To get the nation’s pups ready for Guy Fawkes, with Guide Dogs we launched the National Fireworks Archive. The UK’s first crowd-sourced canine desensitisation tool transforms forgotten firework videos from the nation’s camera rolls into a free training resource.
Firework anxiety amongst our furry friends costs UK dog owners an estimated £1.4 billion a year, affects nearly two-thirds (63%) of dogs and disrupts the plans of nine in ten owners. Yet almost half of owners don’t realise desensitisation training may need to begin months before fireworks season.
The National Fireworks Archive answers this need. Structured by Guide Dogs’ experts in ascending intensity, the footage helps owners gradually introduce their dogs to real bangs, Catherine wheels, whistles and crackles over the recommended three-month training period – giving old clips a new purpose and families a better chance of a calmer Bonfire Night.
