Why Is Your Dog Afraid of New Year's Eve?
New Year's Eve is a time of joy and fun, but unfortunately it can be a terrifying experience for our four-legged friends. For our friends, the noise of gunshots on New Year's Eve can be terrifying. Why is this?
- More Acute Hearing: Dogs are able to hear sounds in a wider range of frequencies than humans. For example, human hearing is limited to a range of about 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, while dogs can hear sounds in the range of 40 Hz to 65,000 Hz or even more, depending on the breed.
- Unpredictability: Gunshots and flashes are unexpected and unpredictable, which can lead to feelings of increased anxiety and disorientation.
- Bad connotations: Dogs, especially those from shelters and those with past experiences, associate loud and unexpected sounds with bad experiences in their lives, which additionally increases the level of stress.
How to Help Your Dog on New Year's Eve?
1. Walk
- Exercise: Make sure that your dog has enough exercise on this day and can calmly do its business. Take your pet for a long walk during the day, preferably to the forest or a quiet park.
- Leave early: Go for the last walk no later than 8:00 p.m. Unfortunately, fireworks very often start much earlier than midnight.
- Preventive measures: On this day, remember to keep your dog on a leash at all times. You never know when the first shots will be fired. Don't forget to make sure your friend is well-marked, i.e. has an address tag with detailed information and a contact phone number.
2. Preparing the Space
- Provide a Safe Place: Create a quiet and safe place where your dog can hide from noise. Bathrooms and toilets are best for this purpose, they usually have no windows and are the quietest rooms in the house. You can move your pet's bed there for New Year's Eve.
- Close Windows and Doors: Reduce the noise from outside by closing windows and doors. If you can, cover them with curtains as well - flashes are often just as terrifying for our pets.
- Masking Sounds: Optionally, turn on quiet music or masking sounds to muffle New Year's Eve sounds. Of course, only do this if your friend is used to such an environment.
3. Calming
- Use natural support: To calm your dog and help him relax, use natural supplements from the Green Paw brand. We have many products in our portfolio that will support your friend on this day. For the less stressed, we recommend CBD-infused oil –
- Green Paw Couch Potato: For the less stressed, we recommend CBD and krill oil
- Green Paw Pet Care 6% or 9%: For the more stressed, we recommend concentrated CBD drops
- The most important thing is preparation: in order to achieve optimal effectiveness, remember that you should start using these products at least 4 days before New Year's Eve. CBD is a natural extract that must be saturated in the body before it starts working.
4. Fun and Activities
- Toys and Games: Play with your dog to distract them from the sounds of New Year's Eve.
- Busy Mind: Offer exercises or brain games to keep your dog busy. You can use lickmats or other sensory toys filled with Don’t Go Nuts peanut butter, which will not only keep your pet busy but also provide an extra dose of relaxing CBD.
- And finally, the most important thing: Don't Leave Your Dog Alone! This is important for his safety and comfort. If you're going out to a New Year's Eve party, try to find him care for this difficult evening.
If your dog has serious problems with fear of New Year's Eve gunshots, consult a vet or behaviorist for professional help.
Let's take care of our four-legged friends during this difficult time!
Your support and understanding are crucial for their comfort and safety.
