Why Are Dogs Scared Of Fireworks? (And How Can You Help?)
Let's admit it - fireworks can be pretty annoying even for us humans. But for your dog? They can be downright terrifying. But why is this the case and what can you do to comfort your buddy when it's loud outdoors?
Whether on the 4th of July, New Year’s Eve or another special occasion, fireworks can send your brave little trooper diving beneath the bed, into your arms, or under a blanket to hide. So you wouldn’t be the first to wonder: why are dogs scared of fireworks? And how to calm a dog down with the festivities going on outdoors?
Sadly, your buddy isn’t likely to enjoy the festive season as much as you. Rather, loud noises like fireworks can be frightening for dogs – and make them either:
- Freeze,
- Try to hide,
- React aggressively,
- Or even run away from home – too far from safety.
So in this post, we’re going to cover all the reasons why dogs spook at the sound of fireworks, how to calm a dog down during fireworks – and the number one emergency measure that’ll guarantee you’ll never lose your dog again. Let’s get started.
Why are dogs scared of fireworks?
The first reason why dogs are scared of fireworks is simply that fireworks are…
Really loud
Even for human ears – and our canine friends have better hearing than we do.
In fact, according to FirstVet:
“Dogs hear sounds of up to 50,000 vibrations per second (50,000 Hz), whereas humans cannot hear sounds that vibrate more than 20,000 vibrations per second (20,000 Hz).”
Their excellent hearing makes dogs more sensitive to noise, which explains why your dog may come running at the sound of someone opening a bag of chips on the other side of the house.
But it also explains why loud fireworks can be terror-inducing for your furry friend. Chances are, dogs experience the noise far more intensely than you do.
Unpredictable
While you’re excited to go see the fireworks and know what to expect, your dog has no idea what’s going on and can’t mentally prepare for the loud noises.
- From their perspective, it comes out of nowhere.
- And since each loud bang, hiss and pop from the fireworks comes at a seemingly random interval, dogs can’t get used to the sound.
Threatening
Finally, dogs are scared of fireworks because they perceive them as a threat.
- The loud, unpredictable noise triggers the dog’s nervous system and fight-or-flight response. They become activated as their body prepares to protect themselves.
- In this state of heightened fear, many dogs will freeze, run away, or fight in response to what feels like, for them, a very real threat.
We share a few tips on how to calm a dog down during fireworks a bit further below – but depending on how easily your dog spooks, we’d always recommend you plan ahead for an emergency.
⚠️ Aka, a “missing dog” situation.
Especially if your buddy is:
- A high-energy, easily-spooked puppy
- Easily spooked in general – especially by loud noises
- Still in progress with their recall training (meaning no amount of yelling “Come back!” will…well, actually get them back)
- Anxiety-prone or actually diagnosed with trauma from their past experiences
- A rescue dog that isn’t 100% familiar with you or their environment yet
- …or some awful combination thereof
🏡 Now you can secure your fencing, set up cameras, or just confine your dog indoors while the party’s going on outdoors.
You’ll also have to prepare to:
- Glue yourself to a camera screen,
- Deal with a broken door or window from your dog trying to escape (even to the point of self-injury)
- Deal with your dog being able to just jump over or dig under your fencing,
- …or just constantly monitor your dog 24/7 while dealing with your party guests.
💡So imagine the relief and peace of mind from knowing exactly where your dog is at all times – with just a glance at your phone?
🐶 It’s why dog parents around the world – just like you – are using Tractive GPS trackers as an emergency measure.
Because with your trusty Tractive device strapped to your dog’s collar, you can now track your buddy:
- In real-time,
- Over an unlimited range,
- With an escape alert if they run past a “safe zone” you set up around your home or backyard
- And even while on vacation (or 175 countries if you’re on a Premium subscription)
All with just a glance at your phone.
Is my dog scared of fireworks? What to look out for
Now you might think a scared dog might cower or hide mostly. But as it turns out, fear in dogs can turn up in a whole bunch of ways – many of which we can miss, since they’re so subtle.
⚠️ And which, if we miss, might be a warning sign your buddy’s about to hide or run away somewhere “safe” – which might be miles away from your home!
