Bonfire Night in Cornwall: the small things that calm a scared dog

Your dog doesn’t know it’s 5 November. All they know is that the sky has started cracking open, the windows keep flashing, and nobody will tell them why.

For a lot of owners across Cornwall, tonight is the evening they dread most. And with Bonfire Night displays carrying on into this weekend, the bangs won’t stop at midnight. A few changes to your evening can make a real difference to how your dog copes.

Why fireworks hit dogs so hard

Dogs hear far more than we do, so a bang that makes you jump can feel enormous to them. Fireworks are also sudden, bright and impossible to predict. There’s no pattern to learn and no warning before the next one.

Some dogs shake, pant, pace or hide. Others bark, drool, scratch at the floor or bolt for the nearest door.

Before it gets dark

Walk them early

Get the walk done in daylight, well before anyone in your street starts lighting fuses. A tired dog settles more easily, and you won’t get caught out on a lane when the first rocket goes up.

Feed early and plan toilet trips

Give their evening meal a bit earlier than usual, because anxious dogs often go off their food once the noise starts. Take them out for a last toilet trip before dusk. If they need to go out later, keep them on a lead, even in your own garden. A frightened dog can clear a fence it would never normally try.

Check their ID

Make sure your dog is microchipped, the details on the chip are up to date, and their collar tag has your current contact details. If they do get out, that’s how they find their way home.

Getting the house ready

Build a den

Give your dog somewhere to hide. A crate or a quiet corner covered with a blanket works well, with their bed, an item of your clothing that smells of you, and a couple of favourite toys. Set it up early so it already feels safe before the bangs begin.

If your dog picks its own hiding spot (under the bed, in the bath, behind the sofa), let them stay there.

Shut out the flashes and the noise

Close the windows and doors, draw the curtains and put the lights on. Turn on the TV or some music at a steady volume to soften the sharper bangs. Lock any cat or dog flaps.

Give them something to do

A stuffed chew toy or a lick mat gives a dog something to focus on. Some will happily play a game with you. Don’t force it if they would rather hide.

While the fireworks are going off

Comfort is fine

The idea that comforting a scared dog makes things worse is a myth. If your dog comes to you for reassurance, give it calmly. Stay relaxed yourself, because dogs pick up on how you’re behaving.

Never tell them off

Barking, shaking or an accident on the carpet is fear, not bad behaviour. Telling them off only adds to it.

Don’t leave them alone

If you can, stay in with your dog for the evening. If you have to go out, ask someone your dog knows to sit with them.

Leave them at home

However much your dog loves a day out, a fireworks display is no place for them.

If your dog really struggles

For dogs that are badly affected every year, talk to your vet. They can go through calming products with you and, for some dogs, medication. Leave it too late and there are fewer options, so book that chat well before New Year’s Eve.

Sound therapy can help in the longer term. You play recordings of firework noises at a very low volume over weeks or months, pair them with treats and play, and build up gradually until the noise loses its power. Dogs Trust and the RSPCA both publish free guidance on how to do it.

Cats, rabbits and the rest

Keep cats indoors after dark, with a litter tray and somewhere high or hidden to retreat to.

Rabbits and guinea pigs that live outside can be just as frightened. Partly cover hutches with a blanket, leaving a gap for air, and add extra bedding so they can burrow. If you can, move them into a shed, garage or the house for the night.

Planning your own display?

If you’re letting off fireworks at home, tell your neighbours well ahead so they can get their animals ready. A shorter display with quieter, low-noise fireworks helps too. Remember the fields nearby as well, because horses and livestock spook just as easily.

The RSPCA’s fireworks advice covers dogs, cats, small animals and horses in more detail.

And if your dog spends tonight wedged behind the washing machine, let them. They picked it for a reason.