Get Spooky Season Ready With Rosie’s Trust

Many of our otherwise calm and relaxed furry friends hate this time of year – the fireworks, the excessive number of door knocks, it can all be a bit much for them with the result being stressed, scared, unhappy and often loud pets.

Now is the time to put a plan into action to help them through it!

Here are a couple of things you can start doing at home today to make the days and nights around Halloween easier on your four legged buddies:

1. Desensitise them to the sound of fireworks. We live in an age where almost everything is accessible – undoubtedly this has its downsides but in this case it is our friend. Use resources like You Tube, Alexa etc to quietly play firework sounds around the home. Once your dog is used to them gradually make them louder over the next couple of weeks.

2. Desensitising the sound of the doorbell, door knocker or just a rap on the door can make for a much less dramatic Halloween. Start by standing inside the house and knocking the door, do this every time you walk past it, make it the most normal sound they have ever heard. Do the same with the doorbell etc.

The key to success with both of the above is making sure you don’t react at all. Knock the door, ring the bell, sit through the fireworks sounds and seamlessly continue on with your day – as if the noise never even happened. Importantly, do not react to any reaction your dogs may have – don’t speak, don’t look at them just pretend none of it is happening. If you are not bothered by the sounds they will pick up on this and start to wonder if they need to be.

If we get working on these today by the time the end of October arrives we will have made a huge difference to how much of a negative impact Halloween festivities have on our pets. Have a go and let us know how it goes.

Closer to Halloween we will post some hints and tips of how to help on the day (and surrounding days) too so keep an eye on our website and social media.

Team RT