How to keep your dog calm during fireworks: a UK week-by-week plan

In the UK, fireworks don't stop at one night. Displays start in late October, carry on through the weekends either side of 5 November, return for Diwali and then again on New Year's Eve. If your dog hates the bangs, it helps to plan for the whole season, not just the 5th.

This is a planning guide. Our Bonfire Night enrichment guide goes into more detail on food games. Nothing here treats fear of fireworks. If your dog struggles badly, the most useful thing you can do is speak to your vet now, well before the busy nights.

Two to three weeks before

• Book a vet chat if your dog has had a hard time in previous years. Your vet can talk through options and may suggest a referral to a qualified behaviourist. That takes time to arrange, so don't leave it until the week of the 5th.
• Check the microchip details are up to date, and that your dog's collar has an ID tag with your name and address. Frightened dogs can bolt. In the UK, a tag on a collar is a legal requirement when your dog is in a public place.
• Find out when local displays are. Councils, schools, rugby and cricket clubs often post their dates. Local Facebook groups usually share them too.
• Choose the quiet room. Pick the room furthest from the road, or the one with the fewest windows. Many dogs choose their own spot. If yours always hides under the stairs or behind the sofa, work with that.

The week before

• Set up the den. Put their usual bed in, a blanket they can burrow under, and a crate if they're crate-trained, with a blanket over the top and the door left open. Let them use it freely in the daytime so it feels normal.
• Start background sound. Have the TV or radio on at a normal volume in the evenings so that on the night it isn't something new.
• Prep some food activities. Fill and freeze two or three lick mats or rubber treat toys so they're ready to go. See how to use a lick mat and how to stuff a rubber treat toy.
• Check the garden. Look for gaps in fences and gates, and loose panels.

On the night: an evening timeline

Afternoon. Walk your dog while it's still light, on the lead even if they normally go off it. Give them plenty of time to sniff and toilet. A sniffy walk is a good one; you don't need a long one.

Before dusk. Close the curtains and blinds, put the lights on and switch the TV or radio on. Give them their evening meal a little earlier than usual so they've eaten before things get going. Some owners serve part of it in a snuffle mat as a sniffing game.

When the bangs usually start. Offer a frozen lick mat like the LickiMat Soother or a stuffed KONG Classic. Licking and chewing are quiet activities many dogs settle into. If your dog doesn't want food, that's fine too; don't push it.

During the fireworks. Stay calm and stay nearby. If your dog comes to you for comfort, it's fine to give it. If they want to hide, let them. Don't pull them out of a hiding spot, and don't tell them off for barking or pacing.

Toilet trips. Take your dog into the garden on a lead, even if the garden is secure. Check that gates are shut and that other people in the house know not to leave doors open.

Late evening. Once it's quiet, offer a last short garden trip on the lead. Leave the radio on low overnight if that helps your household.

Things to avoid

• Leaving your dog alone in the house on the main nights, if you can avoid it.
• Leaving your dog in the garden, a car, a conservatory or an outbuilding while fireworks are going off.
• Taking your dog to a display.
• Starting a big new training plan or introducing a brand new toy on the night. Try new things in the quieter weeks.
• Food your dog isn't used to. Stick to their usual food so their stomach isn't upset on top of everything else.

After the season

Write down what worked and what didn't while it's fresh in your mind. Which room did they choose? Which activity did they actually take? What time did things kick off locally? It will make New Year's Eve, and next year, much easier. If the evenings were very hard, book a vet appointment in the quiet weeks afterwards to plan ahead.

FAQ

When does fireworks season start in the UK? It varies by area. Displays tend to cluster around the weekends either side of 5 November, but you can hear fireworks from late October, and again around Diwali and New Year's Eve.

Should I comfort my dog during fireworks? If your dog comes to you, it's fine to stroke them and talk quietly. Comforting a frightened dog doesn't make the fear worse. Let your dog choose: some want to be close, others want to hide.

Can I walk my dog on Bonfire Night? Walk earlier in the day, while it's light, and keep your dog on a lead. In the evening, a short lead walk in the garden is safer than going out.

Will a food toy stop my dog being scared? No. Food activities give some dogs something calm to do, but they aren't a treatment. For dogs with real fear of fireworks, speak to your vet.

Wrapping up

Plan for the whole season: an earlier walk, a quiet den, background sound, food activities ready in the freezer, and lead-only garden trips. Most of all, let your dog cope in whatever way they choose. This guide isn't veterinary advice.