Hi folks, forgive the "Bah Humbug" bit, but we're only just in October and I just saw an advert on TV for Christmas 2011.

I hasten to add that this is UK television and that not every country is as obsessed with this one day as the Brits seem to be, but it did remind me that in Britain the start of Autumn means the arrival of another annual event, which like Christmas is no longer confined to a mere 24 hours.

However, unlike Christmas which as the song goes 'tis the season to be merry', the next few months 'tis the season to be noisy'!

The 5th November is Guy Fawkes Night, where the British commemorate the failed assassination of the King and Parliament by Mr. Fawkes and his gang. These days, this means that for the next few months, people will be letting off fireworks every where, and in some cases every night.

This of course is a time that a lot of dog owners dread, especially if they have a dog scared of fireworks, as it means living with a nervous wreck for a while. If I were to give owners one piece of advice to help them immediately, it would be to RELAX and try not to react to your dogs behaviour.

Easier said than done I can appreciate, but if you try to reassure your frightened dog that there is no problem, you are actually raising your own adrenaline level. The dog senses this and thinks that there must be a problem.

So, if your dog is losing the plot, don't join in. Staying calm is the best way to get other panickers around you to quieten down.

For anyone out there who wants more excellent tips on how to stay cool and calm your dog Jan Fennell is offering her audio CD on Fear of Noise at a special reduced price until the end of the "fun".

Don't worry, it's not a CD with firework noises on it! http://janfennellthedoglistener.com/whatsnews.php Cheers, Tony.

PS Fireworks can be beautiful in the right hands..