My Dachshund is Scared of Fireworks!

My Dachshund is Scared of Fireworks!

First of all: Happy 4th of July! But while the 4th is a day full of celebrations to you, your dachshund might not feel that way.


It is very common for dogs to be scared of loud noises, such as fireworks. As a dog owner, it is horrible to see your fur baby being scared every New Years Eve and 4th of July. Sadly, there is not a lot you can do about it, because being scared is a very intense emotion which is hard to just make go away.

Luckily there are some things you can do:

1. Remember: Wild dogs are not scared of these noises like domesticated dogs are. A fear complex is almost always connected to humans.
But what does this mean? Does it mean that you can never be startled by a loud bang? The answer is yes and no. Because while you cannot control when you get scared, you can control how you react to what scares you. Because your dachshund reacts to how you react, so you can sort of control his behavior indirectly.
So when you jump up after a bang and/or shout, your dachshund will think there is something wrong, while there clearly is not. So as long as you stay calm, your dachshund has less reason to be scared.

2. Ignore the shock reaction.
As harsh as this may sound, it is the best way to handle your dachshund when they jump after a bang. Do not reward him for ‘wrong’ behavior, which in this case is being scared. If you just act like nothing happened, your dachshund will most likely learn to act normal as well.

3. Put on the tv or radio to overwhelm the sound of the fireworks.

4. Don’t comfort your dachshund by petting him or talking sweet words.
Comforting your dachshund will only acknowledge the fact that there is something to be scared of. Try to ignore your dachshund and act like nothing is happening.

5. Give your dachshund a massage.
Giving your dachsund a massage, will calm him down without acknowledging his fear. See a video below on how to give a massage:

But the key to a calm dachshund, is being calm yourself. Good luck, and I hope both you and your dachshund will have a fun and safe 4th of July!

SOURCEs:
Gaus, M. (2003). Nog beter omgaan met je hond [5ST PRINT]. Baarn: Tirion uitgevers BV
Davis, C. (2005). Honden: 500 vragen beantwoord [1ST PRINT].’s-graveland: FONTAINE UITGEVERS BV

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