Train your dog to enjoy Deepavali

Wishing everyone a Great Deepavali

Kids start firing crackers and sparklers a week before Deepavali and this continues upto Karthigai Deepam.

During this cracker season, your pets get frightened of the sounds, and tend to take shelter under the cots in dark rooms. Stray dogs look for hideouts to stay safe of the bombardment.

Some dogs are so scared of these sounds that they do not even come out for answering nature's calls, and some even go off feed during the Deepavali season.

Is it not a pity that, when you and your family are enjoying the lights and sounds, your pets should spend their time in isolation and in darkness?

It is possible for you to train your dog also to enjoy the lights and sounds, and also the good food during this festival season.

The best approach will be to hold the dog and make it watch while the sparklers and crackers go on, so that it will slowly cast off the fear for them. Do not at all allow it to go under the cot. Your holding it will help the dog give up its fear gradually. This is very much like training your pet dog to walk on the road. If your pet had been mostly an indoor dog and if you take it out on the road all on a sudden it will get scared of the vehicles and the crowd on the road. If you take it out for short distances regularly, it will cast off the fear and start walking boldly on the road.

So, what is needed is a gradual exposure of your pet dog to the lights and sounds associated with Deepavali.

Do not feed your dog with too many sweets during the season. After giving a sweet or two, give it a raw carrot so that its teeth will get cleaned. If the dog allows it, clean its teeth with vinegar after it has consumed some sweets.