So keep an eye out for signs like:
- Wide, dilated pupils
- Restless, anxious pacing
- Panting
- Drooling or salivating more than usual
- Excessive barking or vocalizing, including whining or howling
- Tremors or shaking
- Excessive scratching or licking
- Hiding or cowering
- Anxiously following you around
- Trying to escape or run away
Where a GPS tracker can save your dog’s life
Now not all frightened dogs might run away at the sound of fireworks. But you know your dog best – and even so, they might just behave (VERY) unpredictably when spooked enough.
So is potentially losing your buddy really a chance you’re willing to take?
😔 There’s a reason why more dogs are reported missing around the 4th of July than any other day in the year!
In case you’re still wondering what kind of shenanigans a frightened dog can get up to, here’s the story of Solène – whose rescue dog Sira got spooked during fireworks…and ended up in a rock in the middle of the sea! 😨
“My dog was rescued and is alive because of her tracker.
I live on an island in France. On July 13, there were fireworks for the French National Day. My dog got scared and escaped.
She ran to the pier and probably fell in the water at 23:50. There was no signal on the GPS for an hour, that she probably spent in the water.
At 00:50, the signal was back. She was on a rock in the middle of the sea!”
“I called several people to find someone who could go find her with a boat.
They looked for her for about an hour before they could finally locate and rescue her. They had to catch her with a fishing net because she was so scared.”
“I am very grateful that this tracker still worked after an hour in the sea. Thank you Tractive!“
💡Besides a GPS tracker, it’s always wise to make sure your dog is microchipped and wearing ID tags on their collar at all times. (It’s not just a nice to have – it might be a legal requirement, depending on where you live!)
Both of these can tremendously help your chances of being reunited with your furry friend, if they get separated from you.
How to calm a dog down when there’s fireworks outside
When it comes to dogs and fireworks, there are a bunch of things you can do in advance or at the time of the fireworks to help keep your dog relaxed and safe.
Here are our top tips on how to calm a dog down during fireworks:
- Feed and exercise: Make sure your dog is well-fed and exercised before the big event. A tired and full dog is less likely to be anxious.
- Keep your dog inside: Bring your dog indoors to help protect them from the loud noise of fireworks and prevent them from running away.
- Create a safe space: Make a place in your home where your dog can be comfortable. This could be a small room, or their dog crate. Bring toys, bedding and their bed to help make them feel safe.
- Have someone stay with your dog: Arrange for someone to supervise and calm your dog during the fireworks.
- Use music or white noise: Consider playing music or white nose for your dog to drown out the booming noise outside.
- Consider a dog wrap for fireworks: Like a weighted blanket, dog wraps, vests or shirts can help relieve an anxious dog.
- Medicate if necessary: In the case of severely anxious or phobic dogs, anti-anxiety medication might be helpful to keep them from hurting themselves1. Talk to your vet before medicating your dog.
Never dread another fireworks festival again – with these tips
Dogs and fireworks don’t go well together; chances are, your dog is scared of them because they’re loud, unpredictable, and trigger your buddy’s fight-or-flight instinct.
- Besides being scary, fireworks are also toxic to dogs. Don’t let your dog hang out in the smoke and debris from fireworks; they’re sensitive to the odor.
- Gradually exposing your dog to fireworks and other loud sounds can help desensitize them – but this may take a while.
- If anxiety is preventing your dog from living their best life, consider hiring a dog trainer or behavioral consultant to help them overcome their fears.
- Set up a comforting indoors space where your dog can safely “hide” – ideally, with someone checking up on them periodically.
- Keep your dog well-exercised and well-fed much before the festivities begin. (They might just sleep off most of it, especially if you keep a white noise machine around.)
And most importantly…
- Plan ahead for a situation where even your otherwise well-behaved dog behaves rather unpredictably because they’re scared…and runs off to hide or find somewhere safe.
Not all dogs escape home or run away if they’re scared. But even the best-trained dogs can fall prey to their own “flight” instinct if something is scary enough.
So why take a chance with your buddy’s safety?
💡With a Tractive GPS tracker strapped to their collar, all you need is a glance at your phone to know where your dog is at all times – whether they’re somewhere in your backyard, down the block…or even in the middle of a rock in the sea.
Always know where your dog is
Follow every step in real-time with unlimited range. Get alerts if they wander too far. Keep them happy & healthy with Wellness Monitoring. And let others – like walkers or sitters – keep an eye on your dog too.
For more tips on how to calm a dog down during fireworks, here’s a bit of wisdom from the McCann Dog Training channel to get you going:
And if you’ve liked this post, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.
