Shekhar Gaonkar By Express News Service BENGALURU : It breaks my heart that once every year our dogs have to go through a set of traumatic nights filled with anxiety and fear. Everyone is gearing up for the festival of lights and crackers, while all of us are excited; our furries show a lot of uneasiness during this period.Most pets are not comfortable with the loud noise of crackers and show mood swings. At the outburst of such noises, they look for places to hide and sometimes show signs of shaking and fumbling. It’s not advisable to expose them directly to loud noises and leaving them alone in the house. Nowadays, many pet parents opt to keep their furries in boarding places away from the noise pollution during this period. I prefer to keep the dogs with me at my resort but sometimes even if I have to step into the city to meet family and friends for the festival. Since pets have the habit of sniffing us when we get home, I ensure that I change my clothes and wash down before coming back as the gun powder is dangerous to their delicate lungs. If you don’t have an option of keeping your pets away from home, it is recommended to create a common place for bursting crackers and clean the place up quickly so that no residue remains to harm the pets. A little effort from the people can go a long way to maintain the happy health of your furries. Never leave them alone at home especially if you live in a society or have loud surroundings where a good number of kids will be bursting crackers. They need your attention and care during these times as it is very traumatic to them. Every dog will react in one way or another, sometimes mild barking, whimpering and shivering to aggressive attacks, restlessness and loss of appetite. Pick up some tasty treats and ear caps to help lessen the sounds and try to keep them calm. Your presence and touch will reassure them of safety and keep their mind diverted. With great love, comes great responsibility and certain sacrifices would have to be made to keep the pets safe. More and more pet parents are realising that leaving their four legged babies at a boarding far from the noises of the city is in the best interests of their pets and it also ensures that they have a good time with loved ones without worrying about the pets. Ensure that they have a cracker of time, but without crackers. The author is CEO and co-founder, PetCart Nest

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