the fireworks noise. However, it is often difficult to drown out the fireworks noise completely. Of course, you should not turn up the speakers and scare the pet with your own noise. However, this can not happen to the dogs: They are not afraid of their own noise. Therefore, it can also help to play a very loud game. In this way, the dog may overhear one or two bangs in addition to its own barking.

Radiate Calm

As the owner, you are your pet’s caregiver. That means he also pays attention to your mood and even orients himself to it. If you’re nervous or tense about New Year’s Eve, it can quickly transfer to your cat or dog. So don’t worry too much about your New Year’s Eve with your dog or cat, but rather radiate calm instead. That way, you can help make it a complete success yourself.

Older Dog As A Role Model

Not only you can be a role model for your pet, but also another dog. The presence of an older confident dog can have a calming effect on your own four-legged friend. If the other dog remains relaxed during the fireworks, your dog understands that the noise is not dangerous for him. It is also possible that he is so busy with his fellow dog that he is not interested in the firecrackers.

Comforting Or Not?

Despite all good precautions, panic attacks can occur in dogs and cats. Often one hears then, one should not turn to the animal and comfort it. However, dog trainers, like Janna Krebs, explain that there is no universal solution to this. The owner usually knows his beloved pet best and knows whether it needs closeness or distance. So just trust your gut feeling. However, if your cat or dog doesn’t need closeness, don’t force anything. Every animal reacts differently to fear. Some want to be close to the owner and be cuddled, some prefer to retreat alone under the closet. If your pet is hiding, you should not lure it out. It needs the privacy and time to itself.

When Injuries Occur

The risk of injury to animals is very high on New Year’s Eve. If you have been inattentive for only a short moment, the cat has cut itself on the glass or the dog has received a small firecracker. In the case of an injury that goes under the fur, a veterinarian should be contacted immediately. For burns, first aid can be given in the form of calendula ointment. However, cuts are particularly dangerous. Especially if they cut deep into the flesh. The wound must be bandaged immediately. This is the first step to stop the blood. Place the knot just above the incision. After an hour you should loosen the bandage to see if it is still bleeding. Here too, however, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Here Should Not Be Barked For The Protection Of The Animals

Fireworks should not be set off on farms or in the forest. There are far too many animals here that could become panicked and frightened. If you see someone shooting firecrackers there, kindly ask them to stop for the protection of the animals.