![\"\"](\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/724ce269fa644deda9d102bea3112483.jpg\" "\\"If")
<\/p>\n
It is known that fearful dogs can jump through a glass window to try and escape the noise, or they try to jump over fences and palisades, hurting themselves in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is crucial to take steps to ensure their well-being and comfort during this potentially stressful time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uncertainties such as new surroundings, a change in environment and possible house guests, plus upcoming loud events such as New Year\u2019s Eve, are all factors causing your pets to become extremely anxious, cautions Marycke Ackhurst, pet behaviour expert of Hill\u2019s Pet Nutrition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you already know your pet is easily spooked, it is important to be informed of what you can do to relieve the stress they may feel. It is also important to note that dogs and cats\u2019 hearing is far sharper and much more sensitive than ours. Even if there is loud noise quite a distance from your home, it could still trigger an anxious reaction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ackhurst recommends to look out for the following signs of anxious behaviour:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/e2b14021390741dcb65207e80e7d8573.jpg\" "\\"Dogs")
<\/p>\n
Dogs have very sensitive hearing, which is important to keep in mind during times when there is excessive noise.<\/div>\n<\/span>Photo: Unsplash\/Claudio Swarz<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDogs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nnose or lip-licking;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
yawning;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
excessive panting;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
reduced appetite;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
tail lowered or tucked;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ears pinned back;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
cowering;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
trembling or shaking;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
increased vocalisations such as whining, howling, barking; and<\/p>\n\n\n\n
excessive attention seeking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/dc18177ebe9747e79c0a7b5781fb04d9.jpg\" "\\"Cats")
<\/p>\n
Cats show certain behaviours when they are stressed.<\/div>\n<\/span>Photo: Unsplash\/Uta Scholl<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nCats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nurinating in strange places;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
scratching compulsively;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
hiding away;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
panicked meows or recurrent whining;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
aggression;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
sleeping more; and<\/p>\n\n\n\n
decreased appetite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To help your pets during this potentially stressful time, Ackhurst suggests the following:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhen you are at home during New Year\u2019s Eve, try to cut out the possible background noise from outside. Keep familiar noises or sounds playing in the house such as the TV and background music. The more it seems like an everyday, normal situation, the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Create a comfortable, smaller, space in the house for your pet to retreat to when they are feeling anxious. As a distraction from any loud noises, provide them with a tasty chew toy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keep outside noises and bright lights at bay by closing the windows, doors and curtains at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For outdoor cats who come and go as they please, rather place a litter tray inside and close the doors and the cat flap, so they cannot go outside that evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you cannot stay at home with your pets, make sure someone else they trust is there to calm and reassure them \u2013 the less changes during this time, the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are dropping your pet off at the kennel or cattery for the holidays, make sure they have little pieces of home with them such as their bed, favourite chew toy, and blankie. This way the change of environment will not be as dramatic and stressful for them. You could also consider using dog and cat specific pheromone diffusers, collars or sprays to help them feel less anxious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ask your veterinarian about specially formulated foods which help alleviate stress. For severe cases, they may recommend certain medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
*If you are anticipating a stressful event, such as fireworks or even holiday kennels, it is recommended you transition your pet onto a stress-reducing food four weeks beforehand. However, many pet parents have reported positive results as early as a few days. If your pet is a nervous type, you can consider this food for long-term feeding,\u201d Ackhurst concludes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Counter-conditioning<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nMake sure your pet has a collar with your current information in case the animal escapes from the house or yard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take your dog on a leash for a long walk before the fireworks start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Double-check the fit of your dog\u2019s collar or harness before going outside. A leash, even if you have a fenced-in area, is a great added safety measure to help keep your dog close to you and under control should they get startled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you suspect your dog will freak out at the sound of fireworks, try playing sounds of fireworks (softly) on several occasions days before the event so your dog is used to hearing them. Try pairing a video of the sounds of fireworks with a treat your dog likes, in a process called counter-conditioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013 The American Kennel Club on akc.or<\/strong>g<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Never leave your pet, especially a dog, who has a phobia for loud noises such as fireworks during New Year\u2019s Eve, alone at 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Preparing pets for stress-free celebrations | Noordkaap Bulletin<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/preparing-pets-for-stress-free-celebrations-20231214\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Preparing pets for stress-free celebrations\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Never leave your pet, especially a dog, who has a phobia for loud noises such as fireworks during New Year\u2019s Eve, alone at home.