By james art 
When I first saw Florence, I immediately knew she was an anxious puppy, which made me fall in love with her even more as I wanted to be the person who could protect her for years to come.
But around this time last year, with Bonfire night on the horizon, I started doing some research.
I was well aware of the effects that fireworks can have on nervous dogs, having seen pets suffer terribly from the noise (including smashing a bathroom to pieces in distress).
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I wanted to be fully prepared to help Florence cope as I wasn’t sure how she would react.
She ended up having a really restful night, so with November 5th just days away, I thought I’d share how I helped my anxious dog survive Bonfire Fire night.
It goes without saying that this of course won’t matter to every nervous dog, but I can only hope that my tips and tricks can make the next few days as stress-free as possible for those starting out to dread this time of year.
For professional advice on how to look after your dog on bonfire night, visit the RSPCA website.
Don’t leave them alone
It probably goes without saying, but if you think your dog is going to struggle on bonfire night, don’t leave him alone.
As their owner, they probably rely on you for comfort and protection. It’s also important to keep an eye on them in case they get into trouble and are at risk of injury.
Instead of going out for fireworks with friends and family, you can always make other arrangements for Bonfire Night, such as a cozy evening with “picky tea” and a fun game or two (a logo board game is very good).
Take them for a long walk
Taking your furry friends for a longer walk than usual can make a huge difference when it comes to helping them feel relaxed.
Adding an extra 10-15 minutes to your daily walk means they can burn a little more energy and get more tired.
Or you can just take them out for an extra walk before night falls.
Make sure the house is not quiet
Personally, I think it’s one of the greatest things you can do this time of year.
If the house isn’t quiet, the dogs will be distracted by other noises when fireworks go off (hopefully).
Since I stayed with Florence for her first Bonfire Night, the TV was on the whole time, but I decided to turn up the normal volume.
Sky and NOW teamed up with Dogs Trust this year to launch a special pop-up TV channel designed to help our furry family members stay calm during this potentially stressful time.
Aptly named ‘BonfireNight’, the channel will feature a range of soothing, entertaining and distracting films specially selected for dogs to enjoy with their owners, helping to ease anxiety caused by loud noises.
@rspca_official Fireworks have become a huge part of our annual celebrations, from Bonfire Night to New Year’s Eve, but the loud bangs and sparkling lights aren’t quite as magical for our pets, farm animals and wildlife 💔 We need your experiences and stories, to help we show the true impact of fireworks. If your animals have been affected please complete our short survey via the link in our bio 🔗 #RSPCA #Fireworks #DogsFireworks #DogsFireworksAnxiety #fireworksanxiety ♬ Emotional Ambient Piano – MoppySound
The channel can be found on Sky 310 – it will be broadcast from 6am on November 1st to 6am on November 6th.
Alternatively, you can leave the radio on in the background – try Pet Classics on Classic FM, which airs from 5pm to 9pm on 2nd November and 5th November.
Make a comfortable corner
Choosing a room in the house that absorbs the least sound would be the ideal place to spend the evening, as long as your dog is used to entering it and feels comfortable there.
I would also make sure that curtains or blinds cover the windows to hide the flashing lights of the fireworks as best as possible.
A good tip I read about was to make a “cozy corner” filled with beds, blankets and your dog’s favorite toys.
Toys that your dog likes to squeak all day, every day can be helpful, as encouraging them to play with them can drown out the sudden loud bangs of fireworks.
Give them extra attention
I don’t think there’s any harm in fussing around your pet more than normal around Bonfire Night.
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Just letting them know you’re there and someone to play with can be just what they need.
I even use this time of year as an excuse for Florence to have new toys, so of course a trip to Pets at Home was arranged.
They currently have their festive range in store and the Christmas Jumbo Jivin’ Gingerbread Tug Of War Dog Toy (pictured above) has already become Florence’s new favourite, especially since the smaller gingerbread tug toy which she got last year, recently went to dog toy heaven.
It might sound silly to worry so much because Florence is just a dog (I was of that opinion too), but becoming a dog owner has completely changed that.