Dog is afraid of New Year's Eve? (7 tips that help)
- Claudia Weise
- Updated: 2024-02-29
For many dogs, the turn of the year means pure anxiety and stress: noise, flashes of light, smells. For anxious dogs, the night between December 31 and January 1 is a nightmare. Here are 7 helpful tips for a relaxed New Year's Eve with your furry friend.
The banging often starts a day or two before New Year's Eve and often continues for a few days after the New Year.To be on the safe side, use a long leash. This is true even if your dog responds well to recall in everyday life. Better safe than sorry.
Suddenly exploding rockets and firecrackers cause some pets to panic. This can cause your pet to break free from its collar or harness and run away. The risk of escape is high on New Year's Eve.
A safety harness can help. It has an extra strap and prevents the dog from running away.
Make sure you get your dog microchipped and don't forget to register him or her afterward. If your dog escapes, the microchip will help you find him or her.
How Can You Tell if Your Dog Is Afraid?
Not sure if your dog will be afraid of the loud noises, smells and lights on New Year's Eve?
These signs tell you that your pet is afraid:
- Your dog puts its ears on.
- His pupils are dilated.
- Your dog is panting.
- Your dog is shaking.
- He hides (in the closet, under the bed, under the table, in the basement, etc.).
- Your darling barks incessantly.
- Your pet pees in its basket.
- His posture is crouched, his tail tucked between his legs.
If your dog is anxious, you should do something to help him through this difficult time.
New Year’s Eve Vacation With Dog: Where Little Firecrackers
There are places where fireworks and firecrackers are banned on New Year's Eve due to the increased risk of fire or at least only a few fireworks are set off.
Maybe a New Year's Eve vacation with a dog is for you.
German Islands
How about a short vacation on a German island? Fireworks are prohibited on the North Frisian island of Amrum and the Hallig Oland.
On Föhr, firecrackers and rockets are only permitted at the Wyk harbour beach.
Sylt only allows professional fireworks at selected locations (Hörnum). This makes it relatively easy to escape the hustle and bustle of New Year's Eve.
Historic Downtowns
Fireworks and firecrackers are generally prohibited in historic city centers. This is to protect the old, often lovingly restored half-timbered houses. However, the ban usually only applies to selected areas of the city. An insider's tip is to vacation with a dog in Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Franconia.
National Parks
A national park like the Harz Mountains is also a great place to spend a relaxing New Year's Eve with your four-legged friend. Fireworks are not allowed here. The beautiful scenery is perfect for long walks with your furry friend. However, the ban does not apply to the surrounding towns. The closer your vacation rental is to the forest, the more likely it is that fireworks will be banned.
National parks without fireworks:
- Bavarian Forest
- Hainich
- Resin
- Lüneburg Heath
- Müritz
- Lower Saxony
- Wadden Sea
- Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea
- Lower Oder Valley
7 Tips for New Year’s Eve
If vacationing with a dog is out of the question, as it is with Corona, then just make yourself comfortable at home. Good preparation will help you have a relaxed New Year.
Adjust 1. Walk Around
It's best to take a walk in the woods or in a field outside the city in the morning, when it's still relatively quiet. You should also keep this in mind:
- To be on the safe side, keep your dog on a leash, even if he can hear you just fine.
- If your dog is frightened because there is a bang somewhere, he may get scared and run away.
- Keep your dog busy on the leash with games like fetch.
- Short walks in the late afternoon or early evening when the area is less noisy.
- If possible, take your dog for a walk before the new year, but only if there is not a lot of banging going on during that time.
- Alternatively, you can take your furry friend outside at night.
Some dogs don't want to go out at all on New Year's Eve and prefer to "hang on" for a few hours. Don't force him to go out, but offer it to him. Then he can decide for himself.
2. Train Sound Sensitivity
It's best to start preparing for the New Year as early as possible: You can find recordings of typical New Year's Eve sounds and fireworks on YouTube. There are also several CDs available in stores.
- Play the New Year's Eve sounds - quietly at first - when your dog is relaxed. This can be while eating, playing, or cuddling. In this way, you associate the sounds with positive experiences.
- Continue to increase the volume until you reach a realistic level. Take your time! It may take weeks or months. Your dog must learn that these noises are not threatening.
- It is important to change the room and time of day during this desensitization. For example, if you always play the noises in the living room in the evening, your pet will associate them with that place and time. If they occur in a different place or at a different time, your pet may continue to react with fear.
- Play the sounds at least once a day. The goal is to integrate them into your daily life.
This will get your dog used to the noises. On New Year's Eve, however, there are also smells and flashes of light. We have additional tips for this.
3. Stay Calm
Your dog takes cues from you. Let him know that everything is all right. The best way to do this is with calm and composure. Acting the way you always have will give your furry friend a sense of security.
If you keep comforting your pet ("Oh, you poor thing, this is bad too..."), you will increase their anxiety.
If your dog wants to be close to you, let him snuggle up against you. This will make him feel safe. But avoid confirming his fear, as this will only make the situation worse for your pet.
4. Provide a Place of Retreat
Don't leave your dog home alone on New Year's Eve. Your presence gives your dog a sense of security. Offer him a hiding place where he can retreat. A dog crate with his favorite blanket is ideal.
- If possible, shield your dog from noise and visuals:
- Close the windows.
- Lower the blinds or draw the curtains in front of the windows.
- Familiar sounds, such as the TV at normal volume, show your furry nose that everything is business as usual.
5. Distract Your Furry Friend
Keeping your dog busy will distract him. Try intelligent toys or keep him busy with snack balls or finding treats. You can also repeat familiar exercises with him and reward him when everything goes well. Make sure he is fully focused on you.
6. Nutritional Supplements and Homeopathic Remedies for Relaxation
Talk to your veterinarian about what options are available specifically for your dog. There are rescue drops, for example, CBD oil and tablets with special amino acids that can alleviate stress and calm your dog.
Another option is scent. Pheromones are scents that puppies recognize from their mother. These scents are perceived by dogs as calming. You can get them in the form of vaporizers (Feliway, Adaptil) for the wall socket. It is best to use them at least 14 days before New Year's Eve.
7. Use Relaxation Music
Dogs relax to soothing classical music. You can find suitable pieces, such as Mozart, for free on YouTube. Alternatively, you can buy a RelaxoPet or RelaxoDog, a small device that produces sound waves to calm pets during thunderstorms, fireworks or travel.
Conclusion
There are many ways to make the New Year easier on your furry friend. The most effective way is to desensitize your dog to loud noises.
You can also do a lot indoors to protect your dog from noise and light effects.
If all of these measures don't help, take your dog somewhere where it's not so noisy at the turn of the year. Rural areas, historic city centers, or a short vacation on a German island are all possible options.
I'm editor-in-chief at Hundeo and when it comes to dogs, my heart beats faster. My goal is to publish the best dog guides on the web. There is a lot of passion in every article and I welcome any feedback to constantly improve our content.
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