Wondering what to do on New Year’s Eve with your dog? You’ve come to the right place. New Year’s Eve is a wonderful time with fun, music and fireworks. Who doesn’t love it? Well… sad to say, but your dog. Celebrations like New Year’s Eve can be dangerous and even cause intense fear in your dog. Read on to see how to keep your beloved dog safe and sound this New Year’s Eve.
Why New Year’s Eve can be dangerous for your dog
You might think it’s just like any other day for your dog – but think again. New Year’s Eve, according to the German animal welfare organization TASSO¹, is the day of the year when more furry friends are reported lost than any other. In the United States, the only other day on which more pets go missing is the Fourth of July.
Fireworks, noise and loud music can turn even the bravest dog into a scared puppy. When your dog is scared, they have the natural instinct to go and find shelter.
Dogs are more likely to run away on nights like New Year’s Eve due to the following reasons:
- Loud noises, like parties, fireworks, music
- Large crowds of people
- Unfamiliar surroundings
- A change to their normal routine
Your pup may get frightened under these unusual circumstances and hide, or run off at the first opportunity they get. This is why it’s important to follow the advice below to keep your dog safe, calm, and happy this New Year’s Eve.
The secret to keeping your dog safe on New Year’s Eve
One pro tip to prevent your dog from getting lost this New Year’s Eve, is to keep a Tractive GPS attached to your dog’s collar or harness during the entire evening. By doing so, you can enjoy the evening and rely on the Virtual Fence and LIVE Tracking features to keep a virtual eye on your dog at all times.
Now that you are aware that New Year’s Eve is not usually a fun day for your dog, you can take some other extra precautions.
What to do on New Year’s Eve with your dog
Having a dog-friendly New Year’s Eve requires using common sense first! Always keep an eye on your dog during the evening and be extra attentive when fireworks, noise and loud music increase. Don’t forget to take into consideration these 5 tips:
1. Make sure your dog gets plenty of physical activity.
One way to ensure that your dog will be more relaxed and calm on New Year’s Eve is to tire them out a bit during the day. Take your regular dog walks, and go a bit further or on a more uphill path than you normally would. Track your dog’s physical activity with an activity monitor for dogs to ensure they get enough exercise. This way, your dog will be calm and more likely to have a good sleep in the evening.
Hint: Be extra careful during dog walks outdoors.
It’s important to be extra careful while walking your dog, since some people test out fireworks ahead of New Year’s Eve, or set them off even before it’s dark out. As we mentioned above, loud noises (especially a sudden bang) might scare your dog and trigger their instinct to run away. So keep your dog on a leash, and make sure their collar ID tag and GPS tracker are properly attached. In case your dog bolts, you’ll be able to track and find them with the help of your tracker.
