By now in Britain the fireworks and bonfires are in full swing, and while they are great to watch for us humans, for our canine friends this time of year can be incredibly stressful.

The simplest and best advice I can give is to remain as calm as possible and not to pay any attention to your dog, no matter now upset it is. It is human nature to reassure by talking and cuddling, but it is not dog nature. If you make something out of this the dog will think that it's reaction is justified and it could get worse. If your panicky pooch takes off into a bedroom and hides under the bed, then leave it there without a fuss. As always, it is your reaction that counts, and the best thing by far is to act as if nothing is happening.

I realise this is difficult at times, but previous experience has shown this is the most effective way to get through this period. So hang in there and remember that even this time will end and you can weather the storm (by the way, the same approach works for storms too!)