At times of high anxiety and fear the urge is strong to find somewhere to hide away; for cats it’s somewhere up high, like the tops of wardrobes or kitchen cupboards, but for dogs it’s in small dark places, like behind the sofa, under a table or squeezed into that impossible place under the chest of drawers (how do they make themselves so small?).
Our job is to make this job a little easier for them and this week I’d like you to think about where their safe place or den might be, and to make it a reality for them. The considerations are these –
* Away from the main footfall in the house (avoid corridors, doorways, children’s toyboxes, etc) so a little used corner can be good
* Somewhere easy to cover up – I use a crate, but a table can be utilised, or behind a sofa;
* Away from a window to help minimise the amount of sound and the flashing reaching your dog;
* Away from the temptation of householders to peek into the den and check on the dog (especially children) – eye-contact and the importance of avoiding it at times of stress is covered in a later post.
*Somewhere that your dog is able to snuggle their back into at least two sides; this reduces their sense of vulnerability.
Once you have your location identified, it’s time to turn it into their safe and comfortable place.
*Place something soft on the ground (we have an old sofa cushion – the one which survived a naughty lurcher).
*Roll up an old blanket to create a nesting area; some dogs like it partially rolled and partially flat so that they can dig it into the shape they prefer.
*Find an old duvet – larger the better – and cover the whole area; if it’s a crate, ensure that it drapes over all of the sides and over the front too. No gaps, except at the entrance which you can find a way of propping it open, then when they are in residence you can quietly drop it down to give them a safe enclosure, but you also need to ensure that they can breathe. When it’s time for them to come out they will just push the duvet with their nose and come out (remember to prop it open again once they are out so they can return as and when necessary).
The duvet serves a multiple purpose – it muffles any sound; it blocks out the flashes (which is why it’s important to check it’s completely covered); it creates warmth – the body temperature can drop with fear; it prevents any other stimuli which could be disturbing – like eye-contact or visual cues from the handler.
*Some dogs are able to chew when they are coming down from a period of anxiety, and it can help them calm, so consider getting a Kong, smearing something like peanut butter or Primula cheese (any squeezy cheese is good) on the inside, and popping it into the den when the fireworks are due to start. This should be the only visit you make to the den when your dog is in there.
If you are using a crate for their den, it’s important to leave the door open to ensure the dog is able to move around and find another safe place if this one feels unsafe in any way. If they feel trapped it will increase their anxiety levels to unacceptable levels. Let them move around unencumbered and without eye-contact. If they move somewhere else, so long as it’s safe for them to stay there, leave them there (Meg used to disappear behind the TV and was in danger of pulling the set down on her once so we had to encourage her to move somewhere else – a challenging task when she transformed into a snarling mass of teeth and fur).
HOUSE RULES WHEN YOUR DOG IS IN THE DEN
1. DO NOT DISTURB THEM.
Happy den hunting.
Rachael