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/preparing-pets-for-stress-free-celebrations-20231214\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Noordkaap Bulletin\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" 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you cannot take your pets with you on holiday, or you are not at home during an event such as New Year\u2019s Eve celebrations with a lot of fireworks, get a pet-sitter. Photo: Unsplash\/Chewy"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/preparing-pets-for-stress-free-celebrations-20231214\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Preparing pets for stress-free celebrations"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/#website","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/","name":"NoordkaapBulletin","description":"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-ZA"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/#organization","name":"NoordkaapBulletin","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/noordkaap-bulletin-site-icon.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/noordkaap-bulletin-site-icon.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"NoordkaapBulletin"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/noordkaapbulletin\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NoordkaapBulletin\/"],"description":"The NoordkaapBulletin is a regional newspaper based in Kimberley, the capital of the Northern Cape of South Africa. 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<\/p>\n
Dogs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n nose or lip-licking;<\/p>\n\n\n\n yawning;<\/p>\n\n\n\n excessive panting;<\/p>\n\n\n\n reduced appetite;<\/p>\n\n\n\n tail lowered or tucked;<\/p>\n\n\n\n ears pinned back;<\/p>\n\n\n\n cowering;<\/p>\n\n\n\n trembling or shaking;<\/p>\n\n\n\n increased vocalisations such as whining, howling, barking; and<\/p>\n\n\n\n excessive attention seeking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n Cats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n urinating in strange places;<\/p>\n\n\n\n scratching compulsively;<\/p>\n\n\n\n hiding away;<\/p>\n\n\n\n panicked meows or recurrent whining;<\/p>\n\n\n\n aggression;<\/p>\n\n\n\n sleeping more; and<\/p>\n\n\n\n decreased appetite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you are at home during New Year\u2019s Eve, try to cut out the possible background noise from outside. Keep familiar noises or sounds playing in the house such as the TV and background music. The more it seems like an everyday, normal situation, the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Create a comfortable, smaller, space in the house for your pet to retreat to when they are feeling anxious. As a distraction from any loud noises, provide them with a tasty chew toy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep outside noises and bright lights at bay by closing the windows, doors and curtains at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For outdoor cats who come and go as they please, rather place a litter tray inside and close the doors and the cat flap, so they cannot go outside that evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you cannot stay at home with your pets, make sure someone else they trust is there to calm and reassure them \u2013 the less changes during this time, the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are dropping your pet off at the kennel or cattery for the holidays, make sure they have little pieces of home with them such as their bed, favourite chew toy, and blankie. This way the change of environment will not be as dramatic and stressful for them. You could also consider using dog and cat specific pheromone diffusers, collars or sprays to help them feel less anxious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask your veterinarian about specially formulated foods which help alleviate stress. For severe cases, they may recommend certain medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n *If you are anticipating a stressful event, such as fireworks or even holiday kennels, it is recommended you transition your pet onto a stress-reducing food four weeks beforehand. However, many pet parents have reported positive results as early as a few days. If your pet is a nervous type, you can consider this food for long-term feeding,\u201d Ackhurst concludes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure your pet has a collar with your current information in case the animal escapes from the house or yard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take your dog on a leash for a long walk before the fireworks start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Double-check the fit of your dog\u2019s collar or harness before going outside. A leash, even if you have a fenced-in area, is a great added safety measure to help keep your dog close to you and under control should they get startled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you suspect your dog will freak out at the sound of fireworks, try playing sounds of fireworks (softly) on several occasions days before the event so your dog is used to hearing them. Try pairing a video of the sounds of fireworks with a treat your dog likes, in a process called counter-conditioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2013 The American Kennel Club on akc.or<\/strong>g<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Never leave your pet, especially a dog, who has a phobia for loud noises such as fireworks during New Year\u2019s Eve, alone at 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Counter-conditioning<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n