Joe Harker
Bonfire night has really crept up on us this time but suddenly it's almost the end of the year and plenty of places will be putting on a massive fireworks display to celebrate.
As much as seeing the sky alight with explosions is a delight for many people, it can be quite a distressing time for our beloved pets who don't know what's going on apart from it being really loud outside.
Dogs in particular can get very panicked by the loud noises and it's up to you as their owner to calm them down, luckily there's a few things you can do to help them settle during a scary time.
Preparing your home so your pets have somewhere to hide is useful, as is putting away small implements that might be harmful if eaten.
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However, one of the main things you can do to help keep your dog calm is play them some music, and one track in particular seems to be best for the job.
You can close the windows and curtains to keep out the sudden light and sound that might distress your pets, but it's not as simple a matter as hooking up your Spotify playlist and letting your pooch enjoy your favourite tunes.
Research indicates that dogs find classical music calming, with the genre giving them a lower level of stress and separation anxiety, so you might think about sticking some on for them to listen to.
Studies into the effect of music on dogs indicated that they spent more time sleeping and less howling or crying than dogs played other kinds of music, so this Bonfire Night pop on some classical music and hope it helps.
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You could stick on Classic FM's Pet Classics, a show they have on during Bonfire Night which provides a special playlist of tracks that seem to help your dog the most.
If you'd like to do your own thing then the song they found most effective was 'Air on G String' by Johann Sebastian Bach, a very famous tune you've probably heard a few times even if you never knew the title.
Apparently it's the top tune to put on for your dog, and it really is quite a relaxing one to be fair.
If you're making your own playlist then 'Sheep May Safely Graze', another one by Bach, is another banger of a choice.
Other songs that you might want to add on are Saint-Saëns' 'The Swan', Eric Whitacre's 'Seal Lullaby', and the second movement of Schubert's 'Trout' Quintet.
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You could also give 'Mina' by Edward Elgar a spin as well as Claude Debussy’s 'Arabesque No.1', and even Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturne in B flat minor.
Imagine going back in time to tell Bach what his music would one day be used for.