Surviving Fireworks Season: How Training Builds Resilience in Puppies and Adolescents

Fireworks season can be a nightmare for pet owners across Hampshire and Surrey. While many people enjoy the bright lights and loud bangs of Bonfire Night and New Year’s Eve, dogs often experience these events as confusing and terrifying. 

For puppies especially, it can lead to long-lasting fear, behaviours expressing stress, or even set-backs in training.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right approach, you can bring up a calm, confident pooch, long before the fireworks begin.

Why Early Training Matters

The best way to help your dog cope with noisy environments is by laying strong foundations early. That’s where structured dog training in Hampshire and Surrey comes into its own.

In our socialisation classes (for puppies under 18 weeks), we focus on introducing them to new experiences in a controlled, positive way. For instance, their ability to experience sounds is built gradually, using proven desensitisation techniques. It’s not about overwhelming your puppy: it’s about ensuring they don’t have negative associations with sounds. 

For dogs aged 19 weeks to 2 years, our adolescent and adult classes go deeper. Adolescents can react more easily, are often impulsive, or easily stressed. These sessions focus on impulse control, coping with distractions, and staying calm when the environment gets noisy or unpredictable.

Practical Preparation for Fireworks Season

You don’t have to wait for November to start preparing. Here are a few ways our training approach helps:

• Sound Desensitisation: We use controlled sound exposure in class and in one-to-one sessions, helping your dog get used to bangs, crackles, and pops in a safe setting.

• Building a Calm Zone: We teach how to create a go-to “safe space” for your dog at home, and train them to settle there using scent work, enrichment and positive reinforcement.

We help teach dogs through games and recall exercises. These teach your pooch to turn to you for guidance, instead of panicking. 

When to Get Help

If your dog is already showing signs of fear (panting, hiding, barking, shaking) don’t wait for it to get worse. 

Our one-to-one training visits across Hampshire and Surrey are tailored to tackle individual issues. Whether it’s a phobia of noises, strangers or general stress, our expert help can make a real difference.

The Takeaway

In most areas of Surrey and Hampshire, fireworks are unavoidable. However, your dog’s fear doesn’t have to be. Whether you’ve got a young pup just starting out or a teenage dog going through a wobbly stage, the right training now will pay off for years to come.

Looking for dog training in Hampshire or Surrey before fireworks season hits? Get in touch to join one of our puppy classes or book a one-to-one session at home.