Protect Your Pets From The Gunpowder Plot The period around bonfire night has by tradition been a... Protect Your Pets From The

Protect Your Pets From The Gunpowder Plot The period around bonfire night has by tradition been a time of ritual for British pet owners. Observing customs dating back at least as far as the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, we have sought to remedy in our pets, terrors instilled by the explosive bangs, crashes and flashes of fireworks.

With the help of the UK pet industry, UKPets has put together a list of tried and tested solutions and one or two new ideas, to help you and your pets through this stressful time.

Tim White co-founder of K9 Capers warns that if you have a young dog that has never experienced them before it is of paramount importance that you react in the correct way when he hears fireworks for the first time.

Whenever a dog encounters something strange or frightening it will look to its owners for guidance. Unfortunately the "human" thing to do is to tell our dog that it is ok in a soothing voice and give it strokes to reassure it. This will in fact tell the dog that it has reason to be afraid and that it is very good indeed for being unsure! Obviously that was not what we meant to say but that is how our canine chum will interpret our reaction. So the best thing to do is show as little reaction to the sound of the fireworks as possible and under no circumstances try to reassure your dog. Instead ignore him completely and carry on as normal.

Tim also suggests that we make sure he has had his dinner and been to the toilet before it gets dark as some dogs will not eat or go outside due to the fear. Karen from Bone Online agrees and points out that a long walk early in the day and a hearty meal early evening can help some dogs to feel more sleepy.

"Don't forget small animals especially rabbits and guinea pigs, put a heavy blanket around most of the cage and move them out of the firing line."

Cats that are known to be skittish, sensitive or new to a home, will be particularly vulnerable to firework noise and could panic and run away. Make sure doors and windows are securely fastened.

Championpets has produced its own 'Championpets Firework Party' CD, which comes with full instructions for owners to desensitize their pet and help them cope with fireworks at any time of year.

"It has really worked wonders with my Bearded Collies, and we have been getting really good feedback about it. We also find that 'Serene-um' tablets are a really safe and effective way of helping to keep pets calm. We sell lots of these items at this time of year, both in the shop and through our website at www.championpetsonline.com ."

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