Derbyshire dog trainer offers advice for pet owners ahead of New Year’s Eve fireworks

Fireworks will be let off this weekend to celebrate the new year, but they can cause a lot of distress for pets. Alison Curry, 35, who runs Ace Canine Dog Training has shared tricks on how to distract your canine friends from stress caused by fireworks.

Alison, who has been working with dogs since she was 15, said: “You should walk your dog during daylight hours to avoid the time that the fireworks are set off, as they can cause distress.

“Create a safe place for your dog to hide from the noise of the fireworks. If your dog is crate trained, leave the crate door open so they can go in and out as they please. You can even throw a towel or a blanket over the crate to make it a nice dark space for them.

“Have the radio or the TV on - they can mask the sound of fireworks. Classical FM has a channel that plays specific music for dogs to calm them down. They play it on bonfire night, so I'm pretty sure they'll be playing on New Year's Eve as well. Draw the curtains to minimise any light from fireworks.

“Don’t over affectionate your dogs - don’t follow them around the house too much as it can cause them to be quite nervous. If we're calm, they'll pick up on our body language, and that will calm them down as well.

“Distract dogs from the fireworks - you can play with them with a toy or get them something they can chew for a long period of time.

“Make sure that your home and garden is escape proof, especially if you've got a lot of people coming in and out. Ensure that the front door back door is always closed. A lot of dogs hear fireworks and go missing.”

“If you have small animals like rabbits and guinea pigs, add extra bedding in their hutches so they can burrow down and hide from the sounds of the firework. You can even pop a cardboard box in their hutch so they've got somewhere safe to go. If the animals are kept outside, you can bring them inside or put them in a shed or garage to eliminate the sound of the fireworks.”

Alison added: “If anyone is concerned about their dogs on New Year's Eve, they are welcome to pop me a message on my Facebook page and I will be available to help.”