The Christmas season is in full swing, and there’s one more major holiday happening soon – New Year’s Eve! But for many dogs, this is one of the scariest days of the year! With the excitement of New Year’s Eve parties, and loud fireworks, it’s a lot for dogs to deal with!

It’s reported that the days following New Year’s Eve are when the most dogs are reported missing each year!  Read below for our favorite tips, tricks and products that will help keep your dog safe, secure, and calm their New Year anxiety.

How Can I Ease My Dog’s Anxiety?

Help your dogs stay safe and relaxed during the holiday parties by following some of our tips listed below.

Use Lavender Oil To Calm Anxiety

Lavender essential oil works great for both humans and dogs. It’s a mild stress reducer and so much more! Just add a drop or two of lavender essential oil mixed with a carrier oil rubbed down their back will help calm them during lightly stressful situations. Not only that but they’ll smell better too!

Use Frozen Food Stuffed Toys To Calm Anxiety

Stuff several of your dogs favorite Kong toys with their favorite treat and freeze them for 24 hours prior to the event. Food toys can help calm your dog’s anxiety by keeping your dog’s brain focused on the food inside of the chew toy and not the fireworks or loud noises outside. On average a frozen food toy will keep your dog occupied for 15 to 25 minutes, so make sure you prepare enough treats to keep them busy for the duration of the firework shows.

Use Chew Toys To Calm Anxiety

Chewing provides mental stimulation which once again can help calm your dog’s anxiety by keeping your dog’s brain focused on the toy and less on what is happening outside. Try giving your dog a Yak Milk Bone and skip the rawhide bones. We avoid rawhide bones because of the chemicals used to create them, choking hazards, and the potential blockage that they can cause during digestion. Sometimes abdominal surgery is required to remove the rawhide from your dog’s intestinal tract.

Use The TV To Calm Anxiety

Music and TV sounds can help drown out the loud noises from outside. If your dog is starting to get anxious as the fireworks get loud try turning on music and giving the dog it’s favorite frozen toy. The combination of the two and pairing something they like with the item causing them anxiety will slowly change their perception of the event over time.

Keep Your Dog’s Microchips Up To Date For Safety

Make sure your pet ID tags and microchip information has your current address and phone number. No matter how careful we are the dogs still sometimes sneak out or escape a well fenced in back yard. If you make sure your dog is microchip-ed and that the information on the microchip is up to date you’ll greatly increase the chance of the dog being returned home.

ALWAYS Leash Your Dog To Go Outside

When taking your dogs out during peak anxiety times make sure you have them on a leash. I recommend you use a full harness on your dog and not just a collar. If your dog panics while out on it’s own no amount of privacy fence is going to keep the dog contained. Every year local shelters and animal control offices are flooded with dogs that have escaped from their yards looking for safety.

Consider Medications And Supplements To Calm Anxiety

Some dogs are very fearful of loud sounds and the fireworks are going to be to much for them! You can talk to your veterinarian and ask for a drug that will calm your dog, but not tranquilize it. The dog version of Xanax is Trazodone – if you’re into giving medication. I use our supplement called Paw-Zac which a combination of calming essential oils without short term or long term dangerous side effects. Whatever you do, please avoid giving your pet Acepromazine. Ace is basically similar to a date rape drug and your dog will still be scared and still go through all of the emotions, yet just won’t be able to move. Your dog will basically be trapped in their scared mind with a body that can’t move. Instead of leaving your dog in a trauma state just give them a few sprays around the neck and chest area of the Paw-Zac, rub it in and massage around their neck and belly.