So the fireworks are nearly upon us, hopefully you've read part one and prepared yourselves by embarking on training, having an action plan or seting up a safe-den for your pet.  Unfortunately firework season doesnt just mean one of two nights of displays, the increase in firework sales has led to more and more people having them and generally the 'bonfire' period starts about now.  So to keep your house happy heres some more information on what to do.

To go in your safe den there's a new product on the market that I shall shall be trying in my house this year which is Pet Remedy Plug in Diffuser.  This contains a special blend of valerian and other calming essential oils into the surrounding area, with a number of positive reviews this product has been proven to help settle all mammals, especially dogs, cats, birds and horses.  Plug in near the safe den or stable, hang the travel diffuser card in your pets hutch and car or put a few drops directly onto the bed, with refills available this is sure to be valued product.

What to do on the night
Make sure that you dont forget about your outside animals.  Bring in or cover up hutches, close stables, lock cat flaps and take your dogs out for the evening walk before dark.
It is advisable to give dogs their normal evening meal before dusk, some people may give some additional starchy carbs such as pasta.

DO Stay calm and DON'T change your behavior.
Most people feel obligated to  reassure their dogs when it is exhibiting signs of fear or anxiety. Most people will cuddle their dog or fuss over them and instead of making your dog feel better this type of attention is actually showing reward for the fearful behavior and as a result it reinforces their fear reaction and will infact make the problem worse next time.
DO try to remain neutral during the fireworks and DON'T act differently.
If you anticipate of your dog’s reaction to fireworks in a negative way your dog will pick up on your mood and emotions. If you appear tense when you hear and see fireworks because you are worrying about your dogs’ reaction, you may make their fear worse. Be aware of your body language, your dog needs to know that there is no reason to be afraid
DO put on some music or turn up the volume on the television set.
This can help to drown out the sound of the fireworks. Close the windows and doors to help muffle the sound
DON'T disturb your pets if they are hiding
If your pet attempts to hide or find a safe place under a bed or in a cupboard don’t be tempted to interrupt their instinctual need to find a safe place. Do not try to remove them from their safe place or force them out in an effort to show them that there is nothing to worry about. A frightened dog is only one step away from fear aggression so don’t push them past their comfort zone or you may get bitten or scratched out of sheer panic.

The Signs of Stress
It is important that you can recognise the signs of stress and so you can ignore them:
Dogs panting, salivation, sweaty paws, whining & barking for no apparent reason, lip licking, yawning, sneezing, shaking & shivering or trembling, hyperactive or restless, hiding, glazed eyes, seemingly naughty & unable to concentrate on commands, be defensive or distructive, tail chasing or rolling over in a bid to displace anxiety, loss of appetite, growling, aggression or diarrhoea.
Cats scratching or destructiveness, urine spraying, aggression, anorexia or over-eating, over-grooming, house soiling, hiding & appearing withdrawn, decreased levels of activity
Birds Depression, moodiness or irritablilty, feather plucking, increased pecking or elimination, ruffled feathers, abnormal vocalisation
Rabbits eyes enlarged & show whites, tense body with tail up, ears laid back tightly, growling or squeaking, lack of vitality or interest, rapid breathing, biting or flinching.
Horses whinnying, swaying, crib biting, pacing, sweating, anorexia, head bobbing

This week, I decided that I'd try to condition my dogs to a shepherds whistle......Simple enough???  Not at all!
I'm a firm believer in mastering the art of a tool before you try to use it, kind of like reading instructions before starting a mobile phone.....its just sensible.  Unfortunately however, the shepherds whistle that I have ordered does not come with such instructions so I thought i'd just give it a go as it couldnt be that hard.  Wow was i wrong, I think that once I can master the whistle it'll be plain sailing but for those of you who are like me and are utterly bamboozled by the shepherds whistle, here's my little guide to using one

I'll let you know how i get on with my new 'toy' in the coming weeks...

Sadly it won't be long until the dark nights start drawing, this also means that the familiar fireworks will fill the skies.  For some pets and owners this can be a very stressful time of year.
Does your dog shake at the sound? Does your  cat climb the curtains? 
Don't despair BE PREPARED there are steps that you can  take to help your four-legged friends forget their fears.  Having a good action  plan is the key to resolving firework fear or phobias.

Two months  before
Behavioural techniques such as desensitisation and counter-conditioning take time and patience.  One of our available products CLIX  noise and sounds CD is a successful proven technique for the treatment and prevention of sound phobias in dogs and used effectively can desensitise your pet to the most common noises that provoke fear reactions (fireworks, gun shots,  traffic, households, people). 
Another product Scullcap & Valerian tablets  can be useful to keep your pet calm for the duration of any behavioural therapy.  Pets with severe phobias will benefit from being given Scullcap &  Valerian tablets three to four weeks before the event.  Less severely affected  pets benefit from being given them at least 10 days before the event.  Experiment  with the dose that works best for your pet, using the dosing guidelines on the  label

Up to one week before
In addition to behaviour modification  therapy / medication it is important that you create a safe den for your pet to  escape to in times of distress.  This is preferably an area away from windows,  doors and yourself. It needs to make your pet feel safe without you worrying  what their doing. If space is an issue, a crate covered over with a thick  blanket and filled with comfy bedding, toys, chews, one of your old tops and  access to water. To aclimatise them in the den you can give them their meals in  there, if they like toys and treats then a frozen Kong toy with Stuff-n-Paste  fresh out of the freezer is a lovely distracting treat for dogs.
Cats and  dogs may benefit from a few drops of Organic Valerian Compound on their bedding  to help them settle into their new area. 

Please don't leave things until  last minute, Bryony Peacock owner of The Pet Nurse and Registered Veterinary  Nurse has extensive experience dealing with sound fears and phobias, make sure  your prepared and get in contact.