As a pet parent, with the festive season fast approaching, you might naturally be much more concerned about your dog’s well-being. Dog walking can prove to be a challenge during festivities especially, loud ones like Diwali. Although Diwali is the festival of lights, many choose to celebrate it by bursting an insane amount of crackers and your little pet baby might not quite be ready for that kind of noise. Not only will they be scared to stick to their much-needed dog walking routine, they might be scared to even when they are staying inside the house due to how sensitive their hearing is and how loud the noise of crackers and celebrations are.
Even if you do manage to take them outside for a walk, there is a constant concern of making sure there aren’t any surprises in terms of crackers on the road, there aren’t children nearby who might think it is fun to throw crackers in the air and their are not burnt out pieces which might end up harming your dog (and you) if you do not tread around carefully. Let’s be honest, walking dogs through the streets might as well be considered an extreme sport during this season every year! There are a few things that might help you while walking dogs during Diwali to make it is more safer and easier for you and your pets –
- Walks during the day – Usually during Diwali, a lot of people burst crackers during the night, or very early in the morning. So you can walk your dog(s) during late mornings or mid-day when cracker sounds are at their lowest.
- Go to dog parks or no-crackers zone – There are quite a few dog parks in the city which you can visit during these festivities and make sure your dog is kept safe and happy. These dog parks usually have equipment for your dog to play with. Sometimes, a few big apartments or establishments have strict no-cracker policies, so with permission, you can take your dog there to make sure that they have a safe exercise zone.
- Educate and raise awareness – Although all the necessary information about the extreme negative effects of crackers for animals and humans alike, many choose to burst crackers. All you can do is kindly raise awareness and educate other people on how their actions have a negative consequence on this planet. You might get different kinds of reactions to that but it is always important to remember that the goal is to make the world a better place through kindness.
- Reassure your dog – The best thing you can do for your dog is to be with them when they are in this kind of vulnerable state. Invest in some good dog-friendly headphones while taking a walk to reduce the noise they hear, although this might only work to a certain extent as they have quite sensitive hearing.Give them their favorite toys, wrap them with a warm blanket, and if they cower to a corner or their favorite spot in the house, bend the rules a bit and let them do their own thing for those few days.
Apart from this, if you know towns that do not burst too many crackers or have a quieter hometown, you can always take a small vacation during this season for the benefit of your dog and give them as many walks as they require in those quieter zones. In addition to that, you can always make them walk around in your living room or balconies for those few days alone. You can contact PawSpace for the best certified dog walkers and pet sitters to aid you and your beloved pet through the festive season while you are busy.
