Aromatherapy Sprays And ASMR Calming Pets Firework Displays

Fireworks can be particularly fear-inducing for our pets, especially on widely-celebrated evenings, such as Bonfire Night and New Year’s Eve.

In order to lower our pets’ levels of distress, Battersea Dogs and Cats have started using calming aromatherapy sprays. While commonly used by humans to add scent into the home and destress, the animal shelter explains that their purpose goes far beyond that and can reduce stress in pets, too.

Speaking to The Telegraph, they said: “Aromatherapy sprays can work well for both dogs and cats – just spray a little bit on materials in the home or as a plug-in spray.

“Currently at Battersea, we use a number of methods to help keep our animals calm during fireworks seasons. These include providing places to hide, playing calming classical music and blocking out windows to reduce the lights of the fireworks.

“These techniques can also work well in the home environment to help reduce the stress of fireworks for pet owners dogs and cats. A combination of these and the use of chews can keep dogs occupied.”

It’s not just aromatherapy sprays, either. People are doing all they can to help calm our pets during firework season, going beyond traditional techniques. Snack at Franks, a dog-friendly snack subscription service, has started trialing the use of an Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) video series for dogs.

This clever technique works by amplifying the sounds of dogs munching, scratching, grooming and lapping, which is then viewed by other pups. “ASMR is a fascinating concept and there is much speculation among those who experience it as to whether or not it is a phenomenon also experienced by dogs,” Graeme Hall, Dog Behaviour Expert and star of Channel 5’s show The Dogfather said.

“Although some research exists, this interesting new territory might just provide a real antidote to canine anxiety. It’s long been my experience that anxious dogs respond well to gentle soothing tones and calming voices.

“I’ve made these practices a part of my toolkit for years, helping to transform the lives of dogs and their owners as a result.”

If your dog is feeling nervous on New Year’s Eve, why not give them one of the ASMR videos to watch.

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