People worry about how pets will react to firework season. While some dogs aren’t bothered very much by fireworks, others are just as terrified by the constant booms and flashes year after year. My Labrador was so terrified of fireworks that he would not go outside after midnight for the whole winter. I will now describe how we treated him. cd vuurwerk honden It is possible to train your Labrador to enjoy the firework season, or at least ignore it. Noise association is key to this kind of training. You will need to purchase a CD of frightening sounds and firework noises that can be found on many online shops (ebay). There are many CDs that you can buy. You can search names like “Sounds Scary”, Fear of Fireworks,” and “CLIX Sounds, Sounds, and Sounds”. I used the “Sounds Scary”, CD, and assisted it with a DAP diffuser plugged into a socket inside my training room.
Although it takes some patience, this method works. First, you need to lower the volume level of your CD player until it is barely audible. Dogs can hear music better than humans. Next, you can open the curtains and make the room darker. But not too dark. Play your favorite dog toys while the DAP is on. You can reward your pet’s playfulness by giving it a dog treat after it has played back. Do this for at least half an hour per day.
Day 2, turn the volume up on your CD-player and play again. You should reduce the volume if fear starts to creep in. Try filling Kong toys with Kong Paste (or soft cheese) and playing with them. This will help to create a positive connection between firework sounds and getting rewarded. You should be able to see where this is leading. Keep making louder and noisier noises for as long as you can. Keep the noise level steady, but switch the DAP to off. I’m sure you won’t notice any difference in the behavior.
You can get louder now. Your next session might be at 70% of the maximum level. Keep having fun and rewarding your pet. Your training will be complete after about one week. honden geluiden afspelen You have hopefully now taught your dog that loud noises on the CD are associated with fun and reward.
