It is estimated that 45% of dogs in the UK show fearful behaviour when exposed to fireworks.

With Guy Fawkes’ night only weeks away, this can pose a serious problem for dog owners in the UK.

Loud bangs from the fireworks ring from the late-afternoon until the middle of the night.

Similar problems are faced by dog owners across the globe, be it during Independence Day, Canada Day or New Year’s Eve celebrations.

These sort of distressing scenes are commonplace in dog owners’ households during firework celebrations:

There are some great resources online that can help you help your dogs during thunder and fireworks (which we’ve listed at the bottom of this article).

Many of these mention products that can aid the calming process, such as herbal medications, tonics and firework noise CDs.

Of these, one growing in popularity is the Anxiety Wrap (along with the Storm Defender Cape and Thundershirt in the US and Canada).

The shirt wraps tightly around the dog's body and gently maintains pressure on as much of the dog's body as possible, which supposedly helps to calm the dog.

To help you decide if the Anxiety Wrap can help with your dog's firework anxiety, we’ve reached out to three of our favourite dog bloggers to ask their opinion on the product and to share their experiences of dealing with the stress caused by fireworks.

Firstly, we turned to Angela, owner of Dexter, a German Shepherd, and one of our favourite bloggers over at Dexter’s Days.

"Personally, we’ve not used an Anxiety Wrap because, luckily, our dog, Dexter, isn’t afraid of fireworks.”

We’ve a family friend though, whose golden retriever would literally tear the house apart whenever there would be a thunderstorm.

She said the anxiety wrap worked really well, as long as she’s at home as well, helping to reassure the dog.

Even when the dog’s left alone wearing the Anxiety Wrap, her behaviour is nowhere near as extreme as it is without it.”

Our second port of call was Lindsay from That Mutt, whose site is an excellent resource for all things dog related.

"My mom's golden retriever Elsie has a very extreme fear of fireworks and thunder. Even when it is windy or raining, she begins to feel anxious.

"Common behaviors from Elsie during a storm or fireworks display include panting, pacing, frantically trying to climb into someone's lap, chewing on herself, pulling out her fur and barking when confined.

"It is very sad to see her like this, and we often feel very helpless.

"The shirt wraps tightly around the dog's core and gives her a "swaddled" feeling. I have heard many people report positive feedback from the shirt, but I've also heard some reports that it has not helped and it did not calm our poor Elsie.

"What I have found is that the shirt and similar products are good tools in addition to behavior modification. There is nothing that will work as a quick fix. You need patience, patience and more patience!

"If your dog is already scared of loud noises like Elsie, you can either try to get the dog used to these sounds by slowly and calmly introducing her more and more and rewarding calm behavior. Or you can simply provide a safe, quiet area for her to hide out during storms. I recommend a small room with a "den" area with blankets and comfy dog beds - maybe under a desk or somewhere cozy.

"Turn on a radio or a TV or a loud fan for white noise and yes, use anxiety shirts because it certainly won't hurt. Also give the dog a yummy treat such a favorite type of bone to chew or a toy that can be stuffed with treats. Treats like this may help the dog focus on something other than the fireworks, and chewing is a calming activity for a dog."

Lastly, we turned to Beverley Cuddy, editor of Dogs Today Magazine and blogger at Cold Wet Nose, for some general information on what else you can do to calm your dog.

"I remember the relief I felt after my old dog went deaf and his last couple of firework nights passed unnoticed. Prior to that he would find the smallest cupboard in the house and squeeze himself into it, shaking for hours until he finally gave in to sleep."

"After a couple of nights he would take nightfall as his signal to hide and we would find him wide-eyed and trembling long before the first rockets were lit."

"The most important thing I'd advise is plan ahead. Discuss the problem with your vet or qualified behaviourist to see what options are available.

"Avoid leaving your dog alone during the evening if fireworks are likely to go off, as he will feel safer with you around."

"Above all, stay calm and act normally. If your dog panics when faced with fireworks, he may become unpredictable and look to you for guidance. If you are panicking too, this will not help."

Pick up a copy of this month's Dogs Today Magazine, which includes a full guide to surving fireworks night with your dog.

What We Say

We'd like to reinforce what the bloggers we've reached out to have shared, that the Anxiety Wrap can be highly effective product for combatting the anxiety caused to dogs by fireworks, especially when used in conjunction with other calming techniques.

It seems though, that it is not a cure-all for all dogs. Some report have a positive reaction to it, others seem unaffected by it.

The Anxiety Wrap stands the greatest chance of being effective when it as used as part of a programme of different calming techniques.

There is no substitute for the owner being with the dog, reassuring them and helping to calming them down. You know your dog better than anyone.

Using an Anxiety Wrap though, certainly won't do any harm.

If you are interested in learning more about what you can do to help your dog overcome their fear of fireworks, here are some great online resources:

http://www.dogsandfireworks.com/

http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/thunderstorm-phobia-in-dogs.html

http://blogs.dogster.com/dog-training/how-to-help-your-fearful-dog-survive-fireworks-season/2010/06/