– Last year I sat in the bathroom with the dog for six hours. Rebekka Sundøy Haldorsen is one of several dog owners who dread New Year’s Eve. Loud noises and an anxious dog means that this year she has chosen to celebrate the New Year at an airport hotel, all by herself. Rebekka Sundøy Haldorsen will celebrate the New Year at an airport hotel together with her dog. Photo: Private – For now, the plan is to celebrate the New Year alone, but it may be that friends or family want to join in. Fireworks are prohibited in the area around the airports, and the windows have extra soundproofing, which means that the sounds from fireworks are not as frightening for the dog. For pet owners who have no plans to celebrate the New Year in a soundproof hotel, fortunately there are a few things you can still do to avoid celebrating the New Year in the bathroom. You must start now – Then you must start today. The earlier the better, explains dog breeder Susanne Håheim. Dog breeder Susanne Håheim exposes the dogs to the sounds of fireworks already when they are kittens. Photo: Privat Dogs can, like us humans, be trained. Exposure over time can make them less anxious about loud noises. – I usually play sounds from fireworks over the loudspeaker for quite a long time beforehand. I already started when they were a couple. Håheim believes it is important to expose the dogs to the sounds gradually over time. She herself has experienced her dog barking for several months after she went for a walk near a neighbor who launched rockets. – She was afraid of everything. Afraid of cracking in the frying pan, afraid of wrapping paper, aluminum foil and the flames in the area. It’s not just dogs that get scared Veterinarian Hanne Eva Husebø Kristensen says that it’s not just dogs that get scared during the New Year celebrations. Cats, rabbits, horses and other pets and stable animals can also react strongly to the sound of fireworks. Veterinarian Hanne Eva Husebø Kristensen says that it’s not just dogs that get scared. Photo: Solveig Svarstad / news – It is important that you find out if your animal is actually afraid of fireworks, because there are some animals that do not react in any particular way. There is also a part that can be scared without the owner knowing it. Husbø Kristensen believes that several animals can have a good effect from training, but then you are already at the last minute. – It can certainly be effective to train the animal through exposure. It is important that you consult with someone who has a good plan, otherwise you risk making things worse. However, not everyone responds equally well to exposure training. An alternative can then be sedatives. – This requires some mapping, and therefore you should contact the vet well in advance to make a plan for possible medication. It is important that we know whether the animal is healthy before we dispense medication. If you are going to give the dog a sedative, you must contact the vet well in advance. Photo: Solveig Svarstad Is it so dangerous that the animals are a little scared? – Being a little scared is not that dangerous, no, but the anxiety many animals feel during the New Year’s celebration can be quite dramatic. It’s not just that they are a little scared, but that they are so scared that they hurt themselves, or run away and get hit by a car. It can take a long time before the fear subsides. This is the advice from the vet Start as early as possible by exposing the dog to sounds from fireworks. Gradually increase volume and length. Move the sound source around in different rooms in the house. If the animal is very anxious, sedatives can be an alternative. Contact a veterinarian well in advance. They can assess whether your animal may be a good candidate for medication. In the evening itself, it is wise to tire the dog out early in the day. Go for a long walk and keep the dog active both before and during the launch itself. Give the dog a good meal beforehand so that he is full. When it hits at its worst, it is wise to dampen the impression. Draw the curtains and turn on the TV or other background noise. Before, people were advised to ignore the animals when they were scared. This has been moved away from. It is important to be with the animal on New Year’s Eve, and not leave it alone at home.
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Now you have to prepare your dog for the New Year’s celebration – news Vestland
